We publish interesting review the rarest plants listed in the Red Book of Russia.
Every day there are fewer and fewer rare plants.
Almost always, the reason that there are fewer representatives of the fauna is man and the negative results of his activities, deforestation, and deterioration of the environmental situation. The latter is also related to human activity. People destroy nature, and the state of the atmosphere and many other vital things depend on nature. And even if now over 50% of the country’s territory is taiga, this does not mean that we should value coniferous forests little, on the contrary - It is precisely this number of trees and plants that saves the environment, but if there are fewer of them, the surrounding background will noticeably deteriorate even compared to today.
But even those who do not always treat the country’s green wealth with absolute respect, the majority are well aware of the value of this intangible wealth. Well, for everyone else, of course, one of the first national treasures that they are proud of is the nature of Russia.
The Red Book contains sections on animals and plants. The volume dedicated to rare representatives of the flora of Russia was last republished in 2008, the lists are constantly updated, but it is worth considering that the picture is only approximate: it is impossible to establish the number of natural specimens by any method, everything is only approximate; the condition of some species cannot be assessed at all. According to the latest reissue, the Red Book includes 652 species of plants and 24 species of fungi.
Each rare or endangered representative of the flora has one of 6 statuses: Probably extinct species of Russia, Species of Russia with uncertain status, Recovering species of Russia, Endangered species of Russia, Rare species of Russia, Declining species of Russia.
Many regions of Russia have regional Red Data Books, which contain information about endangered plants and animals.
The most extensive niche in the number of species (over 11,400 species) of the flora of Russia is vascular plants. It includes all higher plants (terrestrial), except mosses: ferns, horsetails, psilotes, lycophytes, gymnosperms and angiosperms.
“440 species of angiosperms, 11 species of gymnosperms and 10 species of fern-like plants are included in the Red Book, that is, 4% of the flora. Experts believe that at least 2–3 thousand species of vascular plants are actually exposed to varying degrees of danger.” .
In addition to the listed plants, some species of lichens, mushrooms, and mosses are included in the Red Book of Russia.
“The abundance of vascular plant species included in the Red Book of Russia is quite original. In addition to the maxima in the centers of increased biological diversity, where species from neighboring territories enter (the Caucasus, the mountains of southern Siberia, Primorye, Sakhalin and the Kuril Islands), there are also regional centers that have no analogues in other groups. An increased number of rare plant species is characteristic of the steppe zone (usually 15 - 30 species), which, of course, is due to its deep anthropogenic transformation. A local maximum exists in Chukotka (11 species) due to the penetration of a number of American species here, as well as on the southern shores of the Gulf of Finland and its islands (27 species), where a significant number of Western European plants grow. In the vast expanses of Northern Siberia, rare plant species are unknown. The maximum number of rare plant species is observed in the Khanka lowland - 66 and at the western tip of the Russian part of the Caucasus - 65" (Biofile.ru).
Despite the “medical” name, these are plants that are understandable to everyone, the most common, and surround us on all sides, especially in summer.
Mosses are a division of higher spore plants, similar in structure to mosses.
There are only 4 representatives in the list of lycophytes included in the Red Book of Russia: Asian poloshnik, sea poloushnik, lake poloushnik, bristly polunik.
The list of angiosperm plant species included in the Red Book of Russia contains more than 90 names. Some of the most famous:
In the photo, flat-leaved snowdrop
A beautiful flower, fully corresponding to the first part of its name, blooms, growing out of the snow, in the spring. Found in Georgia and North Ossetia.
In the photo Volodushka Martyanova (rare view)
The plant grows primarily only in Russia, Altai, and the Sayan Mountains.
In the photo Colchicum cheerful
It is found mainly in the meadows and steppes of the Ciscaucasia.
Pictured is Schlippenbach's Rhododendron (population is declining)
Deciduous shrub, one of the most beautiful among its kind. In Russia there are specimens only in the Khasansky district in the south of Primorye on the mountain slopes.
Pictured is Rhododendron Fori (rare view)
In the photo Saffron is beautiful
In the photo Lily lanceolate
In the photo there is a dwarf Tulip
In the photo Magnolia obovate
Flowering plant. In Russia it occurs and feels good on Black Sea coast Caucasus. There are 15 magnolia trees in the botanical garden of the Far Eastern Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences in Vladivostok, as well as in the Moscow region, Voronezh, and St. Petersburg. However, in colder regions it freezes heavily in winter and is thermophilic. Decorative species, deciduous tree with very beautiful flowers, which bloom in May-June.
