The position of Africa in natural zones. African natural areas. Fauna of the rainforest

On the African continent, climatic conditions are not the same everywhere. natural areas Africa is symmetrically located on the mainland on both sides of the equator. In addition to solar heat, the African climate is influenced by 2 oceans. The cool waters of the Atlantic greatly cool the western shores. The eastern ones are washed by the heated Indian Ocean, therefore, even at the same latitude, the climate in the west and east of the continent is different.

Main climatic zones

The main natural areas of Africa, having the same name on a map or in a table, can be very different from each other in terms of characteristics. For example, the savannah of southern Africa is completely different from the savannah in the central regions of the continent. Not only climate and weather differ, but also animals and vegetable world, ways of economic activity of people.

The equatorial belt is located in close proximity to the equator. It includes the Gulf of Guinea and the valley of the Congo River. Here, the humidity is constantly high, which contributes to abundant precipitation - up to 2000 mm per year. The temperature does not reach the high values ​​characteristic of the dry tropics - all year round it stays at 28 degrees.

The subequatorial belt is located north and south of the equatorial belt. Seasonal climatic differences are expressed here. Summer is characterized by high humidity, the winter season is dry, but mild, without suffocating heat. The rains usually fall in two seasons.

The tropical belt occupies the largest area on the continent. To the north it includes the Sahara Desert. In the south - dry and hot regions of South Africa. However, due to northerly winds, the Sahara is much drier than southern Africa. Of course, there are deserts there, for example, the Namib. But their area is much smaller. There is much more precipitation here than in the Sahara, and therefore the vegetation is denser.

The coastal regions of northern and southern Africa are located in the subtropical zone, in which the Mediterranean type stands out. In areas adjacent to mediterranean sea, the climate is the same as in Southern Europe. Medium annual temperature here it stays at around 21 degrees.

Wet greenhouses of the equator

From the point of view of the natural landscape description, a number of zones can be named on the territory of Africa:

• moist forests of the equatorial zone;
• savannas of various types;
• tropical African semi-deserts and deserts;
• evergreen forests.

The forests of the equatorial territories are located along the zero parallel - the equator. They occupy less than 10% of the area of ​​the black mainland. Abundant moisture and warmth create all the necessary conditions for the rapid growth of trees, grasses and shrubs. A large amount of green mass contributes to the diversity of the animal community. Herbivores are represented by the following species:

• hippos;
• antelopes;
• okapi.

Among predators there are crocodiles, pythons and leopards. You can list many types of monkeys, ranging from monkeys and mandrills to anthropoids. Birds of paradise and parrots are well known among birds.

A huge amount of vegetation - more than 13 thousand species is located in the equatorial waterlogged forests. However, powerful trees are predominant - it is easier for them to withstand competition in the literal sense for a place under the sun. There are also a lot of lianas and exotic flowers, especially orchids. Abundant rainfall - more than two meters of water per year, contribute to the swamping of territories.

It should also be borne in mind that the Congo River also provides an abundance of water resources, so the humidity here is very high all year round - 80%. This, of course, makes it difficult for a person to master these places - it is quite difficult to constantly live in the atmosphere of a steam bath. In addition, high humidity adversely affects the respiratory system.

From forests to steppes

The farther from the equator, the lower the humidity. Equatorial forests give way to African steppes - savannahs, which occupy 40% of the continent's area. It rains much less here - up to 1200 mm per year, and in different places this number varies greatly. In this regard, 3 types of savannas are distinguished:

• with tall grass;
• with low grass;
• transitional to deserts.

As the amount of precipitation decreases further, the savannahs are replaced by tropical semi-deserts and further by deserts. Precipitation here is rare and weak. So already in the semi-desert zone, the annual amount of precipitation decreases to 300 mm. A significant area of ​​the mainland is occupied by deserts. The flora is limited to shrubs and grasses that can survive in dry conditions. The main representatives of the fauna are reptiles, rodents, birds. From large animals - ungulates.

The unique natural and climatic complex is the most big desert world - Sahara. It occupies 10% of the mainland. At the same time, due to a decrease in the water balance, the Sahara continues to increase towards the equator. According to the amount of precipitation, the desert is divided into northern ( annual amount 200 mm), central and southern (about 20 mm per year). In addition, the Sahara is divided into 11 geographical regions. 4 types of landscapes prevail:

• flat,
• mountainous,
• hills;
• hollows.

Despite the fact that the desert is associated with sand dunes, most of the Sahara - about 70% of the area - is rocky. Of the remaining 30%, sands also occupy only a part - in addition to them, there are clay areas.

Throughout the Sahara, you can find oases - endorheic water basins, where there is enough moisture for the growth of trees and shrubs. Oases are, in the most direct sense, islands of life in the middle of the desert. They owe their appearance to the proximity of underground water areas to the earth's surface.

Thanks to artesian waters, there are always lakes or other reservoirs of water in oases. A wealth of plants - unusual for the desert. Such enclaves are scattered throughout the Sahara, it is in them that people live. Oases provide their inhabitants with the necessary conditions for existence even in the extreme conditions of the desert. The only river crossing the desert - Nile.

For a significant part of the year, the north trade wind prevails in the desert, reaching the central regions of the Sahara. These winds have a very strong effect on temperature and cause quite frequent and prolonged sandstorms and tornadoes. The average daily temperature ranges from + 35 to +10. The flora here is poor, and a few animals lead a predominantly twilight lifestyle.

Transitional type from savannah to desert

For comparison with the Sahara, one can cite another African desert- Kalahari. Just like the Sahara , the Kalahari is growing rapidly- over the past decades, its territory has moved northward. Interestingly, although the Kalahari is considered a desert, it is still a desert-type savannah. There is more precipitation here than in the Sahara - 500 mm per year. They mostly fall in the summer. The winter climate is mild and dry, but classic droughts are relatively rare here - about once every 5 years.

