Natural zone south of the arctic desert zone. Natural area: Arctic deserts of Russia. Typical animals of the Arctic deserts

When you hear the word "desert", what immediately comes to mind? For most people, the desert evokes images of endless sandy expanses, high temperatures and bushy vegetation. To some extent this view is accurate. Many of the world's deserts are characterized by large amounts of sand and high temperatures(at least during daylight hours).

However, there are Arctic deserts that are radically different from other deserts. There is no sand here, and the temperatures are often far from hot, but rather sub-zero.

If you know anything about the Arctic, you're probably wondering who came up with the idea to call this region a desert. After all, there is an Arctic Ocean in the Arctic. Nevertheless, arctic temperatures so low that the ocean is almost always covered with ice. Severe frost also means that the air is unable to hold moisture. Thus, the air is dry, like in a classic desert.

Another significant argument is the insignificant amount of precipitation in the form of rain or snow. In fact, the Arctic receives about the same amount of precipitation as the Sahara. All the factors described above gave rise to the concepts of “arctic or cold deserts”.

Natural conditions of the Arctic desert zone

For determining natural conditions arctic desert, below is given a brief description of and a table of the main factors (geographical location, relief, soil, climate, Natural resources, flora and fauna) that influence the lives of people of this natural area.

Geographical position

Legend:

Arctic deserts

The natural zone of the Arctic desert is located above 75° northern latitude and is adjacent to the North Pole of the Earth. It covers a total area of ​​more than 100 thousand km². Arctic desert covers Greenland, North Pole and several islands, many of which are inhabited by people and animals.

Relief

The topography of the Arctic desert consists of various physical features: mountains, glaciers and flat areas.

Mountains: The Arctic desert contains mountainous regions where a cold and dry climate prevails. In appearance, some of the region's mountains resemble those in Central America.

Glaciers: Due to extremely low temperatures, the Arctic desert is replete with numerous glaciers different forms and sizes.

Flat areas: make up the bulk of the region and have a distinct patterned texture that is the result of cycles of melting and freezing of water.

If you've watched Game of Thrones, the lands beyond the Wall give you a general idea of ​​what the Arctic desert looks like. These scenes were filmed in Iceland, which is not officially considered part of the Arctic desert, but bears a superficial resemblance to it.

Soils

In the main part of the Arctic desert natural zone, the soils remain frozen for most of the year. Permafrost reaches 600-1000 m in depth and makes it difficult for water to drain. In summer, the surface of the Arctic desert is covered with lakes of meltwater from the upper soil layer. Rubble and rocks, due to the movement of glaciers, are scattered throughout the natural area.

The soil horizon of Arctic deserts is very thin, poor in nutrients, and also contains a lot of sand. In warmer areas, soil types contain little organic matter and can support the growth of small shrubs, algae, fungi and mosses. One such soil type is brown soil.

Climate

The climate of the natural zone of the Arctic desert is characterized by a long, very cold winter and short cool summers. During the cold months (usually from December to January), the temperature can drop to -50° C. In the warm months (usually July), the temperature can rise to + 10° C. However, during many months, average temperatures range from -20° to 0°C.

The Arctic desert receives very little precipitation. The average annual precipitation is below 250 mm. Precipitation usually falls in the form of snow and light drizzle, more often in the warm season.

During the summer months, the sun does not set at all in the Arctic desert. In fact, for 60 days, the sun is above the horizon 24 hours a day.

Animals and plants

IN total about 700 species of plants and about 120 species of animals are found in the natural zone of the arctic deserts. Flora and fauna have adapted to survive and even thrive in such extreme conditions. Plants were able to adapt to nutrient-poor soils and low temperatures environment and low rainfall. , as a rule, have a thick layer of fat and thick fur for protection from the cold. They reproduce during short summer and often hibernate or migrate during the winter. Birds usually migrate south during the cold winter months.

Only about 5% of the natural zone of the Arctic desert has vegetation cover. Although this is not surprising given its desert status. Most of plant life consists of the following plants: lichens, mosses and algae, which can survive in the extreme conditions of the Arctic.

Every year (especially in the warm season), some types of low (from 5 to 100 cm) shrub plants bloom. Typically these include sedges, liverworts, grasses and various types of flowers.

