Between flora and fauna of the United States The redwood and Colorado spruce stand out in the field of plants, and the raccoon and the alligator in terms of animals.
The United States is a country of great territorial extension, being the third with the largest area in the world. Because of this, it is considered a very diverse country.
Redwood forest
In addition to being comprised of the continental states, it also includes the Hawaiian archipelago, the state of Alaska and numerous islands in the Pacific and the Caribbean.
The United States has hundreds of natural areas protected by the government and 58 national parks.
It shelters numerous species of plants and animals. It has 17,000 species of plants, more than 400 species of mammals, 500 species of reptiles and 750 species of birds.
The 5 main representatives of the flora of the United States
A third of the United States is occupied by forests. The main species of trees are the conifers, which are the sustenance of the wood industry and paper.
1- Secuoya
This tree belongs to the species of conifers. In California there is the Sequoia National Park, which was created in 1890.
The giant sequoias stand out in the park, including the renowned General Sherman, the largest tree in the world. It has 84 meters high and 11 meters in diameter.
2- Colorado Fir
It is an arboreal species of the family of pináceas. It is native to the western mountains and is found at altitudes of 900 to 3400 meters above sea level.
There are 2 subspecies: the white Colorado spruce found in the Rocky Mountains, and the low Colorado spruce native to southern California.
3- Haya
It is an autochthonous species of the country. It is a tree that grows up to 35 meters in height and its bark is silver gray.
The leaves are dark green and measure 6 to 12 cm. It is found in moist hillside forests.
4- Cypress
This tree is native to the eastern Mediterranean. However, it has been widely cultivated in many parts of the world.
Ideal areas are those that have hot, dry summers and mild, rainy winters, such as California.
5- Mosses
The flora of the north of the country is mainly composed of mosses, lichens and low shrubs. Mosses are small plants that do not have vascular tissue.
They need a water saturated environment temporarily, in order to develop their life cycle.
The 5 main representatives of the fauna of the United States
1- Gray bear
The gray bear lives in the northwestern United States, although the largest population of gray bears is found in Alaska.
It is a solitary animal, except in the salmon season. In that time, it joins other bears in streams and coastal areas to feed themselves. It is the third largest omnivore in the country.
2- Mink
It is a small carnivorous mammal. Its color is dark brown, it has short rounded ears and a small, broad head.
As an identifying feature, the mink has a white spot on the chin. It can get confused with an otter, although the mink is smaller.
3- Raccoon
It is a medium-sized mammal: it reaches between 40 to 70 cm in length and between 3.5 to 9 kg in weight.
Its fur is gray and dense, which isolates it from the cold. Two of the most distinctive characteristics of the raccoon are its facial mask and its very capable forelegs. They are known for their intelligence.
4- Moose
They live in cold environments. They have a large nose with abundant blood flow.
This serves to warm the air before it reaches the lungs. The males have antlers of variable forms.
5- Cayman
This animal is distributed through the rivers and swamps of the southern United States and abound in the state of Florida.
They can reach a maximum of 6 meters in length. The weight of the females oscillates between 70 kg, and the males can reach 450 kg.
References
- Wildlife of the United States. (s.f.). Obtained from International Education: lae-edu.com
- Flora and Fauna of the United States. (s.f.). Obtained from the United States: Estados-unidos.es
- Flora and Fauna of the United States of America. (s.f.). Retrieved from La Reserva: lareserva.com
- Wildlife United States. (s.f.). Retrieved from Easy Travel: easyviajar.com
- Nature United States - The flora and fauna of the United States. (s.f.). Retrieved from South Coast: usa.costasur.com