What is the climate in the forest zone of Russia?

The climate of Russia's forests is quite diverse - beginning with the moderately cold in the north and east of the country and ending moderately warm to the south and west. The number of sunny days, humidity and duration of the vegetative period of plants also vary significantly.

Northern taiga

It is from this that the forest zone in the north of Russia begins (except for the tundra with its mosses and stunted trees). In addition to its impressive square (it stretches from the western border of the country and to the Pacific coast in the east), this area is famous for dense, very gloomy coniferous thickets. The climate here is classified as temperate-cold, but the conditions for life can be called extreme.

Most of the taiga forest is formed by a dense layer of the same type of coniferous trees. Their crowns almost do not allow sunlight and heat. For this reason, shrubs and young pines have to struggle to survive, and are localized mainly in glades and fringes.

The most severe climate in the forest zone of the taiga is observed in Central Siberia. Then it goes from the plain to the mountain, where the conditions are less extreme. The total width of impenetrable coniferous thickets sometimes reaches 2000 km. In winter, air temperatures often drop to -40 and even lower. Strong cold is accompanied by heavy snowfalls, which provides a sufficient (and sometimes even excessive) level of humidity. In summer, the air hardly warms up to +13, in some places - to +19 degrees. Flora of the northern taiga is mainly represented by evergreen coniferous trees (cedar, fir, pine). Closer to the south is spruce, as well as broad-leaved trees (birch, aspen, alder).

These places are rich not only with wood, but also with valuable animals. Northern forests inhabit the lynx, glutton, squirrel, bear, sable and some other fur-bearing animals.

Southern Taiga

As a rule, when answering the question of what kind of climate in the forest zone of Russia, many people mean this part of it. Temperature and humidity change when moving not only from north to south, but also from east to west. Relatively warm air masses formed over the Atlantic Ocean penetrate deep into the European part of the country. In the east, they are stopped by the Ural Mountains, beyond which the climate in the forest zone takes on pronounced moderately continental features.

In winter it is warmer than in the north of the taiga, but still the average annual temperature is much lower than at similar latitudes, but to the west. Vegetation is mainly mixed, coniferous forests are replaced by broadleaf, and sometimes meadows and even swamps.

Despite the high fertility of the southern taiga soil, farming is not very developed here. The main reasons for this are swampy terrain and a short vegetative period. The climate in the forest zone of Russia allows to grow only frost-resistant crops. This circumstance, on the one hand, had a positive effect on the ecosystem (lack of mass cutting of trees). On the other hand, reckless reclamation often causes global changes, including climatic changes.

Fauna of the southern taiga is diverse. There are brown bear, moose, squirrel, hare and other "primordially Russian" beasts. The real trouble with these places is the abundance of insects (especially mosquitoes), which is associated with high humidity and a large number of marshes.

Mixed broadleaf forests

South of the tundra, on the territory of the East European Plain, frost-hardy rocks are replaced by more thermophilic. Considering the question of what kind of climate in the forest zone, south of 50 degrees north latitude, you can unequivocally say that it is moist and warm. Due to a fairly long and comfortable summer (the average July temperature is above 20 degrees), as well as a large amount of precipitation, broad-leaved forests are represented by oak and ash, maple and linden. Occasional hazel and other species of shrubs are found. Of coniferous trees, pine and spruce are common.

Due to strong moistening, there are often wetlands, however, due to high summer temperatures and intense evaporation, there are not so many of them as in the southern taiga. The animals inhabiting the area are not very different from the fauna of the neighboring zone. Basically, it's moose, bison, boar, marten, wolf. From rare representatives it is worth noting the otter. Broad-leaved forests are rich in birds: here live the Oriole, the dubonos, the woodpecker.

Far East

Here, the taiga is also replaced by broad-leaved forests, but the weather conditions, vegetation, and animal life of this area are peculiar and surprising. Considering which climate prevails in the forest zone of the Far East, it is necessary to remember the influence of the Arctic air masses on one side and the Pacific Ocean on the other. Thanks to its proximity, the summer here is quite warm. The average July temperature exceeds 25 degrees. However, winters are severe enough and prolonged. Often there are very sharp temperature changes. This was one of the reasons for the formation of a unique flora and fauna.

Many plant species occur exclusively within this region. We are talking about whole-leaf fir, Korean cedar, Ayan spruce, Mongolian oak, Amur lime and some other trees, bushes and even herbs. The fauna is represented as typical inhabitants of the northern latitudes (Amur tiger, spotted deer), and more thermophilic. It is important to note that many species are on the verge of extinction, so they are listed in the Red Book.

Human influence on climate

Unfortunately, massive cutting down of trees, melioration of wetlands and the destruction of animals can not but leave traces in the ecosystem. If we consider what climate in the forest was several hundred years ago, and what it has become now, one can note an increase in the average annual temperature in the eastern part of the taiga and a decrease in the western one. And although these changes are not yet catastrophic, judging by the disappearance of some species of flora and fauna, in the future they can play a fatal role in the ecosystem of the region.

How to save unique plants from extinction

In order to prevent the disappearance of certain valuable tree species and climate change , large-scale works on the conservation and renewal of forests are currently underway. For this purpose, reserved zones have been created in the Krasnoyarsk Territory, in the Amur basin, in the western part of the East European Plain. Forests here are studied primarily by aerospace methods, controlling their changes, revealing foci of fires, flooding and other disasters. To preserve nature in its pristine form is the main task of reserved farms.

Forest in the territory of the Russian Federation occupies several natural and climatic zones. Each of them is unique in its own way and is characterized by an amazing landscape, flora and fauna. To preserve this natural wealth, it is necessary to monitor the natural balance, not allowing the disappearance of certain constituents. Only in this case, after more than one century, the question of what kind of climate in the forest zone is at a certain geographical latitude, it will be possible to obtain the same answer as now. If it is thoughtless to take away from nature all of its wealth, it is likely that very soon it will simply not remain.