The geographic envelope is not tripled in the same way everywhere; it has a "mosaic" structure and consists of separate natural complexes (landscapes). A natural complex is a part of the earth's surface with relatively homogeneous natural conditions: climate, topography, soils, waters, flora and fauna.
Each natural complex consists of components between which there are close, historically established relationships, while a change in one of the components sooner or later leads to a change in others.

The geographic envelope, being integral, is heterogeneous at different latitudes, on land and in the ocean. Due to the uneven supply of solar heat to the earth's surface, the geographic envelope is very diverse. Near the equator, for example, where there is a lot of heat and moisture, nature is distinguished by the richness of living organisms, faster natural processes, in the polar regions, on the contrary, slower processes and poverty of life.

At the same latitudes, nature can also be different. It depends on the terrain and distance from the ocean. Therefore, the geographic envelope can be divided into sections, territories, or natural-territorial complexes of different sizes (abbreviated as natural complexes, or PCs). The formation of any natural complex took a long time. On land, it was carried out under the influence of the interaction of the components of nature: rocks, climate, air masses, water, plants, animals, soils. All components in the natural complex, as well as in the geographical shell, are intertwined with each other and form an integral natural complex, it also exchanges substances and energy. A natural complex is a section of the earth's surface, which is distinguished by the features of natural components that are in complex interaction. Each natural complex has more or less clearly defined boundaries, has a natural unity, manifested in its external appearance (for example, a forest, a swamp, a mountain range, a lake, etc.).

Natural complexes experience a huge influence of man. Many of them have already been greatly changed by centuries of human activity. Man has created new natural complexes: fields, gardens, cities, parks, etc. Such natural complexes are called anthropogenic (from the Greek "anthropos" - man - approx..

Forest. Photo: Axel

On land, a huge variety of natural complexes has been identified. To be convinced of this, it is enough to travel along the meridian from one geographical pole to another. Here are presented such dissimilar natural complexes as polar deserts, steppes of temperate latitudes, tropical forests. It can be seen that in the direction from the poles to the equator in the change of natural complexes there is a pattern called latitudinal zonality, or latitudinal zonality.

The diversity of natural complexes within natural zones is associated primarily with the influence of relief. In the mountains, there is a regular change of natural complexes with height - their altitudinal zonality. Its main reason is the change in temperature and precipitation depending on the height, the altitudinal zonality of the climate. The higher the mountains and the closer they are to the equator, the larger and more diverse the set of altitudinal zones, the more complex the natural altitudinal zonality. However, the daily and annual rhythm of changes occurring in natural complexes due to the change of day and night and the change of seasons is the same in all altitudinal zones: it is the same as in the latitudinal zone at the foot of the mountains.

Each natural complex, regardless of its size, is a single whole. Therefore, when one of its components changes, all the others must change, and consequently, the whole complex. These changes may occur at different speeds, on different scales, but they are inevitable. Since the geographic shell is one, changes caused by one reason or another in one of its places, over time, affect the entire shell as a whole.

Lake. Photo: Nate Eagleson

Natural changes in the geographical envelope have always occurred. Without this it is impossible to imagine its development. But with the growth of the Earth's population and the development of society, the natural course of processes occurring in natural complexes is increasingly disturbed, becomes different and more often causes undesirable consequences. People cannot not change the geographical shell. Nature is the only source of their existence, and the more carefully, more carefully one should treat the use of its wealth and resources. Proper use of natural resources requires a good knowledge of the relationship and interdependence of all components of the natural complex, a deep understanding of their unity. Without appropriate knowledge, it is impossible to restore and improve natural conditions. 

They can cover both vast territories and completely small areas of the Earth. What are the natural complexes? What is the difference? What are they characterized by? Let's find out.

Geographic envelope

Telling what natural complexes are, it is impossible not to mention the geographical shell. This is a conditional concept that unites several spheres of the Earth at once, which intersect and interact with each other, forming a single system. In fact, it is the largest natural complex on the planet.

The boundaries of the geographic shell almost repeat the edges of the biosphere. It includes the hydrosphere, biosphere, anthroposphere, the upper part of the lithosphere (the earth's crust) and the lower layers of the atmosphere (the troposphere and stratosphere).

The shell is solid and continuous. Each of its components (terrestrial spheres) has its own patterns of development and features, but at the same time it is influenced by other spheres and influences them. They are constantly involved in the cycles of matter in nature, exchanging energy, water, oxygen, phosphorus, sulfur, etc.

Natural complex and its types

The geographical envelope is the largest, but not the only natural complex. There are a lot of them on the globe. What are natural complexes? These are certain areas of the planet that have homogeneous geological vegetation, wildlife, climatic conditions and the same nature of the waters.

Natural complexes are also called landscapes or geosystems. They differ in vertical and horizontal directions. Based on this, the complexes are divided into zonal and azonal. The main reason for their diversity is the heterogeneity of the geographic envelope.

First of all, differences in natural conditions provide an uneven distribution of solar heat on Earth. This is due to the elliptical shape of the planet, the uneven ratio of land and water, the location of the mountains (which trap air masses), etc.

complexes

The complexes represent a predominantly horizontal division of the planet. The largest of them are Their arrangement consistently and naturally. The emergence of these complexes is directly related to the climatic conditions of the area.

The nature of geographic zones varies from the equator to the poles. Each of them has its own temperature and weather conditions, as well as the nature of soils, groundwater and surface water. There are such belts:

• arctic;
• subarctic;
• Antarctic;
• subantarctic;
• north and south temperate;
• northern and southern subtropical;
• northern and southern subequatorial;
• equatorial.