Kalahari is the most sun-warmed part of southern Africa, the highest temperature here reaches + 29, and the minimum is +12. In the central part of the desert, there is periodically an extreme temperature drop - from +45 during the day to +3 at night. The landscape is rather uneven. Part of the desert is covered with red sand dunes.

According to the main version of scientists, they were able to color the dunes in a reddish color. strong winds that bring such soil from the Namib Desert. The Kalahari has large underground water reserves, but they are located at a great depth - about 300 meters. Of course, the roots of plants cannot penetrate so deeply, so the Kalahari is one of the poorest regions in Africa in terms of species diversity.

Hard-leaved evergreen subtropical forests are located in the coastal regions of the north and south of the continent. Despite the fact that the average temperature here is +28 degrees, the influence of northern winds, especially in the highlands, is very significant. In the Atlas Mountains of Morocco, there are frosts down to -15 degrees. This requires appropriate endurance from the plant world.

Biodiversity

Africa's water resources are great, but very unevenly spaced.. Large and full-flowing rivers flow here. The great African lakes also contribute to the water balance. Thus, about 9% of all reserves are concentrated here. fresh water peace.

Animal world Africa is very diverse. The most famous inhabitant of the equatorial forests is the gorilla. These great apes live in families of up to 15 members. The weight of an adult individual can reach 300 kg. The peculiarity of these forests is a small number of predators. Of the large ones, only the leopard is found here. But large herbivores are well represented here: hippos, giraffes, antelopes. The world of reptiles and amphibians is diverse, among which the goliath frog is the most famous.

In the tropical waters of the African coast there are unique coral colonies, about 3,000 species of fish live here.

A real expanse here for insects - there are more than 100 thousand species. Among them there are species that are characteristic only for Africa: this is the tsetse fly, different kinds termites, endemic locusts and many others.

In any natural area you can find a wide variety of reptiles: snakes, turtles, lizards, crocodiles. In general, Africa is considered the continent where the species of living things are most fully represented - 1/5 of the world's fauna is concentrated here. There are more than a thousand and one hundred varieties of mammals alone. At the same time, Africa also holds the record for the number of large animals weighing more than 45 kg.

Lives in Africa the largest number species of primates - 45, including 2 species great apes. In addition, on the island of Madagascar, where there are no monkeys, there is unique population"semi-primates" - lemurs, including more than a hundred species.

Impact of economic activity

Over the past decades in Africa, there has been a change in the boundaries of natural zones, associated with human economic activity. This leads to serious ecological situation. For example, only half of the inhabitants of the continent today have permanent access to fresh water. The lack of drinking water is associated with high level mortality among children. Meanwhile, the situation is worsening due to droughts, due to which the area of ​​African deserts is constantly increasing.

The distribution of natural areas in Africa is also almost symmetrical about the equator and depends mainly on the uneven distribution of precipitation.

Moist evergreen equatorial forests occupy the Congo basin and the coast of the Gulf of Guinea north of the equator. These forests are distinguished by a huge species diversity (more than 1000 plant species), height (up to 50 m) and multi-layered (tree crowns fill almost the entire space). Animals are also distributed in tiers. Hordes of microfauna, a variety of invertebrates, as well as shrews, lizards and snakes swarm in loose soil and forest litter. The ground layer is inhabited by small ungulates, forest pigs, forest elephants, and gorillas. The crowns of trees were chosen not only by birds, but also by monkeys, colobuses, chimpanzees and even rodents and insects, often reaching very large sizes. There, on large branches, a leopard rests and lies in wait for prey. Ants, termites and amphibians are common in almost all tiers, near water bodies - pygmy hippos, okapi (relatives of giraffes). Here, geochemical processes are actively taking place with the participation of microorganisms and soil fauna, accompanied by the formation of iron and aluminum oxides. Rocks acquire special structure and color, the so-called weathering crusts are formed, on which red-yellow ferralitic soils (ferrum - iron, aluminum - aluminum) are formed. Many of the plants of the equatorial forests are used in the economy and introduced into cultivation: banana, coffee tree, oil palm, etc.

From the south and north, the zone of humid equatorial forests is bordered by zone of variable-moist deciduous forests, and further - a zone of light forests and savannahs, which is associated with the appearance of a dry period, which lengthens as you move away from the equator.

About 40% of Africa is occupied savannah, where small groups or single specimens of umbrella-shaped trees (baobabs, umbrella acacias, mimosas, palm trees) rise among tall grasses, sometimes thickets of shrubs. Their leaves are usually small, hard, pubescent, the trunks are covered with thick bark. Baobab is the tree of life of the savannas and one of the most famous trees in the world. Usually these "green fat men" are not very tall, but there are individual specimens that reach a hundred meters in height and several tens of meters in circumference. Moreover, there is a report that a completely gigantic baobab was found in the African savannas, 189 m tall and with a trunk diameter of 43.4 m - and this is already an absolute world record among trees. The ways in which these trees are used are amazing. Fruits, seeds, young shoots and leaves are eaten. Soap and oil are made from the ashes of the burnt fruits, and glue is made from flower pollen. But the trunks of these giants find the most original application. So, for example, it is known that in the hollow of one baobab they equipped a shelter with a door and a window, in the hollow of another - a bus station with a waiting room, and in the third - a bathhouse.

In dry savannahs, tree-like spurges and aloe with fleshy spiny leaves grow. In the rainy season, the savannah is an ocean of greenery; in the dry season, it turns yellow, brown, sometimes black from fires. Red ferralitic or red-brown soils of savannahs are more fertile than soils of moist equatorial forests, since humus accumulates during the dry period.

The African savanna is a country of large herbivores. These are giraffes, elephants, antelopes, zebras, buffaloes, rhinos. There are many predators: lions, leopards, cheetahs, jackals and carrion-eating hyenas. Nest along the banks of rivers and lakes numerous birds, live hippos, crocodiles.

To preserve the nature of the savannas, the well-known national parks Kivu, Virunga in Zaire, Katera in Rwanda, Serengeti in Tanzania have been created. They are actively visited by tourists from all over the world, bring a huge income. They do a lot of research work.

