Each Natural region of the world Has its characteristics, according to the main peculiarities of the natural vegetation. There are eight natural regions: savannah, forest, desert, tundra, prairie, jungle, equatorial region and Mediterranean region.
Natural regions are geographic areas that possess similar attributes or attributes such as relief, climate, vegetation, soils, hydrography and others.
List of the 8 natural regions of the world
1- Sabana
The savannah, also known as tropical prairie, is north and south of the Biomes Of the rainforest. The largest extensions of savannah are located in Africa, where a large portion of the central part of the continent, is composed of tropical meadows. For example, Tanzania and Kenya. They can also be found in Brazil (South America).
The regions of the savanna have two distinct seasons, one wet and one dry. In the dry season there is very little rain. In the wet season the vegetation grows, with lush green pastures and wooded areas. As it moves away from the equator, the pasture becomes drier and drier.
Its vegetation includes scrub, grass and trees, which grow near water holes, rivers or seasonal aquifers. Soils tend to be red due to their high content of iron .
In this region, plants and animals must adapt to long periods of drought. Many plants are Xerophytes , And these can also store water, or have long roots that reach the water table . Animals can migrate for long distances in search of food and water.
The soils of the savanna are not very fertile. The roots of plants can not penetrate and this restricts the growth of vegetation.
The nutrients in the soil are found near the surface, as they come from decaying organic matter from the previous season. This organic matter decomposes rapidly due to high temperatures.
The Tanzania Serengeti is probably the best-known African savannah. In the southeast, grasses cover the vast plains, while in the central region, acacia plants are more common. The place is rich in wildlife, inhabited by zebras, giraffes, lions, elephants, and millions of wildebeests.
2- Forest
Forests are areas with trees grouped so that their leaves or foliage shade the soil. Different types can be found, from the tropical forests near the Ecuador to the boreal forests in cold climates, near the Arctic Circle.
One way to classify them is by the type of trees. The deciduous forests have trees with green leaves that change color in the fall and fall completely in the winter, being the most common the oak and the maple.
The northeastern United States is covered with deciduous forest, and tourists gather in the area each fall to experience the orange, yellow and red leaves that cover the region.
Evergreen forests have trees with leaves that remain green all year round. One of the evergreen forests that can be found is that of the Canadian province of British Columbia. The Pacific Northwest is full of evergreens (spruce).
Coniferous forests have trees with cones and needles instead of leaves, and have the tallest trees (coast redwoods), larger (giant sequoia) and older (bristlecone pines).
Tropical forests are a type of broadleaf forest. Many forests are mixed, meaning they have broadleaf and coniferous trees.
Australia's eucalyptus forests are mixed forests, for example. Eucalyptus evergreens are mixed with deciduous trees like beeches.
You can also see 25 amazing animals that live in the forest .
3- Desert
A desert is a place with very little water or rain. Most deserts are hot places, but some are cold.
Few plants or animals They live in the deserts, and those who live there have special forms that help them survive. For example, the cactus stores the water in its stem, that is why when it rains its many roots that extend to collect the water.
In the case of animals, the meerkat can get the water it needs from the food it finds and extra water by eating the roots of the plants.
The camel stores fat on its hump and when it finds water, it can drink enough to fill a bath. Also they are the ostrich, the lizards, the snakes, among others.
Among the cold deserts is the Antarctic Desert, considered the largest in the world because it occupies most of the continent of Antarctica. The ice sheets cover the sterile rocks and the few animals that can live there are often microscopic, like lice.
4- Tundra
The tundra is an area with cold temperatures and short seasons. The vegetation in the tundra is limited to a few shrubs, grasses and mosses.
Approximately 1,700 different species live on the tundra, but this is not much compared to forests and grasslands. Soil is often too cold for plants and few animal species can survive.
There are two types of tundra: the Alpine tundra and the Arctic tundra. The alpine tundra is separated from a region of forest vegetation by the line of trees. The climate in the alpine tundra is cold, snowy and windy. Most of it is located in Tibet, China and India. Animals like mountain goats live in this region.