Nut lotus (one of the rarest and most beautiful flowers)
How lotuses bloom in Russia (Vladivostok) in a story from a local TV company:
Lotus is found in Russia mainly in regions neighboring Asia, in the Far East in the lower reaches of the Amur, in the basins of the Ussuri rivers, on the coasts of the Caspian and Azov seas. It disappears mainly due to neglect, for example, lotus root is considered a delicacy in Chinese cuisine, and therefore the flower is often destroyed for food; near the swamps and on its banks, wild boars and cows eat it.
Pictured is Mountain Peony
Pictured is Oriental poppy
In the photo there is Saiyan Buttercup.
Despite its prevalence, it is listed in the Red Book as a rare species. Found mainly in Siberia.
In the photo there is a cut violet (population is declining)
Pictured is Ginseng
This is very useful plant, it is used in medicine; raw materials from ginseng root have powerful immunomodulatory and stimulating properties. Grows mainly in the area Russian Federation: in the Far East of Russia - in the south of the Khabarovsk Territory, in the Primorsky Territory.
The list of fern-like plants included in the Red Book of Russia includes about 10 plant species, some of the representatives:
In the photo Marsilia Egyptian (view disappears)
In the photo there is a tall juniper
Symbol of Crimea.
An evergreen coniferous tree 10-15 meters high, a species of the Juniper genus, Cypress family. In general, it is a symbiosis of juniper, cypress and pine. Lives on average 2 centuries, distributed in the Crimea, Asia Minor, and the Caucasus. Status: endangered species.
In the photo Olginskaya Larch
It is found in the south of Primorsky Krai, along the coast and along the eastern foothills of the Sikhote-Alin. A relict species, it occupies less than 1% of the forest area in which it grows. In the Red Book, the status is endangered.
According to information at the end of 2013, 29 species of lichens are included in the Red Book. What kind of plants are these and where do they most often grow? Lichens are organisms that combine the features and structure of terrestrial algae, fungi, and mosses; there are about 25 thousand species in the world. They are important for soil formation, deer feed on lichens in the Far North, insects hide and live in their dense vegetation, lichens are necessary for maintaining the balance of the environment, they are used in folk medicine, gourmet dishes are prepared from some species, they do not survive in “dirty” air, and therefore are indicators of the environmental situation.
“Out of approximately 3,000 species of lichens in Russia, 29 are included in the Red Book. It should be noted that these materials are far from complete. The flora of lichens and the distribution of their individual species have been studied insufficiently for the territory of Russia, especially considering their high role in the formation of Arctic, subarctic and boreal ecosystems. In addition, lichens are very sensitive to external influences, especially air pollution, which makes them especially vulnerable. This same property makes us consider the group as an important indicator of the general state of the natural environment.
The moss flora in Russia is now estimated at 1,370 species, of which 22 are listed in the Red Book of Russia. But the flora of mosses has been studied even less well than that of lichens, so these data are of an approximate nature” (Biofile.ru)
In the photo Lobaria pulmonary
In the photo Letaria wolfis
The list of bryophytes included in the Red Book of Russia includes over 60 items.“Mosses are a department of higher plants, numbering about 10,000 species, united in approximately 700 genera and 110-120 families.” Widely distributed in swampy areas and coniferous forests. They participate in important natural processes to maintain the balance of soil, air, water, and ecosystems. All plants have their own functions, their place, and without mosses there would be no peat, there would be no alternative to the most powerful natural sponge that holds a large number of water, which would negatively affect the state of landscapes as a whole. Some types of mosses are used in medicine to prepare medicines. Mosses and lichens play very important roles in the processes of soil formation.
In the photo Fossombronia Alaskan (rare species)
In the photo Capania spheroid
The list of mushrooms included in the Red Book of Russia includes 17 species. The kingdom of nature, especially the forests of Russia, is unimaginable without mushrooms. And basically we all sympathize with boletus, champignons, saffron milk caps, boletus mushrooms, but besides them there are a lot of “unsightly”, inedible, and, moreover, poisonous mushrooms, which for some reason take their place in the world of flora. Mushrooms are decomposers (they collect and process dead remains into inorganic compounds), increase soil fertility, are used for food and medicinal purposes, and can also cause harm (for example, poisoning caused by eating mushrooms). Many are included in the Red Book of Russia inedible mushrooms(but there are also those allowed for consumption), which is good: it means there are plenty of edible ones, you just need to get up earlier during the harvest season.