Large areas north and south of the savannas are tropical semi-desert and desert zones. There are only irregular episodic rains, in some areas once every few years. The zone is characterized by extreme dryness of air, large diurnal temperature amplitudes, dust and sand storms. The surface of the deserts is covered with stony placers or sands, salt marshes in the place of dried salt lakes or clays where once there were seas.

The vegetation here is very sparse and specific. The leaves are either replaced by spines or are very small, the roots extend both in breadth and far into the depth of the soil. Some plants can live in saline soils, others have a short development cycle (live only after rains). In search of scarce food and water, desert animals can travel long distances (ungulates, such as antelopes) or go without water for a long time (some reptiles, camels), some of them are nocturnal. Soils are poor organic matter but rich in mineral salts. With irrigation, on the one hand, this allows growing many crops, but on the other hand, it creates the problem of secondary salinization of soils and groundwater. As a result, agricultural land turns into barren salt marshes.

In the extreme north and south of the mainland is zone of subtropical hard-leaved evergreen forests and shrubs with brown soils.

On the uplifts of the relief it appears altitudinal zonality . The highest peaks of the mainland (Kilimanjaro, Kenya), even in tropical and equatorial latitudes, are covered with eternal snow and glaciers.

natural area	Climate type	Climate features			Vegetation	The soil	Animal world
		TJan.	TJuly	Amount of precipitation
Hard-leaved evergreen forests and shrubs	Mediterranean western coasts				Holm oak, wild olive, jujube	Brown	Leopards, antelopes, zebras.
Semi-deserts and deserts	Tropical dry western coasts				Xerophytes, saltworts, spurges, thickets of thorny bushes, juzgun	Desert sandy and rocky	Scorpions, beetles, locusts, hedgehogs, snakes, jerboas
Deserted savannas and woodlands					Euphorbia, aloe, paspalidium, sporobolus, baobab	Red-brown	Giraffes, buffaloes, gazelles, antelopes, rhinos, zebras
	subequatorial continental				Baobabs, cereals, palms, oil palms	Red ferralitic
Variable rainforests	subequatorial continental				Ficus, pandanus, hymenocardia	Red ferralitic	Leopard, deer, secretary bird
Constantly wet	equatorial continental				Ficuses, palm, ceiba, bananas, coffee	Red-yellow ferralitic	Gorillas, chimpanzees, termites, parrots, okapi, elephant.

Natural areas have common characteristics of flora and fauna, as well as climatic conditions and landscape. Africa has several such zones, and the summary table shows well what their main differences are. The peculiarity of the location of the natural zones of the hottest continent is that they move symmetrically north and south from the equator.

Africa's climate is influenced by its proximity to 2 oceans. For example, the Atlantic Ocean significantly cools the climate west coast, so it is not as popular as the eastern one, warmed by the warm currents of the Indian Ocean. The natural zones of Africa (the table of climatic zones shows their main differences) can have different weather conditions.

So the savannah of Central Africa has completely different characteristics than the savannah in the south:

Belt	Location	The main characteristics of the climate
Equatorial	Located along the equator - this is the Gulf of Guinea and the Congo depression.	Warm wet equatorial masses throughout the year, the average temperature is + 28, there is also a lot of precipitation - up to 2000 mm per year.
subequatorial	It is located on both sides of the equatorial belt.	It has a mixed climate, here the summer season is wet, and the winter season is mild and dry. Summer temperature averages + 28. Rains fall in 2 seasons.
Tropical	The largest area of ​​the continent. Covers the Sahara and South Africa.	The climate in the Sahara is influenced by dry trade winds from the north. There is also very little rainfall and a lot of wind. South Africa, due to external factors, has many cages, unlike the Sahara in terms of by and large covered with vegetation.
Subtropical	Coasts of extreme North and South Africa	Includes 2 climatic regions - Mediterranean type and subtropical. The average temperature here is about +21, the climate is similar to European in many ways.

What natural areas is Africa located in?

Natural areas are largely affected by climate. Geographically, these zones do not have clear boundaries and are unevenly distributed.

Natural areas of Africa on the map

There are 4 zones:

• Moist equatorial forests.
• Savannah.
• Tropical deserts and semi-deserts.
• Evergreen forests and shrubs.

Moist equatorial forests

Moist equatorial forests are located in the middle of the continent - along the equator. These forests occupy 8% of the continent.

Humid air and high temperatures create conditions for the growth of lush vegetation. Also, this area is densely populated with hippos and crocodiles, parrots, birds of paradise and vultures. Local predators are leopards and viverras, and ungulates are forest pigs, okapis, wild boars and antelopes.

Here is the largest variety of animals that live in trees - monkeys, monkeys, chimpanzees, gorillas and mandrills.

The natural zones of Africa (the table shows that this belt has the highest amount of precipitation) do not have an even distribution of flora and fauna. Most of the plants are located in this zone - about 13 thousand. Large trees predominate here. There are also many flowers, especially orchids and herbs. Due to regular rainfall, there are many swampy areas.

More than 3000 mm of precipitation falls here annually - this is a large amount of rain. Also, this zone has reserves of inland waters from the Congo River. The average annual temperature is + 28, here the air humidity is high - 80%. The farther from the equator, the lower the humidity.

Savannah

The natural zones of Africa, the table of which was given earlier, are inferior in area to the shrouds, which occupy 40% of the land. Rainfall here is up to 1200 mm per year, which creates completely different climatic conditions.

Therefore, there are 3 regions:

• Tall grasses.
• Low herbs.
• deserted.

Tropical deserts and semi-deserts

The natural zones of Africa, the table of which separately distinguishes tropical deserts and semi-deserts, have the feature of an arid climate. This zone is characterized by irregular and short-term rains. Its area clearly corresponds to the borders of the Sahara, Namib and Kalahari deserts.

This is the next natural belt after the savannas, which has the poorest flora and fauna on the African continent.