Animal life in the Arctic desert is very diverse. There are a variety of mammals, birds, fish and insects. All of these animals are adapted to extremely low temperatures. Here are some examples of animals in the natural zone of the Arctic deserts:

• Mammals: arctic foxes, polar bears, wolves, squirrels, hares, arctic voles, lemmings, reindeer, seals, walruses and whales.
• Birds: crows, falcons, loons, waders, snipes, terns and various species of gulls. Most of these birds are migratory (i.e., they spend only part of their life cycle in the Arctic desert).
• Fish: trout, salmon, flounder and cod.
• Insects:

Natural resources

The Arctic contains significant reserves (oil, gas, minerals, fresh water and commercial fish species). also in last years Interest in this region from tourists has increased significantly, which also provides additional economic benefits.

The pristine and vast deserts of the Arctic play an important role in preserving biodiversity due to the growing presence of humans, as well as the fragmentation of vital habitats. Arctic deserts are particularly susceptible to soil depletion and disturbance of the habitats of rare animals native to the region. The Arctic also contains 20% of the world's fresh water.

Table of the natural zone of the Arctic deserts

Peoples and cultures

The most numerous inhabitants of the Arctic deserts are the Inuit. If the word "Inuit" is not clear to you, then most likely you have heard about the Eskimos.

The Inuit adapted their lives to the difficult conditions of the Arctic desert. As a rule, there is practically no Arctic building materials. Eskimos build snow huts called Igloos. In the summer, when the Igloos melt, they live in tents made from animal skins and bones.

Given the extreme desert conditions, the Inuit do not grow grains or vegetables. They eat mainly meat and fish. Thus, their main food sources are fishing, as well as hunting for seals, walruses and whales.

For transportation, the Inuit usually use dog sleds. The sled is made from hides and bones. They are drawn by strong, hardy, sled dog breeds (huskies, malmouths, samoyeds). When moving on water, they use kayaks or umiaks. Kayaks are small vessels suitable for carrying one or two people. Umiaki are large enough to carry several people, dogs and materials.

Eskimo communities are located in various parts arctic desert and. In Greenland, they are known as Inupiat or Yup'ik. In Russia they are called Eskimos. Regardless of the name or geographical location, Inuit speak one language, Inuktitut. They also have similar cultural traditions and way of life.

Meaning for humans

In recent years, the Arctic desert has experienced an increase in tourism. Visitors to the cold desert come here for the unique ecosystem and stunning snowy landscapes. Lakes, rivers, streams and mountains provide additional leisure activities for tourists from all over the world. Some entertainment activities include cruising, boating, sport fishing, mountaineering, hunting excursions, rafting, hiking, dog sledding, skiing, snowshoeing, and more. The never-setting sun during the Arctic summer is another reason for the interest of tourists who visit the Arctic desert for this surreal phenomenon. Visitors also gain experience of Inuit culture and life by visiting their settlements. The Arctic desert, being the polar region of the planet, plays a key role in regulating the Earth's climate.

Environmental threats

The human population in the natural zone of the Arctic desert and adjacent areas is quite low. The most pronounced threat comes from mineral exploration and extraction. Global warming also has a negative impact on the Arctic desert environment, upsetting the delicate balance of this ecosystem. As temperatures rise, the planet warms and melts, releasing carbon from the soil into the atmosphere, which accelerates climate change. Due to global warming they are melting polar ice, which contributes to sea level rise and increases the threat of flooding in the planet's coastal regions. Melting ice caps also threaten polar bears. They need ice for hunting, and melting ice reduces and fragments their hunting grounds. In addition, orphaned bear cubs have even more low performance survival, because they are left to their own devices.

Protection of Arctic deserts

To protect the natural zone of the Arctic deserts, it is necessary to ensure assistance, cooperation, coordination and interaction between states with the participation of indigenous communities of the Arctic on issues sustainable development and environmental protection of the region.

The main goals of protecting Arctic deserts include:

• Preservation of the rich biodiversity of the region;
• Sustainable use of renewable natural resources;
• Reducing pollution and wasteful consumption.

To achieve these goals, it is necessary to focus international attention on the following problematic aspects:

• Marine environment;
• Fresh water;
• Biodiversity;
• Changing of the climate;
• Pollution;
• Oil and gas.

Only political will and interaction between states can give positive result in the struggle to preserve both the natural zone of the Arctic desert and the nature of the world as a whole.

The Antarctic desert is the largest and coldest on Earth, characterized by large temperature changes and an almost complete absence of precipitation. It is located in the very south of the planet, completely occupying the sixth continent - Antarctica.

