In vast areas of North America and Eurasia are mixed and broad-leaved forests. The zones of these green areas are located in the temperate geographic zone of the Earth. The list of plants that these forests are rich in includes pine and spruce, maple and linden, oak and ash, hornbeam and beech.
Mixed and broad-leaved forests are the habitat of roe deer and brown bears, elk and red deer, ferrets and martens, squirrels and beavers, wild boars and foxes, hares and chipmunks, as well as many mouse-like rodents. The birds that consider these massifs their home are storks and cuckoos, owls and capercaillie, hazel grouses and geese, ducks and owls. In the lakes and rivers of this forest zone, mainly cyprinids are found. Sometimes salmon are also seen.
Mixed and broadleaf forests have been heavily affected by human activity. Since ancient times, people began to cut them down, replacing them with fields.
Woodlands of North America and Western Europe
The territory of coniferous forests has its southern border. It is located in the western part of Eurasia and in the region of the North American Great Lakes. Its coordinates are about sixty degrees north latitude. To the south of this mark, along with coniferous species, broad-leaved species are present in the forests. At the same time, trees in different parts of the world are represented by their different types.
The climate of mixed and broad-leaved forests is warmer than in the coniferous zone. The summer period in these areas is longer than in the north, but winters are quite cold and snowy. These mixed and broad-leaved forests are dominated by broad-leafed plants.
In autumn, deciduous trees shed their cover, resulting in the formation of humus. Moderate moisture contributes to the accumulation of mineral and organic substances in the upper soil layers.
The transition zone, on the territory of which mixed forests are located, is heterogeneous. In the formation of vegetation in these massifs, local conditions, as well as types of soil rocks, play an important role.
So, for example, in the southern part of Sweden, as well as in the B altic states, large areas are occupied by forests with a predominance of pure spruce forest. They grow on moraine loamy soils.
Slightly to the south, coniferous species fall out of the forest stand. Forests are only becoming broad-leaved. In these zones, the temperature in January, on average, does not fall belowminus ten, and in July this figure is thirteen-twenty-three degrees of heat.
Forest vegetation in North America and Western Europe
It is difficult to draw a clear line between mixed and broad-leaved forests. Conifers can be found far in the south, up to the subtropical zone. In addition, felling of deciduous trees was carried out more intensively. This caused a predominant proportion of conifers.
Vegetation of mixed and broad-leaved forests is diverse. In the south, magnolias, paulownias and a tulip tree penetrated their territory from the subtropics. Rhododendron and bamboo can be found in the undergrowth next to lilac and honeysuckle. Common in such areas are creepers from wild grapes, lemongrass, etc.
Forests of Russia
In those latitudes where the taiga stretches its southern borders, mixed and broad-leaved forests come into their own. Their territory extends to forest-steppes. The zone in which the green massifs are located, consisting of trees of mixed and broad-leaved species, is located from the western borders of Russia to the place where the Oka flows into the Volga.
Climate that is typical for mixed and deciduous forests of Russia
Nothing protects the zone of green areas from the influence of the Atlantic Ocean, which determines the weather conditions on its territory. The climate of mixed and broad-leaved forests of Russia is moderately warm. However, it is quite soft. The climatic conditions of this zone have a favorable effect on the growth of coniferous trees along with broad-leaved trees. At these latitudes there iswarm summers and relatively long cold winters.
The atmospheric temperature of mixed and broad-leaved forests during the warm period has an average value exceeding ten degrees. In addition, the climate in this zone is characterized by high humidity. During the warm period, the maximum amount of precipitation also falls (ranging from 600 to 800 millimeters). These factors favorably affect the growth of broad-leaved trees.
Reservoirs
On the territory of mixed and broad-leaved forests of the Russian Federation, high-water rivers originate, the path of which passes through the East European Plain. Their list includes the Dnieper, as well as the Volga, the Western Dvina, and others.
Occurrence of surface waters in this zone is quite close to the surface layers of the earth. This fact, as well as the dissected landscape of the relief and the presence of clay-sand deposits favor the emergence of lakes and swamps.
Vegetation
In the European region of Russia, mixed and broad-leaved forests are heterogeneous. Oak and linden, ash and elm are widespread in the western part of the zone. Moving to the east, the continentality of the climate increases. There is a shift of the southern boundary of the zone to the north, and at the same time, fir and spruce become the predominant tree species. The role of broad-leaved species is significantly reduced. In the eastern regions, linden is most often found. This tree forms the second tier in mixed forest areas. ATundergrowth develops well in such zones. It is represented by plants such as hazel, euonymus, and honeysuckle. But in the low-lying grass cover, taiga plant species grow - majnik and oxalis.
The flora of mixed and broadleaf forests changes as you move south. This is due to climate change, which is becoming warmer. In these zones, the amount of precipitation is close to the evaporation rate. These areas are dominated by deciduous forests. Coniferous tree species are becoming rarer. The main role in such forests belongs to oak and linden.
The territories of these green forests are rich in floodplain and upland meadows, which are located on alluvial soil layers. There are also swamps. Among them, low-lying and transitional ones predominate.
Animal world
Mixed and broad-leaved forests in former times were rich in wild animals and birds. Now the representatives of the fauna have been pushed aside by man to the least populated zones or exterminated altogether. To preserve or restore a particular species, there are specially created reserves. Typical animals living in the zone of mixed and broad-leaved forests are the black polecat, bison, elk, beaver, etc. The species of animals living in Eurasia are close in origin to those species whose habitat is the European zone. These are roe deer and deer, marten and mink, muskrat and dormouse.
Sika deer and deer, as well as muskrat, have acclimatized in this zone. In mixed and broad-leaved forests, you can find snake and agile lizard.
Human activity
Mixed and broad-leaved forests of Russia contain huge reserves of timber. Their bowels are rich in valuable minerals, and the rivers have colossal reserves of energy. These zones have been mastered by man for a long time. This is especially true of the Russian Plain. On its territory, significant areas are allocated for cattle breeding and agriculture. In order to preserve forest complexes, national parks are being created. Reserves and nature reserves are also open.