Semi-deserts are a transition from a dry landscape to savannahs, where annual precipitation does not exceed 300 mm. Plants are mainly shrubs, cereals and herbs, and the animal world is represented mainly by rodents, reptiles, various birds and herds of ungulates. A visual area of ​​semi-deserts is the Sahel, it separates the Sahara from the savannas.

Subtropical evergreen hardwood forests and shrubs

The natural areas of Africa have many differences from the evergreen forests that are located on the coasts of northern and southern Africa. Although the typical temperature here is +28 degrees, cold winds balance the weather and make it more enduring.

The Atlas Mountains, in Morocco, have a height of about 3 thousand meters. Because of this, there are frosts down to -15 in winter, a lot of snow. At the foot of these mountains are developed broadleaf forests and meadows. A distinctive feature of this natural belt in southern Africa is leguminous woody plants, which are the main food for many animals.

Table and map of natural areas of Africa

According to studies of local flora and fauna, 4 main natural zones are distinguished on the mainland. But they are not evenly distributed, so scientists divide them into another 10 natural areas– with more specific descriptions.

Natural areas are unevenly distributed. To better understand the nature of each part of Africa, the table will help:

Geographical part	Landscape	Zone
Northern	atlas mountains Sahara Sudanese plain	Savannah Desert and semi-desert
Central	North Guinea region Congo pit	Wet equatorial forests Variably moist forests Savannah
South	South African plateau cape mountains Madagascar	Hard-leaved evergreen forests and shrubs Deserts and semi-deserts Savannah
Eastern	Ethiopian highlands East African plateau	Deserts and semi-deserts Savannah

Natural phenomena and environmental problems

Over the past decades, environmental problems have worsened here due to natural and industrial changes. The global problem of the inhabitants of the mainland - only 50% of the population has permanent access to fresh water. The situation is aggravated industrial centers that pollute the water.

The problem with water is also manifested by droughts. The consequences of drought are typical in the zone near the Sahara, the area of ​​\u200b\u200bbecause of this, every year it expands deeper into the continent. Droughts also appeared in southern Africa - in 2013. In Namibia, a state of emergency was proclaimed, 90% of the crop died.

Africa is rich in raw materials. Therefore, here the states are constantly fighting against poaching by deforestation and hunting for animals. The scale of felling is catastrophic, it is the consequences of changes in the flora that already have climatic consequences. New seedlings simply do not have time to grow.

Another problem is the capture and depletion of agricultural land. International conflicts arise from the extraction of diamonds, oil and gas.
Africa's global problem is the export of garbage from all over the world. This entails air pollution with mercury, complex metals and the destruction of local nature.

resources of the african continent

Africa is rich in a variety of natural resources, which are unevenly distributed throughout the mainland. Natural resources and raw materials are the main source of income for the local population, since industry and industry in African countries poorly developed.

Main income locals are obtained from fishing and deforestation - legal and illegal.

Africa is considered to be a continent with a huge water supply, but it is unevenly distributed. The continent has impressive inland waters from the flow of the Nile, Niger, Congo, Zambezi, Limpopo and Orange rivers. Lakes Victoria, Nyasa, Tanganyika and Chad play an equally important role in water supply. It is important that 9% of fresh water reserves are concentrated in Africa.

The soils here are mostly wild. These are very large, but not particularly fertile areas. Therefore, only 10% of the area is legally cultivated. Also, self-grasping of soils is still very common here. 30% of the world's mineral resources are concentrated on the mainland. The most valuable here are diamonds, gold, platinum, uranium, cobalt and oil.

Fauna of the rainforest

The most popular inhabitant of the rainforests are gorillas. They live in families of up to 15 individuals and the weight of each of them reaches 300 kg. The peculiarity of these forests is a small number of predators. Only the leopard lives here. Hippos, antelopes and giraffes also live in the tropics. Also, 8 endemic reptiles live here, and the most popular is the tailless goliath frog.

Along the tropical coasts unique world corals and shellfish. Tropical waters are good conditions for the water world. About 3 thousand species of marine and freshwater fish.

The tropics are famous for various insects, of which more than 100 thousand species live here: tsetse fly, malarial mosquitoes, termites, Diptera, bees, ants and butterflies.

African reptiles

There are a lot of reptiles on the continent, regardless of the natural area. Most of all in Africa there are snakes. In addition to them, 10 species of lizards and 3 species of crocodiles are considered endemic.

The most popular turtles here are the land and pelomedusa.

Birds and mammals

In addition to migratory birds, another 2.5 thousand species live here, of which 111 bird species are on the verge of extinction. Africa is considered the owner of the richest animal world - a fifth of the world's fauna - African representatives. Only the number of mammals alone is 1.1 thousand varieties.

Their habitat is often limited to the eastern African plateau and the coast of the Indian Ocean. The highest number of representatives of megafauna is distributed here - animals weighing more than 45 kg - hippos, lions, elephants, leopards, giraffes, cheetahs, antelopes, buffaloes.

Africa is home to 45 species of primates - monkeys, galagos and baboons, gorillas and chimpanzees. They are not found only in Madagascar. The absence of monkeys in Madagascar is main reason why the island has a unique and diverse population of lemurs - more than 100 species.

Sahara Desert

Sahara is the largest desert in the world, located in North Africa, occupies the territory of 8 states - Chad, Algeria, Niger, Mali, Libya, Egypt, Mauritania and Sudan. This is equal to 10% of the area of ​​the continent - about 8.6 square meters. km. At the same time, the Sahara, due to a decrease in water supply in this region, continues to grow towards the equator.

According to the amount of annual precipitation, the Sahara is divided into northern (200 mm), central and southern (20 mm). The entire Sahara is divided into 11 geographical regions.

The desert landscape is represented by 4 types: plains, insular mountains, highlands and depressions. Rocky deserts predominate in the Sahara, they occupy 70% of the area. In addition to rocky areas, there are also sandy and clayey areas in the Sahara. Throughout the territory there are oases - drainless pools of water. The only permanent watercourse is the Nile River.