In the photo Amanita pineal
Pictured is Sparassis curly (edible)
In the photo, white boletus
On liability for violation of the safety of plant specimens listed in the Red Book of the Russian Federation:
“According to the Code of the Russian Federation on Administrative Offenses (Article 8.35), the destruction of rare and endangered plant species listed in the Red Book of the Russian Federation or protected by international treaties, as well as actions (inaction) that can lead to the death of such plants, or extraction , collection, maintenance, acquisition, sale or transfer of these plants, their products, parts or derivatives (derivatives) without proper permission or in violation of the conditions provided for by the permission, or in violation of other established order shall entail the imposition of an administrative fine on citizens in the amount of one thousand five hundred to two thousand five hundred rubles with or without confiscation of the tools for obtaining plants, as well as the plants themselves, their products, parts or derivatives; for officials - from fifteen thousand to twenty thousand rubles with or without confiscation of the tools for obtaining plants, as well as the plants themselves, their products, parts or derivatives; for legal entities - from three hundred thousand to five hundred thousand rubles with or without confiscation of tools for obtaining plants, as well as the plants themselves, their products, parts or derivatives.”
If the batch is particularly large or the collection of rare plants results in their complete destruction, criminal liability arises.
National programs for the conservation of endangered plant species are implemented in nature reserves, sanctuaries, national parks, for violation of the safety of natural specimens, fines and administrative (sometimes criminal) penalties are applied. In total, there are 66 reserves, 103 nature reserves, and 47 national parks on the territory of the Russian Federation.
Boreal taiga forests are the largest ecosystem in northern Eurasia, North America and Scandinavia. Taiga plants are represented mainly coniferous trees, mosses, lichens and small shrubs, but taiga is different. There are several types of boreal taiga forest, in which certain plants predominate. Taiga forests are divided into light-coniferous taiga, dominated by pine and larch, and dark-coniferous taiga, dominated by spruce, Siberian cedar, and fir. The taiga soil is soddy-podzolic and acidic.
Let's look at the main plants of the taiga, which in some way can be useful to a traveler, hermit or commercial hunter.
First, let's look at the habitat of these plants:
We see that coniferous forests spread across almost the entire north of the land. On my own behalf, I would like to add that taiga also covers the mountain ranges of the European Alps, the Carpathians, and the Rocky Mountains of North America, which is not shown in the diagram.
The most important representative of the taiga. The basis of the dark coniferous taiga, which has become its symbol. Most often, spruce grows in mixed forests, but is often the main forest former. Spruce wood is used in logging and is suitable for construction, although a little worse than pine wood. A spruce cone appears at the age of 15 to 50 years, depending on the place of growth. The interval between harvests is 3-5 years. Needles and cones are rich in vitamin C and other beneficial substances, and they also contain a lot of essential oils. The needles secrete phytoncides that play an antibacterial role.
Pine forest
Scots pine, along with spruce, is widespread in Russia. The basis of the light-coniferous taiga. Pine wood is widely used in construction; due to its high resin content, it is one of the best natural building materials in the taiga zone. The resin has a very pleasant smell and is used for distilling tar, turpentine, and rosin. Previously, resins were widely used in shipbuilding and other construction projects that required the preservative properties of pine. The needles contain vitamin C and other beneficial substances.
I call fir the most affectionate tree of the dark coniferous taiga due to the fact that its needles are very soft and do not prick at all. Fir paws are good to use for bedding if you spend the night in the forest without a tent or foam mat. I also prefer to drink tea with brewed needles. The tea turns out aromatic, although without vitamins, since vitamins are destroyed when heated. Fir wood is little used and is poorly suited for construction.
Fir is more of a medicinal tree than a material for construction. Fir resin can be used to cover wounds: it has an antiseptic effect and promotes their rapid healing. Fir oil is widely used in cosmetics.
I already have an article about Siberian cedar. Let me just say that this is the most noble tree of the dark coniferous taiga. Pine nuts are highly valued due to their rich composition of nutrients. The presence of pine trees in the taiga indicates the presence of fur in it, which is another important factor. Cedar wood is used in construction and carpentry. It has a reddish tint and a pleasant smell. The wood is less resinous than pine wood. Cedar lives up to 800 years. The growing season is 40-45 days a year. The cones ripen within 14-15 months. Each cone contains from 30 to 150 nuts. Cedar begins to bear fruit on average after 60 years, sometimes later.
