Natural zone of Ukraine: steppe, forest-steppe, mixed forests, mountains

Each natural zone of Ukraine has simultaneously similar features with others, and obvious differences. In the territory of one country there are mixed forests, forest-steppe, mountains and steppe. Let's consider each zone separately.

Zone of mixed forests

It occupies the northern part of the country. The surface is mostly flat. This zone is called the Ukrainian Polesye. This is the edge of rivers, swamps, lakes. There are artificial reservoirs, the largest of them - the Kiev reservoir. Spring here is quite cool, and the summer is wet, the warm (the rising sun warms the earth well), the autumn is rainy, the winter is not too cold, snowy, with thaws. Because of the significant amount of precipitation, the rivers are full (flood), and in the spring floods are possible, and long-term ones. This natural area of Ukraine is rather wet. Meltwater and rainwater, slowly seeping into the soil, form swamps. There are many lakes and rivers here. They are fed by numerous streams, formed as a result of the release of groundwater to the surface.

Vegetation is located in tiers: upper - trees, medium - bushes (underbrush), lower - grass and mushrooms.

The northern part is occupied mainly by pine and oak trees. To the south, apart from these trees, there are birch, hornbeam, aspen, linden, alder, maple. Undergrowth is barberry, blackberry, dog rose, raspberry, hazel. On boggy places bilberry and cowberry are often found.

Early spring "open" snowdrops, anemone, hohlatka, sparse. Behind them appear a dream-grass, violets, lilies of the valley, hummocks. By summer, only shade-tolerant and hygrophilous plants remain in the forests (mosses, ferns, hooves). Among the plants growing on the fringes and glades there are ivan-tea, valerian, chamomile, St. John's wort, yarrow, tansy. Autumn-dying leaves and dying plants form a so-called forest litter that retains moisture. Over time, it rotates, turning into fertile soil. The animal world is made up as herbivores (hares, mice, red deer, roe deer, moose, bison), and predatory (hedgehogs, squirrels, badgers, wild pigs). At the water bodies, muskrats, beavers, otters live happily. Lakes with rivers are rich in fish. Associated with water are newts, snakes, frogs. On the fringes and in the woods live lizards and snakes. Many insects, hiding in the bark, forest litter and plants, are a treat for birds, most of which return in spring from warm edges (the Orioles, nightingales, flycatchers, cuckoos, starlings). On bolts and forest lakes there are swans, white storks, gray cranes, waders. Among the permanent residents there are big woodpeckers, gray owls, wood grouse, hazel grouse, black grouse. To preserve and increase the nature of nature reserves are created (Rovensky, Polessky, etc.). Somewhat different from the described other natural zone of Ukraine.

Forest steppe

When moving away from mixed forests to the south, there are treeless areas - steppes. This natural zone of Ukraine is called forest-steppe. Here the winters are moderately cold, and the summers are warm. Precipitation falls less. The soil is chernozem. Natural conditions are quite favorable for most of the cultural and wild plants. Forests are mainly deciduous, partly mixed. Animals are the same as in the zone of mixed forests. Significantly different from the considered here is the other natural zone of Ukraine - the steppe. It occupies most of the territory of the country.

Steppe

To the south of the two seas (Black, Azov) and from the forest-steppe zone stretches the steppe area. Its surface is mostly flat, with beams, ravines, hills. The sun rises here higher, so this natural zone of Ukraine (steppe) is characterized by a hotter climate. Summer here is longer and much warmer. Precipitation falls less. Autumn is warm, its first half is dry, the second - rainy. Winter is small, short, cold. Because of the sudden increase in temperature, the moisture absorbed by the soil quickly evaporates. Frequent dry winds precede droughts. Cold winter winds cause blizzards and storms. They destroy fertile soil.

Large rivers flow along the steppes. The Danube Delta is rich in freshwater lakes, and the Black Sea coast - with salty estuaries. Several reservoirs (cascades) have been built on the Dnieper.

The plants here are mainly herbaceous. Bushes with trees are found in the beams and near the banks of water bodies - only there they have enough moisture.

In the early spring, the steppe is bright and colorful. In the soil at this time there is still enough moisture, and many plants feel very comfortable. Here, and hyacinths, and irises, and goritsvet, and crocuses, and poppies, and tulips, and peonies. Plant seeds give before the peak of heat. Some "drop" the ground part (it dies). The roots continue to accumulate moisture and nutrients: the next year they will again shoot the shoots and blossom.

Soon there are more hardy, unpretentious plants: fescue, wormwood, feather grass. Some have pubescent leaves, others have long roots that can tolerate heat and water shortages. By the middle of summer, the plants begin to dry out. Wind, picking them up and rolling over the steppe, shakes out the seeds. This natural zone of Ukraine seems gray and unfriendly at the end of summer. The animal world here is poorer than in the forest. Many animals have a characteristic light yellow color, due to which they are less noticeable among the withered, yellowed grass. Most of them live in burrows. These are mainly rodents: mice, jerboas, ground squirrels, marmots, hamsters. The burrows are digging badgers, foxes, ferrets. Such dwellings are both the birthplace of the offspring, and a refuge, and a place for hibernation. In burrows dug by small animals, live lizards, vipers, steppe turtles.

Due to their ability to move quickly from the numerous enemies of steppe rare birds streptets and bustards.

In the early spring you can hear the singing of a lark. Give voice and quail. You can see rare steppe cranes. Soaring in the sky kobchik, eagle, kestrel, lun. They hunt smaller birds and mice.

In the steppes there are many insects: grasshoppers, butterflies, locusts, beetles. They feed on different parts of plants, while being a food for amphibians, reptiles, birds.

For the preservation of the nature of this zone, such reserves as the Ukrainian Steppe, Askania-Nova, and Lugansk are created.

Carpathian mountains

They are considered average in height. Formed by mountain ranges. Between them lie very picturesque valleys. There is a lot of precipitation here: snow in winter, rain in warm weather. That's why there are often floods. They take in their mountains many streams and rivers. Among them - the Dniester and the Prut with the largest tributaries. There are small and at the same time quite deep crystal clear lakes in the Carpathians.

At the slopes of the mountains are deciduous forests of oak, hornbeam, linden, maple, beech. Higher - colder, there are conifers (European spruce, fir), the forest is already mixed. Undergrowth form a dogrose, hazel, blackberry, raspberry. Opushes and glades are covered by herbaceous plants, many are medicinal. There are a lot of mushrooms (fox, white, boletus, oily, pimperal, etc.).

Animals in the Carpathians are the same as in the plains. These are noble deer, hares, foxes, wolves, martens, otters, wild pigs, badgers, squirrels. Birds - black grouse, hazel grouse, motley woodpeckers, black and crested tits, many migratory songbirds.

There are animals that are found mainly in the Carpathians: brown bears, forest cats, lynxes. Of the birds - black storks, golden eagles, eagles, black woodpeckers, snake-eaters. Only in these mountains live Carpathian squirrels, snow voles, Carpathian wood grouses.

For the preservation of this natural zone of Ukraine reserves have been created (Gorgan, Carpathian).