The climate here is extra-arid. Most of the year, the Sahara is affected by the northern trade wind, it reaches even the central regions of the desert. Availability strong winds significantly affects the temperature, they also cause frequent sandstorms and tornadoes here. The average daily temperature fluctuates from + 35 to +10.

The flora here is small due to difficult conditions. Most of the representatives of the animal world are nocturnal.

islands of life

Oases are literally islands of life in the middle of the desert. Their occurrence is facilitated by the proximity of groundwater to the surface of the earth, therefore, in oases there are always lakes or water sources with vegetation unusual for the desert.

Such islands of life exist throughout the Sahara, it is there that people live. They provide their inhabitants with the necessary conditions for an isolated existence.

Kalahari

The Kalahari Desert is located in the countries of Botswana, Namibia and South Africa. But it is growing - over the past decades, its range has spread to Zimbabwe, Angola and Zambia. Desert area - 600 thousand square meters. km.

Although the Kalahari is called a desert, but according to geological studies, it is a xeromorphic savannah with deserted steppes. Geologically, it resembles the Sahara. But here there is a little more annual precipitation - 500 mm, which mainly falls in the summer, and the winter, although dry, is mild. Droughts are relatively rare here - about once every 5 years.

Kalahari is the hottest part of South Africa, the highest temperature here is + 29, and the minimum is +12. In the central desert, there is an extreme temperature difference - from daytime +45 during the day to +3 at night.

The desert landscape is heterogeneous. Part of the Kalahari is covered with red sand dunes. There is a version that the appearance of red dunes here is the result of strong winds that brought this sand from the Namib Desert.

The Kalahari has impressive underground water, but it is at a depth of 300 m. And since the vegetation of the desert is mainly shrubs, cereals, grasses and woody plants without a powerful root system, they do not receive this supply of water. The same can be said about the trees common here - acacia, shepherd's tree. In terms of the number of endemics, the Kalahari is the poorest ecotype in Africa.

Namib

According to geological studies, the Namib is the oldest desert, which arose about 80 million years ago.. Its area is 100 thousand square meters. sq., the length along the coast is 1900 km, and the width increases in places from 50 km to 160 km.

The Namib Desert is located at the crossroads of 3 countries - Angola, Namibia and South Africa. It has a hot extra-arid oceanic climate. Therefore, significant daily temperature fluctuations are characteristic here, from daytime +45 degrees to 0 degrees at night.

The average height of the relief is 1500 m, mainly high dunes, the color of the sand of which in some places has a pronounced red tint. These are the largest dunes in the world. They are often carried by the winds, so the landscape of the desert is always changing. There are no dunes only in the central desert, which is covered with pebbles.

Its climate is influenced by the proximity to the Bengal current, which brings cold winds and heavy fogs - the main source of moisture. Another source of moisture is dew. Therefore, the annual precipitation is catastrophically low, about 13 mm. The Namib is the driest desert in the world. Such climatic conditions affect the scarce flora and fauna of the desert - there is little that can survive here.

The natural areas of the Namib Desert itself are divided by geologists into 3 parts. These are oblong natural areas from the coast of the Atlantic Ocean, deep into Africa. The table of natural areas distinguishes the coastal strip, the inner and the inner Namib. The last part is the coldest, even night frosts are possible here.

Article formatting: Vladimir the Great

Video about Africa

Interesting Facts about Africa:

Geography Grade 7

Lesson topic: Natural areas of Africa

Lesson Objectives:

Educational- to consolidate the concept of "natural zones", to show the diversity of African natural zones, their dependence on climate, to show the nature of equatorial forests, savannahs and deserts, to characterize the climate, soils of these zones, and human influence on nature.

Educational- continue forming cognitive activity students, the ability to independently acquire knowledge, expand the horizons of children, the formation of skills to work with a map, analyze, draw conclusions, and make computer presentations.

Educational- develop a sense of responsibility, an interested attitude to learning

Lesson type: Lesson of assimilation of new knowledge

Teaching methods:

1) by sources of knowledge

Verbal (work with additional literature)

Visual (computer presentation)

Practical (creation reference abstract, filling in the table)

2) by the nature of cognitive activity - partially exploratory, practical

Leading concepts: natural zone, hylaea - humid equatorial forests of Africa, savannah, deserts.

Results of work: creation of a supporting abstract, the use of new words, concepts in the course of presentation of the received materials.

Equipment: map “Natural zones of Africa”, textbook and atlas “Geography of continents and oceans” Grade 7, computer

Preparatory stage: Before the lesson, the teacher, together with the students, determines the composition of the groups that select material about natural areas and prepare a report in the form of a presentation about their work

During the classes

1. Organizing time . Greetings.

“Let every day and every hour we get something new!” these words will be the motto of our lesson

Teacher. Every person is born a dreamer and a traveler.

Africa has called us again today! This is an unusually interesting and amazing continent. Today we will make a virtual journey through the natural areas of Africa, learn about the vegetation and animals of this continent.

2. Knowledge update:

But before we go on our journey, let's remember

What is a natural area? (PZ is a large PC with general temperature conditions, moisture, soils, flora and fauna)

On the map "Natural zones", determine in which natural zones this continent is located, along which PPs are you and I going to travel? (Africa is located in the zone of equatorial forests, savannas, deserts, hardwood forests)

If you analyze the location of the PZ on the mainland, you will see that the PZ change from the equator to the north and south. What is the name of the law according to which climate change occurs, PZ from the equator to the poles? (law of latitudinal zoning)

What pattern stands out in the placement of PZ(latitudinal zonality, i.e. the change of natural zones, occurs from the equator to the poles. It depends on the ratio of heat and moisture)

How did natural areas get their name?(the names of the natural zones were received according to the nature of the vegetation)

List natural ingredients as part of the natural complex(natural components: vegetation, animals, relief and rocks, climate, water, soil)

What cards will you use in class?, exploring natural areas, studying natural ingredients?

Students work with the map, give answers to the questions of the teacher).

