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Russian Flora & Fauna
Russia has several
soil and vegetation zones, each with its characteristic flora
and fauna. Northernmost is the so-called arctic desert zone,
which includes most of the islands of the Arctic Ocean and the
seacoast of the Taymyr Peninsula. These areas are characterized
by the almost complete absence of plant cover; only mosses and
lichens are to be found. Birds and mammals associated with the
sea (sea calf, seal, and walrus) are typical of this zone.
The tundra, which
extends along the extreme northern part of Asia, is divided into
arctic, moss-lichen, and shrubby tundra subzones. Only dwarf
birches, willows, lichens, and mosses grow in the thin layer of
acidic soil. Indigenous fauna include the arctic fox, reindeer,
white hare, lemming, and common and willow ptarmigan.
South of the tundra
is the vast forest zone, or taiga, covering half of the country;
the soil here is podzolic. The northern areas of this zone are
characterized by the alternation of tundra landscape with sparse
growth of birches, other deciduous trees, and spruce. Farther
south are spruce, pine, fir, cedar, and some deciduous trees.
There are subzones of mixed and broadleaf forests on the Great
Russian Plain in the southern half of the forest zone. Wildlife
in the taiga include moose, Russian bear, reindeer, lynx, sable,
squirrel, and among the birds, capercaillie, hazel-grouse, owl,
and woodpecker. In the broadleaf woods are European wild boar,
deer, roe deer, red deer, mink, and marten.
Farther south is the
forest-steppe zone, a narrow band with the boundaries of the
Great Russian plain and the West Siberian low country. Steppes
with various grasses alternate with small tracts of oak, birch,
and aspen. Still farther south, the forest-steppe changes to a
region of varied grasses and small plants. The black and
chestnut soils of this zone produce the best agricultural land
in Russia. Typical mammals are various rodents (hamsters and
jerboas); birds include skylarks, cranes, eagles, and the great
bustard.
In the semi-desert
zone, plant cover includes xerophytic grasses and shrubs.
Typical animals are the wildcat and saiga antelope; lizards,
snakes, and tortoises are common. The semi-desert areas and the
deserts of Central Asia and Kazakhstan make up a separate
subregion.
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