Larch forest, Yakutia
Larch is the hardiest tree in the taiga zone. It grows in mixed forests, but most often, due to its resistance to frost, larch forms a monoforest - larch. Larch can withstand frosts of -70°C, and even more. The needles are annual, not at all prickly, soft. Larch loves light areas of the area, so it is very difficult to find it in dark coniferous forests. As a rule, these will be solitary trees or monoleaf forests. Larch wood is very dense due to the short growing season. She has many rings. A thin tree can be very old. Very well suited for construction, it is a desirable material for making the first crowns of taiga winter huts. Wood is not afraid of moisture and rots very slowly. Contains a lot of resin.
The most popular representative of deciduous trees in the taiga forest. Distributed everywhere. Present in almost all mixed forests of northern latitude. Almost all parts of this tree are widely used. Wood is used for construction, crafts, carpentry work. Tar is extracted from the bark, various items are made, and it burns well. In the spring, birch sap, rich in vitamins and sugars, is extracted from living birch trees. Buds and leaves are used in medicine.
Another representative of deciduous species in the taiga. Aspen is a relative of poplar; their bark can even be confused. Used for landscaping settlements like a fast growing tree. The bark is used for tanning leather. It is used to produce yellow and green paint. Bees collect pollen from aspen flowers in April, and glue from the blossoming buds, which is processed into propolis. Used to build houses, used as roofing material(in Russian wooden architecture, church domes were covered with aspen planks), in the production of plywood, cellulose, matches, containers and other things. Young growth is winter food for moose, deer, hares and other mammals. It is a medicinal plant. Aspen has antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, antitussive, choleretic and anthelmintic effects. The combination of antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory properties in aspen bark makes it promising in the complex treatment of tuberculosis, smallpox, malaria, syphilis, dysentery, pneumonia, coughs of various origins, rheumatism and inflammation of the bladder mucosa. An aqueous extract of aspen bark is used to treat opisthorchiasis.
From the Berezov family. In the north it is a small shrub, in the south it is a tree about 6 m in height. Distributed in the taiga zone, less common than birch and aspen. Grows on wet soils. Bark and leaves provide dye for animal skins. Practically not used in everyday life. It is food for moose and serves as a refuge for game animals.
In the taiga forest, this guest is quite rare; it grows mainly in the south, in the central part of Russia, in some places in Western Siberia and in the Amur taiga. Wood is widely used in carpentry and joinery; it lends itself well to processing due to its softness. Medicines are made from some parts of the linden tree, and it is also an excellent honey plant. Basts, bast shoes, and mats are made from the bark of the tree (bast).
Widely distributed throughout Europe, Asia and North America. It grows everywhere in the taiga. The use of rowan is small. The berries are eaten, rowan is a honey plant, and carpentry is made from the wood. The berries are used in folk medicine as an antiscorbutic, hemostatic, diaphoretic, diuretic, choleretic, laxative and as a remedy for headaches. Fresh rowan fruits have a bitter taste, but the first frosts lead to the destruction of the bitter glycoside sorbic acid - and the bitterness disappears. The fruits of the most famous variety of rowan (nevezhinskaya), containing up to 9% sugar, have a sweet taste even before frost.
A small shrub that grows everywhere in the taiga. It also grows in the mountains of Nepal, Bhutan, and Pakistan. The fruits are cones and contain sugars, organic acids and microelements. Juniper is widely used in folk medicine due to its high content of phytoncides. Used in the treatment of various diseases such as tuberculosis, kidney disease, bronchitis, etc.
It grows in relatively mountainous areas, on the border of taiga and tundra. It grows on stones, very slowly, and lives up to 250 years. The resin of dwarf cedar is rich in various substances. Turpentine is obtained from resin, which is an antiseptic, diuretic, causing skin hyperemia, and anthelmintic. Used to treat kidneys and bladder. Nuts are rich in nutrients and are in no way inferior to their older brother - Siberian cedar. Previously, pine needles were used as an antiscorbutic remedy; it also contains more carotene than carrots.
08 09 2011
Strawberries belongs to the number of plants that, being bred in many different cultural modifications, are, however, in the wild state a source of considerable income for the population. Even big ones cultivars the taste is inferior to the humble “forest” strawberry. Cranberry is a plant from the lingonberry genus. Small shrubs with thin, recumbent stems bearing narrow leathery leaves that do not fall off in the winter. Blueberry - low growing shrub from the lingonberry family.