3 Presentation by groups on the work done.

And now we are going on a journey through the natural areas of Africa, which occupy the largest area on the mainland. My assistants will help me conduct it today, who have collected and researched material on the PP, and compiled a report on their work in the form of presentations. You listen carefully to their report and briefly fill in the table that we drew in the last lesson. At the end of the lesson, I will selectively take notebooks to check.

(During each performance of the group, a slide show about the natural area to create a visual image for students)

Table "Natural zones of Africa"

Software name		climate (temperature, precipitation	Plants	Animals	Peculiarity
Moist equatorial forests
Hard-leaved evergreen forests and shrubs

And we will begin our journey with you from the humid equatorial forests.

The word to the group that studied the humid equatorial forests of Africa. With a report on the work done (see Appendix No. 1)

Conclusion: teacher. We have visited an unusual forest. Unusual for us are such huge trees, animals, natural phenomena where eternal summer reigns, the eternal equinox. These forests are home valuable breeds trees that are cut down in in large numbers and exported from the mainland. Therefore, it is necessary to take measures to preserve these forests, which are the “green lungs” for our planet.

Teacher. Standing with your back to the ominous, black wall of the forest, from which suffocating fumes will still reach you, for the first time you will straighten up to your full height, and will breathe in the healthy air of SAVANNA with full breasts and eagerly peer into the distance. We will continue our journey, and the next PZ will be the savannah. You have the floor researchers.

Word to the group that studied the savannas of Africa(see Appendix No. 2)

Conclusion: teacher We have seen that the savannah and equatorial forests are two different world. Savannah is an open space where there is a lot of light. We learned a lot of interesting things about plants and animals of this zone. But here, too, nature has been altered by man. The area of ​​savannas is shrinking, the area of ​​deserts is increasing.

Teacher. The largest desert on earth? (Sahara) and the next PZ in which we will visit this desert zone. You have the floor researchers.

Word to the group that studied the desert zone of Africa(see Appendix No. 3)

(Group presentation with progress report)

Conclusion: teacher. We also learned a lot of interesting things about this zone, about the amazing plants that grow in the desert, about shooting stones, and environmental problems are also typical for this PZ.

Teacher. This is the end of our virtual journey. The groups have collected interesting material about the natural areas of Africa! We saw that the flora and fauna of Africa is diverse and amazing. I rate the work of the groups today with a high mark of "excellent"

Teacher. What new did you learn during our trip?

(Students answer what new words they learned, what was interesting in the lesson)

4. Fixing:

And now we will check how you learned the material. To do this, perform the following tasks.

Game "yes" - "no"

"Not really"

1. There are trees in Africa that have roots up to 4m high.

2. Banana is a perennial herb

3. In the equatorial forests, the cleanest and most humid air

4. In Africa, elephant grass grows 3 m high

5. The Sahara is an endless expanse covered with sand.

6. In the humid equatorial forests, even during the day, twilight reigns

7. In the savannas you will not find trees, only herbaceous vegetation

8. Baobab does not burn in fire

9. In the Sahara, it doesn’t rain for years, and if it does, the drops dry up before reaching the ground.

10. In the Sahara, you can find "shooting stones" that burst from overheating in the sun.

11. In deserts, a person suffers not so much from heat as from cold.

12. Samum is the name of a tribe living in the desert zone

Did everyone complete the table?

5. Homework: Read §28, 29 at home, compile in the table a description of hard-leaved evergreen forests and shrubs according to atlas maps

Application No. 1

Leader: Our gr. engaged in the study of the PZ of moist equatorial forests, we studied the GP, climatic features, the nature of the soil cover, vegetation, wildlife, considered environmental problems. And now each member of the expedition will report on their work.

Moist equatorial forests are located in the central part of the mainland. They are located in the Congo Basin and on the coast of the Gulf of Guinea. (answer on map)

I studied climatic features. Even during the day, this forest is gloomy. The equatorial forest is the realm of eternal summer, the temperature stays above + 25 ° C all year round. By noon, clouds roll in, thunder rumbles, it rains like a solid wall. During the year falls from 1000-2000mm of precipitation. These are features of the equatorial climate

Soil scientist: I examined the soil cover. The soils are rust-colored, they are called red-yellow ferralitic, contain a lot of iron and aluminum. The soils are not fertile, firstly, there is a strong flushing, and secondly, fast process litter decomposition. These nutrients immediately absorbed by plants, do not accumulate

In this forest, even during the day, twilight reigns. Equatorial forests are multi-tiered: the upper tier is made up of trees up to 50 meters high. They have disc-shaped roots - props 4 meters high. The trunks are so thick that even 6 people cannot wrap around them. These are giant ficuses, ceiba. These are photophilous plants and they do not grow too densely. Various palm trees make up the middle tier. They have a height of 20-30m, their crowns are in contact with each other, forming a dense canopy. Trees 10-15m high grow in the lower tier: rubber plants, mahogany, ferns. The trees are covered with epiphytes and entwined with vines. Lianas make the forest almost impassable. Various shrubs grow under the forest canopy, bananas are a perennial grass that grows to a height of 7-8 meters in 10 months. Tree trunks are covered with epiphytes, mosses and lichens. They are not connected with the soil, they get food from the air, precipitation, dead leaves. Equatorial forests are evergreen, because they do not shed their leaves immediately, but gradually.

Many animals live on trees, where all the greenery is concentrated, many flowers, fruits, seeds. These are numerous birds, insects, monkeys. Gorillas have survived in impassable places. In the lower tier, terrestrial inhabitants include bushy pigs, African deer, okapi (a relative of the giraffe). Near the reservoirs there are pygmy hippos (up to 80 cm tall). Snakes, lizards, ants are found in the soil. The tsetse fly lives, its bites cause the death of livestock, and sleeping sickness in humans. large predators No. The largest leopard. Ants live in all tiers.

Features of the equatorial forest: multi-tiered; impassable; it is dark, humid, stuffy; there reigns eternal summer, the eternal equinox, many insects, trees entwined with vines, covered with moss.