The Arctic tundra is found in the distant northern hemisphere of the Earth. This has a bare landscape and freezes for much of the year. Here, the earth can be permanently frozen.
Russia and Canada have huge areas of Arctic tundra. During the summer the soil thaws a little, allowing some plants to grow on damp and marshy soil.
Not many mammals live on this tundra (only the caribou, the polar bear and a few others), but thousands of insects and birds do appear every year to enjoy the swamps before they freeze.
5- Grasslands or pastures
Grasslands are flat and open areas where grasses are the dominant type of vegetation. They can be found on all continents except Antarctica.
Climate plays a role in the meadow type. In cool, mild climates, such as in northwestern Europe, grasslands are dominated by hard vegetation thriving all year round.
In warmer climates, temperate grasslands exist where there are seasonal variations of temperature throughout the year (hot summers and cold winters).
Temperate meadows are important for the production of milk and dairy products, because in these climates dairy cows are more productive. This is because they are areas where they can chew the grass all day. Tropical prairies are called savannahs.
6- Jungle
A jungle is a forest in a tropical country where a large number of tall trees and plants grow together. It is one of the richest habitats on the planet. It is a mysterious world, the most competitive place on earth, where animals try to survive every day.
They are typically found around the Ecuador . They are home to hunting jaguars, alligators, and ninja frogs fighting against flying dragons and wasps. In addition, the night of the jungle hides unseen creatures and strange mushrooms.
The forests have high annual levels of rain and temperatures high enough to create humid conditions. The constant climate allows the organisms of the forest to grow throughout the year, without a period of hibernation.
7- Equatorial Region
It extends along the equator in the form of a belt between latitude 10 ° N and 10 ° S. It includes the lowlands of the Amazon and the coast of Guyana in South America; The Congo Basin and the coast of Guinea from Africa and Malaysia, Indonesia, New Guinea and the southern Philippines of the Asian continent.
It is a hot humid climate, with a temperature around 27 ° C throughout the year. The humidity is very high, there are precipitations throughout the year, although they are heavier after the equinoxes.
Forests are the natural vegetation and are considered the densest in the world, also known as jungles.
The hippopotamus and rhinoceros are found in abundance. Other animals that inhabit this region are gorillas, monkeys, sloths, chimpanzees, jaguars and lizards. The tse tse fly is dangerous due to its venomous sting.
8- Mediterranean Region
This region is located on the western fringes of continents between latitudes 30 ° and 40 ° in both hemispheres. This region is also called Winter Rain.
The Mediterranean coast is the largest area and include: In Europe: the coastal regions of Spain, Portugal, France, Italy and Greece. In Asia: the coastal regions of Turkey, Israel, Syria and Lebanon.
In Africa: the coastal regions of Algeria, Tunisia and Morocco in the far north, and in the far south the Cape Province. The coasts of Australia also belong to this region. And the western margin of California (North America). As well as Central Chile (South America).
The average summer temperature is between 20 ° C and 26 ° C and relative humidity is low. Rain is received during winters with temperate cyclones. The normal precipitation is between 35 and 75 cm. The sun is always abundant and the winters are mild.
Types of vegetation are broadleaf forests: eucalyptus in Australia, redwood in California. Also, according to the area, they create shrubs and bushes, as well as pines, firs and cedars.
References
- Oxford Dictionary (2017). Natural Region. English Oxford Living Dictionaries. Retrieved from: en.oxforddictionaries.com.
- BBC Staff (2014). Planet Earth. BBC. Retrieved from: bbc.co.uk.
- National Geographic Staff (2017). Vegetation Region. National Geographic Society. Retrieved from: nationalgeographic.org.
- Reference Staff (2016). Jungle. Reference. Retrieved from: reference.com.
- The Editors of Encyclopædia Britannica (2017). Desert. Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc. Retrieved from: global.britannica.com.