The area in which there are a variety of natural areas - Western Siberia. Harsh tundra, mountains, steppes and snowy deserts stretch for thousands of kilometers here. In the southern part of the region there are such mountain systems as Altai, Salair, Shoria, Alatau. Of great interest is the nature of this corner of the Earth.
Travelers and just tourists often like to stop in shallow forests and some parts of the steppe, enjoying the virgin and at the same time harsh nature with its endless snowy expanses and rare wild animals. Nevertheless, one of the main nuances that you need to know before the trip is a detailed description of the natural zones of Western Siberia. Without the proper skills and knowledge in these deserted places, trouble can be propagated.
The beauty of the tundra
This area is least developed by tourists due to its obstruction. In Western Siberia, there are a lot of plant zones, but first of all, the tundra is beautiful and unique. There is only one reason for this - here, nature has still remained in its original form. That is why there are many exotic birds and animals in the tundra.
The majority of the territory is covered with shrubs: blueberries, ginger, alder, prince, squid, marsh rosemary, lingonberry, etc. In rare cases, you can find plants with flowers, for example, buttercups, orange lights, purple mittens, poppies, cloudberries, white bells, valerian pink. From edible berries, lingonberries and blueberries can be distinguished, from mushrooms - mossbirds and butter.
The animal world of the tundra is rich in a wide variety of species: deer, wolves, weasels, arctic foxes, field voles, owls, partridges, swans, ducks, waders live here. A favorite pastime of locals is fishing for peled and perch.
Forest Tundra of Siberia
The main feature of the area is its geographical component. The fact is that this forest zone of Western Siberia is a narrow strip that stretches from the mouth of the Ob to the Urals along the coast of the Gulf of Ob. It covers such peninsulas as Gydansky and Yamal. It borders on woodlands, tundra and taiga.
This temperate region is characterized by severe swampiness and hilly peatlands. Trees are arranged in groups in the middle of a vast territory of green mosses. The most common stem plants are spruce and dwarf birch.
Most of the forest-tundra is occupied by shrubs of centarius and oyster, as well as peat bogs, bearberry, podbeli and lichens. In the lowlands, whole glades of colorful sphagnum mosses are observed.
The fauna of the area is represented by tundra animals and birds. These are arctic fox, deer, lemmming, weasel, fox, ermine, marten, wolf, elk, sable, hare, otter, lynx, partridge, goose, duck, sandpiper, swan, dowel, woodpecker, thrush, crane, capercaillie, etc.
Woodland nature
The northern region of Western Siberia stretches from the spurs of the Urals to the Yenisei. The woodlands include sections of the basins of such rivers as Pur, Kyzym, Taz and Nadym. The main reason for the stunting of trees is excess moisture and severe permafrost of the soil. That is why only mosses grow well here. Nevertheless, in the southern areas of light forest there are small groups of trees, but their height does not exceed 6 meters.
The main location of shrubs is the coast of lakes and swamps. The local natural areas of Western Siberia can be briefly described as frozen and flooded. Today it is the most dangerous region of Siberia for travelers, since a significant part of the territory is covered by quick swamps hidden under a thick layer of moss. Other plants include cloudberries, cranberries, blueberries and porcini mushrooms.
Such animals as sable, squirrel, brown bear, and elk live in the light forest zone. Of the birds, woodpecker, hazel grouse, capercaillie, sandpiper, duck and cedar are most often found.
Mountain forest belt
In the northern part, forest land prevails, which begin at an altitude of 400 meters. Such natural zones of Western Siberia are dangerous in that they border on the impenetrable taiga where wolves live. Therefore, tourists are strongly discouraged from going deep into the forest, especially to the east.
The highest point of the mountain forest is 2.4 kilometers and is located in the south of the belt. Larch, cedar, and spruce, and pine, and fir grow in the zone. Often you can find whole forest belts of aspen, birch and laurel poplar. However, coniferous trees prevail most of all, especially Siberian fir.
Multi-colored thickets of myricaria, sea-buckthorn, Kurai willow and shrubby cinquefoil are moderately distributed on the river banks. Closer to summer, mountain ash, currants, rose hips, meadowsweet, blueberries begin to bloom.