Moist equatorial forests are the "lungs of the planet" and deforestation can lead to an increase in carbon dioxide. In 40 years, the temperature may rise by several degrees. The glaciers will melt and the sea level will rise. The forest holds back the onset of deserts, plays the role of a guardian of soils that hold back the onset of deserts. Every year 11 million hectares are destroyed in the world. Already, national parks are being created in African countries in order to preserve the equatorial forests.

Application №2

Savannah comes from the Spanish "saban", which means "wild primeval plain".

By appearance- This is a high-grass steppe. Like a horseshoe wraps around the African rainforest.

The climate is subequatorial. Equatorial air masses dominate in summer, tropical in winter. The temperature in winter is +16º, in summer +28º, precipitation falls seasonally: a lot in summer, little in winter, rarely. There are two seasons.

Red-brown soils predominate in savannahs. Their color is determined by the amount of iron in the soil. The population actively uses these lands, because. they are very fertile.

The basis of vegetation is grass cover, in some places up to 3 m in height. Huge baobabs, acacias rise among this sea of ​​grasses. Plants are adapted to a dry climate: many leaves are small (or shed for this period), the stem is thick, it accumulates a supply of moisture, many leaves are modified and turned into thorns.

A variety of large animals live in the savannah: antelopes, zebras, elephants, giraffes, buffaloes, rhinoceroses, hippos are found along the river banks. The huge number of animals is due to the abundance of a variety of food. Many predators: cheetahs, lions, jackals, hyenas, crocodiles. There are many birds: an ostrich, a marabou bird, which lives only in Africa, a secretary bird with long legs like a crane. Lots of termites. When the dry season arrives, some animals hibernate, take refuge in burrows, or migrate to wet places, many have a protective coloration

Features of the savannas: 2 seasons (dry and wet), many animals, this is an open space, the conditions are favorable for growing crops (cassava, sweet potato, peanuts, etc.)

Nature has been changed by man. There are huge areas of plowed land and pastures. Improper agriculture (burning, cutting down trees, grazing) contributes to the fact that the savanna gives way to deserts. The loss of agricultural land leads to the death of livestock and crops, to starvation of people. For this, a wide forest strip 1500 km long is being created in the Sahara, which will protect the savannah from the dry winds of the desert.

Application №3

Supervisor: Our group was engaged in the study of the desert PZ. A desert is an arid area with long periods of heat and drought or lack of precipitation. On the mainland, deserts occupy an area of ​​tropical latitudes: these are the Sahara, Namib, and Kalahari deserts. We explored the climate of this zone, vegetation, fauna. A word to the climatologist.

Climatologist: The climate zone in which the desert zone is located is tropical, high air temperature in places up to + 58ºС. The temperature in summer is +32ºС, in winter +16ºС. Precipitation is rare: in the Sahara up to 100mm, in the Kalahari up to 500mm in the form of dew. The air is very dry, there is no rain for several years, and if it does, the drops dry up before reaching the ground.

Imagine a relatively cool morning in the Sahara and a huge fire ball sun rising over the desert. The sun is rising and everything around is hot. The air is hot like from a red-hot furnace. It is so dry that it burns the lips, and they immediately crack. Only the callused feet of camels can withstand the heat of the sand. The great and powerful master of the desert is the wind. The wind can bring dust storms, or it can arrange a sandy whirlwind - simum. A night in the desert brings no relief. Man here suffers more from the cold than from the heat. The thermometer can drop to -18 ° C at night. At noon, you can hear a loud crack. It is from temperature fluctuations that stones crack.

Soil scientist: The Sahara is the largest desert in the world. I was studying the nature of the surface in this zone. The sandy surface occupies only a small area. Basically, these are plains covered with stone and rubble. Soils are infertile. There are solonchaks and salt licks. Another African desert is the Namib. Most of the desert is occupied by sand dunes. They can be up to 300 meters high. The color varies from white - yellow to red, depending on the content of iron oxides in the sand. Now surface water almost none in the desert, groundwater is the source of water supply. Dry riverbeds are called wadis. richest in underground water sandy deserts. The largest oases are formed near artesian wells.

Botanist: The vegetation of the Sahara is extremely sparse, and in some places it is not at all. In some places separate bunches of herbs grow and thorny bushes are camel's thorn, saxaul. These plants have very long roots or spines instead of leaves. Only in oases does rich vegetation develop, the date palm grows. It provides food, building material. For some desert dwellers, dates replace money. Dates can be called "bread of the desert", they are eaten raw, fried, boiled, dried. Baskets are woven from leaves, ropes are made from fiber, even fish in oases are caught on dates.

Growing in the Namib Desert amazing plant velvichia. This is a tree, it has a trunk up to 1 m in diameter, from which two dense leathery leaves up to 3 m long extend. The leaves remain throughout the life of the plant for more than 100 years. Over time, the leaves split, forming long ribbons, for which the Welwitschia is called the desert octopus.

Zoologist: I studied the animal world of the desert. Fennec foxes, antelopes, which can run long distances in search of food and water, and camels are ubiquitous. There are many reptiles: snakes, turtles, lizards that are mainly nocturnal, since they hide in burrows during the day, they can do without water for a long time. Their predators are hyenas, jackals.

Ecologist: At present, paved roads have been laid across the Sahara, new cities and towns have emerged in the places of mining, and the number of people involved in agriculture. But these essentially positive developments, given the extremely vulnerable nature of the Sahara, have also led to undesirable phenomena. Currently, the area of ​​deserts in northern Africa is increasing. The observed process of the advance of the desert to the south, towards the savannas, is very fast. The trampling of the soil by livestock, the burning and cutting down of shrubs and woody vegetation along the border of the desert contribute to the destruction of the soil cover, the winding of sands and the drying up of reservoirs.

According to some reports, the Sahara is moving south at a rate of about 1 km per year.

Application No. 4

Task for 1 group

Dear Guys!