When wild strawberries began to be introduced into cultivation at the beginning of the 17th century, they had only short-term success and soon gave way to “monthly” strawberries, which bear fruit several times a year. Is not independent species, but only a modification of wild strawberry, found mainly in the mountains. A third European species was also bred - strawberry, which grows in Central Europe in wet meadows and is distinguished by its musky smell.
09 09 2011
- perennial woody plants, widespread in all natural areas. The main difference between a shrub and a tree is the absence of a main trunk. These plants have several trunks that originate at the surface of the earth. Shrubs can grow among trees, forming the first layer in dense, impenetrable forests.
According to scientists, the ancestors of shrubs were trees. Many thousands of years ago, trees began to adapt to unfavorable conditions (long droughts, places with low temperatures, too hot climates, etc.), as a result, the height of the plant became smaller and several trunks appeared. At present, it is impossible to say exactly which trees gave life to the bushes. Further development shrubs led to the emergence of dwarf shrubs and perennial grasses.
08 09 2011
- a genus of plants from the Rosaceae family. Perennial and annual herbs, also shrubs and subshrubs. Most leaves are deciduous, but there are also perennial leaves, rarely simple and entire, mostly complex, pinnate or palmate. Most are equipped with thorns, prickles and hairs. Flowers are constructed according to the quintuple type, with an indefinite number of stamens. There are also many pistils, sitting on the elevated part of the receptacle, which in the rest of the part is concave or rather flat.
Upon fertilization, the ovaries turn into small stones with exactly the same structure as cherry fruits. They are collected several at a time on the enlarged stem of the receptacle and form infructescence, which, when ripe, is easily removed from the stem. Rarely are there 2 or 3 such fruits, even more rarely one.
06 09 2011
- a genus of plants from the subdivision of gymnosperms, class of conifers, family of spruce. Pyramid trees bearing ringed, horizontal branches. The leaves (needles) are needle-shaped, flat, at the base, narrowed into a short petiole, entire outermost, with two white stripes below, persisting for several years. On the branches, the castings are usually straightened like a comb due to the bending of the petioles on two sides. The buds are almost spherical, obtuse or cone-shaped. Fir wood is characterized by the absence of resin ducts and the construction of core rays only from uniformly thickened longitudinal cells with simple pores.
Male flowers are in the form of earrings, composed of many cones, bearing two pollen sacs from below, opening with a transverse slit.
24 10 2011
Everyone knows that Baikal– unique a natural phenomenon, and endemic flora and fauna make up, according to various sources, from 75 to 90%. Endemics and various relics are found in steppe, mountain, and aquatic vegetation.
Many plants are in the Red Book of the Irkutsk region and Buryatia. This book includes rare medicinal plants, such as:
Calamus (helps with toothache, vomiting, sinusitis, neuroses);
- Edible honeysuckle (has an emetic and laxative effect);
- Viburnum viburnum (helps with uterine cow bleeds, gastrointestinal diseases, neurasthenia);
- Caragana mane (used for rheumatism, inflammatory and colds) or another name: camel tail;
- Krasodnev minor (has a tonic, wound-healing, antitumor effect);
23 09 2011
Given the vast extent of Russia, its vegetation is extremely diverse. At the same time, a gradual change in climate from north to south determines the change in botanical regions, differing mainly in the general physiognomy of their formations. The enormous extent of these regions in the direction of the meridian determined the diversity in their composition, since they borrowed their members from different plant centers.
There is every reason to assume that in the last phase of the Tertiary period (Pliocene) the vegetation of the northern hemisphere was more homogeneous than it is now. At the same time, most European Russia and the whole was covered with mixed forests of coniferous and deciduous trees. In mountainous countries with dissected relief, formations of steppe plants also developed. The significant cooling of climate that occurred at the end of the Tertiary period led to the formation of a special circumpolar flora in the north.
08 09 2011
- a genus of plants from the Saxifraga family. This includes up to 50 species distributed in Europe, Siberia, Asia and North America, with some going south along the Andes to the Strait of Magellan. In the plains of European Russia, 3 species grow wild, in the Caucasus - 6, greatest number species grows in, especially eastern. The best known types of currants are black currants and red currants, which both grow wild in northern Europe and Siberia. The difference between them, in addition to the color of the berries, is that black currant leaves and berries are extremely fragrant from essential oil. This oil is contained in special glands that cover the lower surface of the leaves especially thickly.