The animal world is represented by deer, roe deer, mountain goats, minks, squirrels, sables, bears, lynxes, wolverines, chipmunks, otters. A variety of birds is also observed. Woodpecker, capercaillie, jay, pine nut, and crossbill live here.
Aspen-Birch Forests
The region occupies a width of up to 100 kilometers, being one of the most significant in Western Siberia. The northern border merges with the taiga, and the southern border with the forest-steppe. Such natural zones of Western Siberia have always attracted increased attention of romantics and creative people due to the indescribable beauty and grandeur of the local lands. Warty birches predominate in the forest, and a little closer to the north for tens of kilometers thick and fluffy aspen trees extend.
This natural area is distinguished by its grassy diversity. During flowering, glades are full of violets, orchids, peas, cyanosis, meadowsweet and strawberries. In addition, the flora of the aspen-birch region is represented by a hemoptysis, tansy, corydalis, meadowsweet, and honey mushrooms. It is an ideal place for family vacations and creative inspiration.
Taiga nature
The region occupies a huge space that stretches for 1000 km from north to south and 2000 km from east to west. The taiga zone of Western Siberia is covered by impassable swamps by two-thirds. Most of the flora is represented by trees. It is worth noting that every year there is less and less forest land due to endless deforestation, especially in the southern region.
Permafrost is characteristic of the northern taiga zone. Shrubs and mosses grow mainly in this area. In general, forests are represented by species such as pine, larch, cedar, spruce, willow, fir, birch. Large accumulations of trees are noted in the valleys of dried rivers.
The fauna is represented by brown bears, chipmunks, wolverines, ermines, squirrels, sables, hazel grouses and pine nuts.
Steppe features
The territory extends up to the foothills of Altai and occupies more than 30 thousand square meters. km Many natural zones of Western Siberia are characterized by a harsh climate and scarce flora, while in the steppe region, on the contrary, many cereal crops grow - alfalfa, wormwood, cinquefoil, thyme, thyme, kokhiya, etc.
In the valleys of the Irtysh and Ob rivers, enormous flood meadows extend, on which sea buckthorn, viburnum, and bird cherry grow. In the middle part, tape burs and reeds prevail. Siberian steppe lands have long been developed in agriculture. A significant area of the zone is plowed and seeded with various cultures. In the forest land, sea buckthorn and snowdrop are grown, which grow well between tall poplars and birches.
The fauna here is poorer than in the rest of Siberia. Mostly rodents and large predators are found.
Forest-steppe zone
The area is about 250 thousand square meters. km The forest-steppe zone of Western Siberia is one third composed of aspen and birch, which grow in small groups in depressions. The rest of the land is occupied by shrubs such as dogrose, dwarf willow, currant, meadowsweet. In the center of the zone there are large accumulations of thick-bore oaks. From other flora, the presence of a large number of edible mushrooms and berries can be distinguished.
The fauna is represented by such inhabitants as a hare, roe deer, flying squirrel, squirrel, hedgehog, moose, badger, ermine, ferret, fox, muskrat, weasel, ground squirrel, wild boar, etc. Of the birds, ducks, geese, black grouses and swans are most often found.
Foothill steppes
In this zone, stone slopes and basins predominate. The soil is very fertile, so the local population often sows it with winter crops.
In the piedmont zone, meadows with thyme, trogloshka, cutter, sainfoin and even poisonous aconite are often found. In summer, glades are covered with pink, blue, white and purple fragrant flowers.
In the depressions, insignificant groups of birch and aspen are noted, between which mountain ash and bird cherry grow. Most of the fauna are small rodents.
Polar desert
The zone stretches along the Kara Sea to the Gydansky Peninsula. All other natural zones of Western Siberia are rich in various species, but the polar desert cannot boast of anything like this. Most of the territory is occupied by bare icy expanses, cracked by severe frost. Rare plants hide in the valleys and hollows, where they are somehow protected from the polar wind. Of the other flora, poppies can be noted, blue forget-me-not, yellow grains.
The animal world, due to permafrost, is limited to only a few species: these are deer, lemmings, arctic foxes, polar bears, owls, ducks, and gulls.