NATURAL LANDSCAPES AROUND THE WORLD

Natural landscapes around the world 

There are different natural landscapes on the Earth's surface. Depending on the latitude, the natural landscapes may be in a hot, temperate or cold climate zone.

In the Northern Hemisphere, there are mainly temperate and cold climate landscapes (e.g. coniferous forests and tundra).

In the Southern Hemisphere, there are mainly hot climate landscapes: equatorial and tropical rainforests, savannahs and hot desserts. There are also temperate climate landscapes (Mediterranean forests and scrubland, humid sub-tropical forests) and cold climate landscapes.

There are many grasslands and steppes in both hemispheres.

·         Natural landscapes in hot climates: typical landscapes are equatorial and tropical rainforests, savannahs and hot deserts.

-          Equatorial rainforest

§  These are dense, leafy forests of trees with big, evergreen leaves that need a lot of water. They are common in areas near the Equator with constant high temperatures and regular abundant rainfall; the soil is poor in organic material.

§  The vegetation in very varied and in the layers or strata, where the different species compete for sunlight. The tallest trees receive a lot of sunlight and endure very high temperatures; mid-height trees have big , wide leaves that block the light; moss, orchids and vines grow around them. At the lowest level, there are ferns and mimosas.

§  Fauna: apes, sloths, insects, reptiles (alligators and snakes), mammals (like jaguars) and amphibians of different sizes.

-          Tropical rainforest

§  These are located to the north and south of the Equator, but further away than the equatorial rainforest.

§  There is less variety of vegetation than in the equatorial rainforest. The trees are not so tall or so close together. There are species of tropical trees and plants (ferns, laurels) mixed with others from temperate zones, such as oaks.

§  In the zones near the tropics where there are monsoons and a dry season, there are monsoon forests with deciduous trees like teak. This is a type of tropical rainforest.

§  The fauna includes monkeys, anteaters, lizards and pumas.

-          Savannah

§  This natural landscape is found in humid tropical climates.

§  The vegetation consists of tall, thick grasses up to 4m high during the rainy season; when there is no rain they dry up. There are some scattered trees, such as baobabs or acacias.

§  Animals include giraffes, zebras, lions and cheetahs.

-          Hot desert

§  The savannah is replaced by the steppe in areas where the dry season is longer (dry tropical climate).

§  When the climate is hotter, we find hot desert landscapes with a hot desert climate.

§  Vegetation is very sparse: grasses, small prickly bushes and plants such as the cactus. In oases, there is enough water for palms and fruit trees to grow.

§  Animals: snakes, lizards, beetles, scorpions, doves, falcons, camels, dromedaries, dromedaries.

·         Natural landscapes in temperate climates: from the lowest to highest latitudes, the typical landscapes are Mediterranean forest and scrubland, humid sub-tropical forest, deciduous forest and coniferous forests.

The natural landscapes in temperate climates are Mediterranean forest and scrubland, humid sub-tropical forests, deciduous forests, coniferous forests, and grasslands and steppe. They are found especially in Europe and America, but also in Asia, Oceania and Africa.

-          Mediterranean forest and scrubland

§  These are typical in areas with a Mediterranean climate.

§  The tree are not very tall, e.g. holm oaks and cork oaks. There are also large areas of scrubland, with plants like thyme and rosemary. In some areas, there are lots of pine trees.

-          Humid sub-tropical forest

§  This landscape is found in humid sub-tropical climates.

§  The vegetation includes typical species from both tropical and temperate latitudes (e.g. bamboo, oak, pine).

§  Fauna includes different animals (e.g. deer, foxes) and birds (e.g. larks).

-          Deciduous forest

§  These are found in areas with a maritime climate.

§  The trees (e.g. oaks and beeches) have deciduous leaves. If the forest deteriorates, the trees are replaced by bushes and low grasses.

-          Coniferous forest (Taiga)

§  These are typical in continental climate zones.

§  The main trees are conifers. Conifers can survive very cold winter temperatures thanks to the shape of their leaves (like needles) and their crowns, which are similar to a cone and allow snow to fall off. In areas where the summer temperatures are hotter and there is not much rain, we find steppes and grasslands.

§  The fauna includes bears, deer, lynxes, foxes, wolves.

·         Natural landscapes in cold climates: between 60 and 90 latitudes north and south. Typical landscapes are alpine, tundra and perpetual ice.

They consist of tundra, perpetual ice and alpine landscapes.

-          The tundra is a plain made up of lichens, moss, shrubs and bushes. The bushes have short branches and small leaves. Some bushes are in the shape of a ball. Where the soil is not permanently frozen (permafrost), it is very poor. Among the animals that live on the tundra are arctic hares, arctic foxes, lemmings, moose and reindeer. There are also many insects, especially mosquitoes.

-          Perpetual ice is found in the polar areas and allows no vegetation to grow. The ground is frozen throughout the whole year. There are animals like penguins, walruses, seals and polar bears.

-          In alpine landscapes, the vegetation is in tiers. The higher up you go, the poorer the vegetation; forests are replaced by bushes, grassland and, in the highest regions, moss. Above a certain altitude, the vegetation disappears. The highest peaks are covered with snow or ice throughout the year. The fauna includes mountain goats, chamois and a variety of birds.