Currant bushes with alternate, mostly palmate-lobed leaves. Flowers are arranged in racemes.
14 05 2009
- a set of families, genera, and plant species that have developed on each continent in the process of evolution. In each land area there are two completely identical floras globe you won't find it. The difference is explained mainly by the diversity of climate, soil, rocks, geological past, geographic isolation of a particular area, as a result of which endemic plants are found in the flora.
Antiquity of the territory together with diversity natural conditions made it possible to form a rich flora in the area of the lake; it contains quite a lot unique species. For example, only in the subalpine belt of the ridge on south coast Swertia baicalensis from the Gentian family grows in Lake Baikal. Only, on small area On the western coast of Lake Baikal, between capes Otto-Khushun and Zama, the Zundukian kopekweed from the legume family was discovered.
The southeastern region of Lake Baikal, on Khamar-Daban, has a unique vegetation, and, above all, an abundance of oak and hornbeam forests. On the northern slope of Khamar-Daban there is an altitudinal distribution of vegetation, so on the Baikal terraces there are spruce-cedar and fir-cedar forests, as well as sphagnum swamps, and cedar predominates on steep rocky areas, and fir along the bottoms of honeydew, Lake Baikal and in the coastal strip found: dwarf cedar, golden rhododendron, blue philodoce, kashkara.
11 04 2011
Given the enormous extent of Russia, its vegetation is extremely diverse. At the same time, a gradual change in climate from north to south determines the change in botanical regions, differing mainly in the general physiognomy of their formations. The enormous extent of these regions in the direction of the meridian determined the diversity in their composition, since they borrowed their members from different plant centers.
There is every reason to assume that in the last phase of the Tertiary period (Pliocene) the vegetation of the northern hemisphere was more homogeneous than it is now. At the same time, most of European Russia and all Siberia was covered with mixed forests of coniferous and deciduous species. In mountainous countries with dissected relief, formations of steppe plants also developed. The significant cooling of climate that occurred at the end of the Tertiary period led to the formation of a special circumpolar flora in the north. This vegetation consists of arctic plants, as well as subarctic meadow grasses and some northern tree species like birch and rowan.
11 04 2011
In the flora of the North, three regions can be distinguished: the arctic-alpine region, the region of northern forests and the region of steppes. The Arctic-Alpine region consists geographically of two elements: the Arctic region bordering the coast of the Arctic Ocean, and the Alpine region occupying the upper horizons of the mountains of Siberia, the Urals, Altai, the Caucasus, Tien Shan and other ranges. The region of northern forests represents a wide strip passing through the entire European-Asian continent, from the Atlantic Ocean to Pacific Ocean. The steppe region extends in a continuous strip from the western border of Russia to Siberia and Altai.
The two regions of the northern zone, despite their isolation, are quite similar to each other in general physiognomy, climatic properties, and the nature of vegetation. Home distinctive feature The Arctic region can be considered the absence of forests. In this most northern strip, due to low temperature and a short growing season (6-8 weeks), forest tree species can no longer exist, and the northern limit of their distribution is taken at the same time to be the southern border of the Arctic region.
20 04 2009
In the flora of the northern zone, three regions can be distinguished: the arctic-alpine region, the northern forest region and the steppe region. The Arctic-Alpine region consists geographically of two elements: the Arctic region bordering the coast of the Arctic Ocean, and the Alpine region occupying the upper horizons of the Ural, Altai, Sayan, Caucasus, Tien Shan and other ranges. The northern forest region represents a wide strip running across the entire European-Asian continent, from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific. The region extends in a continuous strip from the western border of Russia to Altai.
The two regions of the northern zone, despite their isolation, are quite similar to each other in general physiognomy, climatic properties, and the nature of vegetation. The main distinguishing feature of the Arctic region can be considered the absence. In this most northern strip, due to low temperature and a short growing season (6-8 weeks), forest tree species can no longer exist, and the northern limit of their distribution is taken at the same time to be the southern border of the Arctic region. To the south of this border there are scattered either large or small areas of treeless tundra, completely similar in character and vegetation to the continuous Arctic strip.