Africa is a beautiful and mysterious continent. What is it, Africa? You are extremely lucky - because. you are the one who has the honor to explore the natural zone of humid equatorial forests!

1. Distribute responsibilities in the group. Each member of the group prepares a detailed story on one of the points. 1st student in terms of geographical location and climate 2nd in terms of soils and vegetation, 3rd in wildlife, and characterizes the environmental problems of this zone, 4th features of humid equatorial forests.

1st Determine on the map "Natural zones of Africa" ​​where are the moist evergreen forests located? Show on the map. Determine the climatic conditions of this natural zone on the climate map of Africa? (determine the climatic zone, temperature in winter and summer, the amount of precipitation, and their regime, climate features)

2nd. Based on the soil map, determine the type of soil in the equatorial forest. Why are the soils not fertile? Using the text of the textbook on pages 123-124 and additional material"Moist equatorial forest" determine what plants grow in these forests?

3rd Using the text of the textbook and the supplementary material "African Animals Collage", determine what types of animals live in these forests? Name the main features of this forest

4th. What can the deforestation of the equatorial forest lead to? Use additional material

Tasks for the second group

Dear Guys!

Africa is a beautiful and mysterious continent. What is it, Africa? You are extremely lucky - because. it is you who has the honor to explore the natural zone of the savannas.

I would like to give a number of valuable tips that will help in the work of your expedition.

1. Distribute responsibilities in the group. Each member of the group prepares a detailed story on one of the points: the 1st student on the geographical location and climate, the 2nd on soils and vegetation, the 3rd on the animal world and characterizes the environmental problems of the area, the 4th determines the features of this savannah natural area.

Captains are responsible for preparing the group

1st. Determine on the map "Natural zones of Africa" ​​where the savannahs are located. Show them on the map. What is a savanna? Determine on the climatic map (p. 7) within which climatic zone this natural zone lies. On the map "Climate of Africa" ​​determine the climatic conditions of this natural zone: air masses, temperature in winter and summer, precipitation and their regime.

2nd. On the map "Soils of the World" determine the type of soil in the savannah and give it a description. Using the additional material "Description of the savannah", determine which plants grow in this zone, how they are adapted to the dry period.

3rd. Using the additional material "Description of the savannah" and the collage "Animal savannah", determine what animals live in this natural area, how are they adapted to open space? What are the main features of this natural area - the savannah zone

4th student, What changes have occurred in the nature of the savannas in connection with human economic activity? Use additional material

Good luck to the captain and friendly crew.

Tasks for the third group

Dear Guys!

Africa is a beautiful and mysterious continent. What is it, Africa? You are extremely lucky - because. it is you who has the honor to explore the natural desert area.

I would like to give a number of valuable tips that will help in the work of your expedition.

1. Distribute responsibilities in the group. Each member of the group prepares a detailed story on one of the points. 1st student in terms of geographical location and climate, 2nd in soils and vegetation, 3rd in wildlife and characterizes the environmental problems of this zone, 4th features of the desert zone.

Captains are responsible for preparing the group

1st What is a desert? Determine on the map what deserts did you see in Africa? Show them on the map. Within what climate zone does this natural zone lie? Determine the climatic conditions of this natural zone on the climate map of Africa? (Determine the temperature in winter, summer, the amount of precipitation, their regime, climate features. Maximum and minimum temperatures)

2nd. According to the soil map, determine the type of soil in the desert and give it a description. What kind of water do residents use? What are the corners of life in the desert called? What is the nature of the vegetation in this zone? What does the date palm mean to a desert dweller? Use additional material for the answer.

3rd. What animals live in deserts? How did they adapt to desert conditions? Identify the features of this natural desert area

4th. Identify the environmental problems of the desert zone

Good luck to the captain and crew.

The equator line passes through the center of the African continent, and thus symmetrically divides it into different natural zones. Zones of equatorial forests are replaced by savannahs, savannahs turn into semi-deserts, semi-deserts - into deserts.

Of great importance for the formation of natural zones is the number of reservoirs, the level of precipitation, as well as economic activity person.

Equatorial forest and savanna zone

Evergreen forests cover the territory from the Congo River to the coast of the Gulf of Guinea. The climate in this area is very hot and humid. Unlike equatorial forests South America, in Africa, trees with less thick bark grow, palm trees are rare among them.

In the equatorial forests of Africa, unique species of trees grow, the wood of which is considered the most expensive in the world - ebony and mahogany. Tropical rainforests grow on the east coast of Africa and in the east of the island of Madagascar.

woodlands equatorial Africa framed by savannahs. The vegetation level of the savanna is directly dependent on the level of precipitation falling in the region.

So, during rainy periods, there are cereal plants, the height of which reaches 5 m. During periods of prolonged drought, the territory of the shroud is covered with dry plants and shrubs. Very often in the savannas there are baobabs, acacias and euphorbias.

Deserts and semi-deserts

In the northern part of Africa, deserts occupy a large area of ​​​​the territory. It is here that the largest desert in the world, the Sahara, is located. Vegetation in the Sahara is poorly developed: here there are plants that have a well-developed mechanical tissue and are highly drought-resistant.

Cereal plants are found in the Southern Sahara, shrubs are common in the north of the desert. Date and coconut palms grow in the oases of the Sahara desert. There are two deserts in South Africa: the Karoo and the Namib.

Succulent plants are common here, mainly aloes and spurges, as well as acacia shrubs. On the outskirts of the African deserts there are semi-deserts, which were formed as a result of massive deforestation in the savannahs. Tuberous and bulbous plants, as well as feather grass, are typical for semi-deserts.

fauna resources

Breeding European breeds of animals in Africa is almost impossible. This is because European species cannot withstand the climatic conditions of this continent. Animals such as hippos, giraffes, elephants and antelopes are common throughout Africa.

These animals are not whimsical to the conditions environment, can withstand high temperatures and lack of water resources, do not suffer from venomous bites insects, in particular the tsetse fly, which lives in equatorial and subequatorial Africa.