Cold deserts of the Earth

Deserts evoke associations among all people with heat, endless expanses of sand and small bushes. However, there are also cold types of them on Earth - these are the Arctic and Antarctic deserts. They are called that because of the continuous ice cover and due to the low temperature, the air cannot retain moisture, so it is very dry.

In terms of precipitation, the objects we are considering resemble hot southern ones, such as the Sahara, which is why scientists gave them the name “cold deserts.”

Arctic and Antarctic desert zones are the territories of continents and adjacent islands at the North Pole (Arctic) and South Pole (Antarctic), belonging, respectively, to the Arctic and Antarctic climatic zones. They consist of glaciers and stones and are practically lifeless, but scientists discover microorganisms under the ice.

Antarctica

The territory of the Antarctic desert is 13.8 million square meters, which is the area of ​​the ice continent, which is located in the southern polar part of the world. From different sides it is washed by several oceans: the Pacific, Atlantic and Indian; the shores consist of glaciers.

The geographical position of the Antarctic deserts that occupy Antarctica is determined not only by the mainland zone, but also by the islands located near it. There is also the Antarctic Peninsula, jutting into the depths of the ocean of the same name. On the territory of Antarctica lie dividing the continent into 2 parts: western and eastern.

The western half is located on the Antarctic platform and is a mountainous area almost 5 km high. In this part there are volcanoes, one of which, Erebus, is active and is located on an island in the Ross Sea. In coastal areas there are oases where there is no ice. These small plains and mountain peaks, called nunataks, have an area of ​​40 thousand square meters, located on the coast Pacific Ocean. There are lakes and rivers on the mainland that appear only in summer time. In total, scientists have discovered 140 subglacial lakes. Only one of them does not freeze - Lake Vostok. The eastern part is the largest in area and the coldest.

Mineral resources located in the bowels of the continent: ore of ferrous and non-ferrous metals, mica, graphite, coal, there is information about reserves of uranium, gold and diamonds. According to geoscientists, there are deposits of oil and gas, but due to the harsh climate, mining is not possible.

Antarctic deserts: climate

On southern continent a very harsh and cold climate, which is caused by the formation of cold and dry air currents. Antarctica is located in the Earth's belt.

In winter, temperatures can reach -80 ºС, in summer - -20 ºС. More comfortable is the coastal zone, where in summer the thermometer reaches -10 ºС, which occurs due to natural phenomenon, called “albedo,” is the reflection of heat from the ice surface. The record for the lowest temperature was recorded here in 1983 and amounted to -89.2 ºС.

The amount of precipitation is minimal, about 200 mm for the entire year, it consists only of snow. This is due to the intense cold, which dries out moisture, making the Antarctic desert the driest place on the planet.

The climate here is different: in the center of the continent there is less precipitation (50 mm), it is colder, on the coast the wind is less intense (up to 90 m/s), and precipitation is already 300 mm per year. Scientists estimate that the amount of frozen water in the form of ice and snow in Antarctica is 90% of the world's total fresh water supply.

One of the essential signs of the desert is storms. They also happen here, only with snow, and the wind speed during the storm is 320 km/h.

In the direction from the center of the continent to the coast, there is constant movement of shelf ice, in summer months parts of glaciers break off, forming masses of icebergs that drift in the ocean.

Mainland population

There is no permanent resident population in Antarctica, according to international status it does not belong to any state. On the territory of the Antarctic desert zone there are only scientific stations where scientists conduct research. Sometimes tourist or sports expeditions are carried out.

The number of research scientists living at scientific stations increases to 4 thousand people in the summer, and only 1 thousand in the winter. According to historical data, the first settlers here were American, Norwegian and British whalers who lived on the island of South Georgia, but with 1966: Whale hunting is banned.

The entire territory of the Antarctic desert is icy silence surrounded by endless expanses of ice and snow.

Biosphere of the southernmost continent

The biosphere in Antarctica is divided into several zones:

• coast of the mainland and islands;
• oases located near the coast;
• nunatak zone (mountains near Mirny station, mountainous areas in Victoria Land, etc.);
• ice sheet zone.

The richest flora and fauna is the coastal zone, where many Antarctic animals live. They feed on zooplankton from sea ​​water(krill). There are no land mammals on the mainland at all.

In nunataks and coastal oases, only bacteria, lichens and algae, worms can live, and birds can occasionally visit. The most favorable climate zone is the Antarctic Peninsula.