11 04 2011
The flora of the South is divided into 4 regions. The region of Central Asian deserts occupies all the lowlands of Turkestan, most of Mongolia and the southeastern corner of European Russia adjacent to the Caspian Sea. The area of mountain-steppe flora does not occupy a continuous area, but is scattered in separate patches throughout the southern zone. The region of relict forests is characterized by forests that developed from tertiary forests, but were modified and impoverished due to dry air or harsh climate.
The last area is the tertiary forest area. Tertiary forests are forests that can be expected to be, due to particularly favorable geographical and climatic conditions retained to a greater or lesser extent the same character as they had at the end of the Tertiary era.
23 09 2011
In the flora of the southern zone of Russia, 4 regions are distinguished. The region of Central Asian deserts occupies all the lowlands of Turkestan, most of Mongolia and the southeastern corner of European Russia adjacent to the Caspian Sea. The area of mountain-steppe flora does not occupy a continuous area, but is scattered in separate patches throughout the southern zone. The region of relict forests is characterized by forests that developed from tertiary forests, but were modified and impoverished due to dry air or harsh climate. The last area is the tertiary forest area. Tertiary forests mean forests in which it can be assumed that, due to particularly favorable geographical and climatic conditions, they have retained to a greater or lesser extent the same character as they had at the end of the Tertiary era.
The territory of the Central Asian deserts is characterized by extremely dry air, low precipitation and high temperature summer months and sometimes significant frosts in winter.
In many parts of Russia there are places where various representatives of the fauna live freely. No human has set foot on these territories for decades, so the beauty of nature amazes with its diversity and richness. And to date, even human intervention has not been able to change the pristine forests, plains, mountain ranges and plateaus.
But the plants and animals of Siberia deserve special attention, most of which are listed in the Red Book. In addition, some herbs growing in this vast area are medicinal, and their description will be a real clue to help you prepare aromatic tea, delicious dishes and healing infusions.
Thanks to the natural environmental conditions of the vast geographical region located in the northeastern part of Eurasia, many representatives of the fauna had the opportunity to eat a variety of food and hide from predators in the dense crown of trees and thickets. However, not only Siberian animals, but also humans can consume plants. So, at the end of summer, true recipe connoisseurs traditional medicine recommend collecting the following types herbs:
In addition to these herbs, you can collect the fruits of rowan, sea buckthorn, cranberry, rose hips, as well as leaves of lemon balm, stinging nettle, great plantain, calendula flowers and burdock roots. All this can have not only a healing effect on the body, but also fill tea drinking with the aromas of summer and give unforgettable moments of pleasure.
Sometimes a person may find himself in a situation where he is forced to eat what grows in wildlife. In Siberia, edible plants are found almost at every step. Thus, from May to June, in swamps, near the shores of reservoirs and occasionally in the steppe zone, you can find thickets of common calamus. Its crushed leaves are added to the dough, and the white leaf rosette makes excellent jam. Dried calamus rhizomes are also eaten. Walking along the rivers, you can also find rhizomes of lake reed, sea tuber and yellow egg capsule, the powder of which is added to grain flour. It is also recommended to boil, fry or pickle them.
There are many known methods for preparing salads from young leaves of quinoa, cinquefoil, lungwort, spiny grass (juvenile) or biting midge. In addition, residents of Siberia recommend replacing spinach with boiled clover leaves, and coffee with roasted caragana (acacia) seeds. Also in the region there are such edible plants as dissected hogweed, bird's-eye knotweed, angelica silica, tuber-bearing zopnik, reindeer moss, felt burdock, curly lily, whitecap, lungwort, sedum, fern, wheatgrass and other species. They are used to make soups, sauces and even stored for future use.
Often, many people mistakenly assume that plants that are hazardous to health grow only in the hot tropics, but once you go to the country or to the forest, you cannot avoid encountering them. At the same time, many animals in Siberia feed on them without harm to their health, but they can only bring mortal danger to humans. Thus, special caution should be exercised around representatives of the buttercup family, which cause poisoning. Just by sniffing a bouquet of such flowers, you can get a severe burn to the skin, eyes, spasms of the muscles of the larynx and suffocation. Leaf juice ingested causes nausea, vomiting, and can even affect the central nervous system.
Also in the forest and steppe zones Poisonous hemlock, or hemlock, grows in Siberia.
The dangerous substances contained in its roots and leaves spread incredibly quickly, causing convulsions, epileptic seizures and death. It is also recommended to avoid black henbane, common wolfberry, crow's eye, datura and Lobel's hellebore. These plants are weeds and all parts of them are poisonous, especially the seeds.
