The picturesque border is surrounded by green groves and wild forest taiga. This is the best place for country walks and picnics - here, in a transparent space between the thicket and fields, among a variety of shrubs and trees, mushrooms and berries grow, a lot of sun and shade, for this reason animals and birds love it. What is the difference between the edge of a full-fledged forest, it is worth learning more.
Edge - what is it?
The word itself originates from the original meaning of "the hem of the garment with something fluffy." Indeed, the edge of the forest is its furry edge. The dictionaries have a clear definition of this picturesque forest object - a narrow, no more than 100 meters wide strip along the border of the forest, which differs in its vegetation from the forest. The abundance of light and partial shade allows the full development of those plants, which in the deaf often lack sunlight. Among the vegetation, photophilous shrubs and stunted trees predominate. The variety of herbs and flowers is supported by representatives of neighboring natural communities. Sometimes the edges along the forest are planted artificially, to protect the forest from the damaging effects of open spaces. For bees there is expanse, in such conditions a variety of honey plants grow well. Among the abundance of various plantations, various representatives of the animal world coexist wonderfully.
Ecosystem boundary
The edge of the forest is a transition line between two full ecosystems. In fact, this is a separate geobotanical community, which has absorbed the main biological features of neighboring ecological systems and combined them in its structure. Vegetation smoothly passes from one zone to another. Not only flora, but also fauna changes significantly. The predominance of the lower tiers of forest vegetation provides the presence of natural shelters for all kinds of birds and rodents. Many birds prefer to live on the edge of natural zones, rather than inside the forest, where there are many predators and lack of sunlight. The transitional strip of low shrubs also serves as protection against violent winds that can cut down trees. Gusts of wind break up on stunted stands, which he can not pull out due to low windage. This protective transition band is a complex system of closely related elements of nature.
Edge of the forest in creativity
Forest is an integral part of the spiritual world of man. In Russian literature and art there are many poetic lines and paintings, which depict the edge of the forest. Mention of her is found in Russian folklore - songs, tales, proverbs. The charm of the forest image is presented in abundance in literary work. The forest edge often acts as an ideal of harmony in the landscapes of great artists.
What is the edge of the forest - this is the place where the charm of massive thickets and the open expanse of meadows and fields gathered together. Here is its own special wildlife, whose representatives easily find shelter in a transparent undergrowth. The developed transitional strip serves as an excellent protection for the forest itself.