Vegetable world

The plants of the Antarctic deserts are those that appeared millions of years ago, even during the existence of the continent of Gondwanaland. Now they are limited to several species of mosses and lichens, which, according to scientists, are more than 5 thousand years old.

Found on the territory of the peninsula and nearby islands flowering plants, and in fresh water blue-green algae live in oases, which form a crust and cover the bottom of reservoirs.

The number of species of lichens is 200, and there are about 70 mosses. Algae usually settle in the summer when the snow melts and small reservoirs form, and they can be of various colors, creating bright multi-colored spots that resemble lawns from a distance.

Only 2 species of flowering plants were found:

• Colobanthus Quito, belonging to This is a “pillow-shaped” grass, decorated with small flowers of white or light yellow shades, about 5 cm in size.
• Antarctic meadow grass from the grass family. Grows in sunny areas, tolerates frost well, grows up to 20 cm.

Animals of the Ice Desert

The fauna of Antarctica is very poor due to the cold climate and lack of food. Animals live only in places where there are plants or zooplankton in the ocean, and are divided into 2 groups: land-dwelling and water-dwelling.

There are no flying insects because due to the strong cold wind they cannot fly into the air. However, small mites, as well as wingless flies and springtails, are found in oases. Only in this area lives the wingless midge, which is the largest terrestrial animal of the Antarctic desert - this Belgica Antarctica measuring 10-11 mm (photo below).

In freshwater bodies of water in the summer you can find the simplest representatives of the fauna, as well as rotifers, nematodes and lower crustaceans.

Animals of Antarctica

The fauna of Antarctica is also quite limited and is present mainly in the coastal zone:

• 17 species of penguins: Adelie, emperor, etc.;
• seals: Weddell seals (up to 3 m long), crabeaters and the predatory leopard seal (the skin is stained with spots), sea lion, Ross seals (endowed with vocal abilities);
• whales that feed on small crustaceans and ice fish live in the ocean;
• huge jellyfish weighing up to 150 kg;
• some birds settle here in the summer, creating nests and raising chicks: gulls, albatrosses, white plover, cormorants, great pipit, petrels, pintail.

The most representative species of animals is penguins, of which the most common are emperor penguins, living on the coast of the mainland. The height of these beauties can reach human height (160 cm), and weight - 60 kg.

Another numerous representative of birds is the Adélie penguin, the smallest, growing up to 50 cm and weighing no more than 3 kg.

The Antarctic ecosystem and its conservation

The continental ice deserts and cold ocean waters that surround Antarctica provide an ecosystem inhabited by living organisms that have existed here for thousands of years. The main food of animals is phytoplankton.

Due to warming, glaciers and masses of snow in Antarctica are gradually retreating, moving closer to the coast. Ice shelves are gradually melting, and the soil is gradually exposed, which helps create a more favorable environment for plant growth. However, the appearance of non-native plant species is not at all welcome on the continent.

The ecosystem of Antarctica and the Antarctic desert needs protection from the appearance of “alien” species of life, so every scientist or tourist who comes here undergoes mandatory processing. In the process, plant parts or spores are washed away and destroyed.

In accordance with the Treaty signed by 44 countries of the world, military operations and tests, including nuclear tests, burial are prohibited on the territory of Antarctica radioactive waste. Only scientific research is permitted.

Located on the northernmost tip of Asia and North America, including all islands in the Arctic basin that are within the polar limit geographical zone. The climate is arctic, with long and harsh winters, summers are short and cold. There are no seasons. During the polar night it is winter, and during the polar day it is summer. Average temperatures are -10 to -35°, dropping to -50°. In summer - from 0° to +5°. There is little precipitation (200-300 mm per year).

Vegetation is sparse, so animal world Arctic deserts are relatively poor: the Arctic wolf, seal, walrus, ringed seal, lemming, musk ox ( musk ox), arctic fox, polar bear, reindeer, etc.; Birds include guillemots, puffins, eiders, pink gulls, polar owls, etc. Cetaceans form a separate group, for which Arctic conditions do not create any problems.

The most numerous inhabitants of the harsh northern region are birds.

The pink gull is a fragile creature, with a weight of 250 grams and a body length of 35 cm, it feels quite confident and moves freely harsh winters in the tundra, or above the sea surface, which is covered with drifting ice floes. Often joins the meals of larger predators.

The guillemot is a black and white bird that nests on high steep cliffs and spends the winter in the ice without experiencing much discomfort.