Since Siberia has a predominantly continental climate with quite warm summer And cold winter, the species diversity of the flora is simply amazing. However, some plants are still on the verge of extinction.
Humanity has lived on earth for about a million years and few people realize that the riches of Mother Nature are drying up - plants and animals of Siberia and other regions are dying due to soil depletion, lack of nutrients, and also for the reason economic activity inhabitants of the planet. And in order to prevent territories from turning into deserts, some species should be protected.
Thus, hydrangea and forest anemone, which bloom only once a decade, are included in the Red Book. Very rarely in Siberia you can find wolf's bast, Bardunov's megadenia, grandiflora slipper, aralia, tall squirrel and white walnut. Also on the verge of extinction are the tall belly, Glen spruce, magnolia, Japanese beard, Far Eastern oaks and rhododendrons.
It was created specifically for the conservation of certain species in Altai. Botanical Garden with a unique collection of flowers, bushes, herbs, trees and shrubs.
It is impossible to imagine the expanses of the great region without various animals that were able to find an abundance of food and shelter on the territory, as well as adapt to the harsh living conditions. In general, the fauna of the region, which occupies 77% of the entire territory of Russia, includes about 500 species of vertebrates, 80 of which are mammals. It is much more diverse and rich in flora, so predators such as badger, wolf, sea otter, snow leopard, weasel, fox and bear are often found here. Also unimaginable animal world Siberia without lynx, wolverine, sable, arctic fox and mink. Many of them differ in size and lifestyle, but they all feed not only on berries, but also on insects, invertebrates, fish and small rodents. Thus, according to a certain hierarchy, the stronger absorb the weak, who are a kind of food supply.
When mentioning the inhabitants of the most extensive geographical region, it is always worth paying attention to fur-bearing animals, rodents and large representatives of the flora, since they are not only part of the ecosystem, but also a source of pride for the hunting grounds. The largest inhabitants of the Eastern Siberian taiga are moose, weighing up to 500 kg, as well as reindeer, musk deer and bighorn sheep. Siberian animals such as squirrels, brown hares, and chipmunks also live on the plains. In the steppe, ground squirrels and marmots are very common, and in the southern part of the region - field mice, hamsters and goats. But, despite such rich diversity, humanity still finds it difficult to maintain a fragile natural balance, so the population of some fauna must be protected in order to save it from extinction.
Over the last century, residents of the entire planet have increasingly begun to learn that some species of our smaller brothers are on the verge of extinction. If this process is not stopped, then a catastrophe with dire consequences cannot be avoided, because nature will no longer be able to repeat what was created earlier. And the statistics are really not encouraging, since at the beginning of the century only one species became extinct, but nowadays this happens almost every day. Despite the tremendous diversity, the animals of Siberia, listed in the Red Book, still need protection, so hunting staff have to especially carefully monitor the small representatives of the fauna. Thus, at the present time, the number of Far Eastern leopards, reindeer, long-eared hedgehogs, pointy-eared bats, Amur tigers, snow leopards, Central Asian leopards and river beavers is sharply declining. The tiny shrew, Tuvan beaver and Barguzin sable are also increasingly rare.
In order to restore the population, experts carefully study the fauna of Siberia, the lifestyle features of some representatives of the species, and create nature reserves. In addition, the population of predators is monitored, because their excessive increase threatens endangered animals.
Now the restoration of flora and fauna is one of the main tasks of people who previously thoughtlessly treated the environment. Exploring new territories and extracting more and more natural resources, people gradually replaced animals, thereby putting them in danger. Now many species live in national parks and reserves.
Yes, on the territory eastern Siberia Barguzinsky and Baikalsky nature reserves are located, containing from 39 to 50 species of mammals, several hundred birds different types, amphibians and reptiles. It is also impossible not to mention the Dzherginsky Nature Reserve, which has over 40 rare animals. In addition, conservation work is being carried out in such national parks as Shorsky, Zabaikalsky, Alkhanay, Pribaikalsky and Tunkinsky. Hunting is strictly prohibited in these places, and groups of scientists are diligently creating conditions under which the number of animals will begin to grow.
Of course, it is impossible to preserve with the help of nature reserves alone. rare species animals of Siberia and plants. Success in this difficult task can be achieved by increasing the level of environmental culture of the population - people must realize that environment is their home, and its well-being can improve the life of every inhabitant of the planet.