The common eider is a northern duck that can easily dive into ice water to depths of up to 20 meters.

The most ferocious and largest among birds is the polar owl. A ruthless predator with beautiful yellow eyes and snow-white plumage hunts other birds, rodents, and sometimes even the cubs of larger animals, such as arctic foxes.

Typical animals of the Arctic deserts:

Cetaceans

The narwhal is interesting for its long horn, sticking out of the mouth, which is an ordinary tooth, only with a length of 3 meters and a weight of 10 kg. Photo: One for all and all for one :)

The bowhead whale is a relative of the narwhal. But he is many times larger than him, and instead of a strange tooth, there is a whalebone in his mouth with a huge tongue, which is convenient for licking stuck plankton.

The polar dolphin or beluga whale is a large animal weighing up to 2 tons, with a length of up to 6 meters, feeding on fish.

The killer whale ranks first among the largest and strongest sea ​​predators Arctic waters, where she hunts beluga whales, walruses, seals and ringed seals.

Animals

Seals are animals that make up a special Arctic cohort that has lived in this region for thousands of years.

This type includes harp seal with a very beautiful patterned skin.

- (polar desert, ice desert), a type of desert (see DESERT) with extremely sparse vegetation among the snows and glaciers of the Arctic and Antarctic belts Earth. Distributed over most of Greenland (see GREENLAND) ... encyclopedic Dictionary

Same as ice desert. Geography. Modern illustrated encyclopedia. M.: Rosman. Edited by prof. A. P. Gorkina. 2006 ... Geographical encyclopedia

ARCTIC DESERT- type of sparse vegetation of the Far North; differs from the tundra, where the vegetation cover is closed... Dictionary of botanical terms

ARCTIC DESERT- cold desert, arctic or high mountain areas, in which the scarcity of vegetation cover is determined primarily low temperatures, not dry air. Among the Arctic deserts, there are ice deserts, high mountain deserts... Ecological dictionary

- (wrong. Streletsky; English Strzelecki Desert) desert in Australia: northeast of South Australia, northwest of New South Wales and extreme southwest of Queensland. Located northeast of Lake Eyre and north of the ridge... ... Wikipedia

- (Urdu خاران) desert located in Kharan district of Balochistan province in Pakistan. It consists of sand dunes drifting over a base of pebble conglomerate. Drifting dunes reach a height of 15-30 meters. The desert is limited by spurs... ... Wikipedia

This term has other meanings, see Desert (meanings). &... Wikipedia

AND; pl. genus. tyn; and. 1. A vast arid region with little rainfall, rapid fluctuations in air and soil, and sparse vegetation. Boundless, sultry, hot, scorched p. Solonchakovaya p. P. Sahara. P. Karakum. Deserts... ... encyclopedic Dictionary

Landscape in the Simpson Desert Simpson Desert sandy desert in the center of Australia, bo ... Wikipedia

Gibson Desert Region according to IBRA... Wikipedia

Books

• Coal crumbs
• Coal crumbs, Christensen Monica. Paulsen Publishing House presents Monika Christensen's detective story "Crushed Coal", which continues the "Arctic Crime Novel" series. This psychological thriller tells the story of what seemed...

And fragments of stones.

Climate

The climate in the Arctic is very harsh. Ice and snow cover lasts almost the entire year. In winter there is a long polar night (at 75°N latitude - 98 days; at 80°N latitude - 127 days; in the polar region - six months). This is a very harsh time of year. The temperature drops to −40 °C and below, strong hurricane winds blow, and snowstorms are frequent. In summer there is 24-hour lighting, but there is little heat and the soil does not have time to completely thaw. The air temperature is slightly above 0 °C. The sky is often overcast with gray clouds, it rains (often with snow), and thick fogs form due to the strong evaporation of water from the surface of the ocean.

Flora and fauna

Arctic deserts

The Arctic desert zone, the northernmost of the natural zones, is located in the high latitudes of the Arctic. Its southern border runs approximately 71° N. w. The zone includes the islands of the Arctic basin: Greenland, the northern part of the Canadian archipelago, the archipelagos of Spitsbergen, Franz Josef Land, Severnaya Zemlya, New Earth, New Siberian Islands, as well as a narrow strip along the coast of the Northern Arctic Ocean within the Yamal, Gydansky, Taimyr, Chukotka peninsulas.

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Notes

Excerpt characterizing the Arctic desert