The next largest zonal complexes are natural zones, which are divided according to the nature of moisture, that is, the amount and frequency of precipitation. They do not always have a purely latitudinal distribution. And they depend on the height of the terrain, as well as proximity to the ocean. Allocate the Arctic desert, steppe, tundra, taiga, savannah and other natural areas.

Azonal natural complexes

Azonal complexes are not associated with the latitudinal division of the planet. Their formation is associated primarily with the relief and formation of the earth's crust. The largest azonal natural complexes are oceans and continents, which differ significantly in geological history and structure.

Continents and oceans are divided into smaller complexes - natural countries. They consist of large mountain and plain formations. For example, the natural complexes of the Far East include the Central Kamchatka Plain, the Sikhote-Alin Mountains and the Khingan-Bureya Mountains, etc.

The natural countries of the planet include the Sahara Desert, the Ural Mountains, the East European Plain. They can be divided into narrower and more homogeneous sections. For example, gallery forests located along the outskirts of the steppes and savannahs, mangrove forests located along the coast of the seas and in estuaries. The smallest natural complexes include floodplains, hills, ridges, urems, swamps, etc.

Components of natural complexes

The main components of any geographical landscape are relief, water, soil, flora and fauna, climate. The interconnection of the components of the natural complex is very close. Each of them creates certain conditions for the existence of the others. Rivers affect the state and climate - the appearance of certain plants, and plants attract certain animals.

A change in even one component can lead to a complete change in the entire complex. The drying up of the river will lead to the disappearance of vegetation characteristic of the river area, to a change in the quality of the soil. This will certainly affect the animals that will leave the geosystem in search of their usual conditions.

Excessive reproduction of any kind of animal can lead to the extermination of the plants they eat. There are cases when huge swarms of locusts completely destroyed meadows or fields. Such a development of events does not go unnoticed by the natural complex and provokes changes in the soil, water, and then the climate regime.

Conclusion

So what are natural complexes? This is a natural-territorial system, the components of which are homogeneous in origin and composition. The complexes are divided into two main groups: azonal and zonal. Within each group there is a division from large to smaller areas.

The largest natural complex is the geographic shell, which includes part of the lithosphere and atmosphere, biosphere and hydrosphere of the Earth. The smallest complexes are individual hills, small forests, estuaries, swamps.

1. Using the text of the textbook, write down the components of the geographical shell in the left column of the notebook, the components of the natural complexes of the land in the middle column, and the components of the natural complexes of the ocean in the right column. What is common between the components of each natural complex?

When starting to perform a task, it is important to clearly understand what is the main difference between a natural complex and a natural component. A natural complex is a complex formation that necessarily includes several natural components. From text 13 you learned about the properties and structure of the largest natural complex of the Earth - the geographic envelope. The geographic envelope includes natural complexes of land and ocean, which differ in the quality of the components that form them.

Having written out the natural components and comparing them with each other, we can conclude that the natural components of the land and the ocean are similar in composition and differ in quality. For example, the rocks and minerals of the land are different from the rocks and minerals that make up the ocean floor, the upper part of the oceanic crust. The waters of the land and the waters of the World Ocean, flora and fauna differ significantly. On land, unlike the ocean, a special natural component is formed - soil, which has such an important property for life on Earth as fertility. Soil can be formed only through the interaction of the main natural components of the geographic envelope that make up the natural complex of land.

2. What is a natural complex?

The definition of the concept of a natural complex can be found in the textbook (14).

3. How do natural complexes differ?

You can answer this question yourself by studying the text in the textbook (14).

14. Natural complexes of land and ocean

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• using the text of the textbook, write down the components of the geographic shell in the left column of the notebook

Studying the content of the paragraph provides an opportunity to:

Ø deepen understanding of the essence of the concept of "components of nature" and the relationship between them;

Ø to study the structure, the main properties of the PTC and the landscape

natural component- this is an integral material part of nature, representing one of the spheres of the geographic shell of the Earth (lithosphere, hydrosphere, atmosphere, etc.). Natural components on the surface of the Earth are represented rocks, air, surface and groundwater, soil, vegetation and wildlife. Climate (long-term weather regime) and relief are not components of nature, since they are not material bodies, but reflect the properties of air masses and the earth's surface.

There are three groups of natural components: lithogenic, hydroclimatogenic and biogenic (Fig.).

All components of nature are in close relationship and a change in one leads to a change in others.

The closest interaction of the components is typical for the near-surface (soil) and the nearest above-surface layer of the Earth, since it is here that all spheres of the geographic shell of the Earth (lithosphere, hydrosphere, atmosphere, etc.) come into contact. For example, the relief influences the climatic features of the territory. Climate and topography influence the formation of waters, soils, flora and fauna. In turn, the flora and fauna are united by a system of interaction with each other and influence other components of nature. The relationship between the components of nature must be taken into account when organizing economic activity. For example, drainage leads to a decrease in the groundwater of the territory, and this affects the soil, flora and fauna, etc.

Natural components, closely interacting with each other in a certain area, form complexes, which are called natural-territorial complexes. Under natural-territorial complex(PTK) is understood as a relatively homogeneous area of ​​the earth's surface, which is distinguished by a peculiar combination of natural components. According to the size of the territory, there are three levels of PTK: planetary, regional and local

The largest - the planetary or global level of the PTC - is represented on the planet by a geographical envelope.

PTK at the regional level: continents, natural areas, physical-geographical countries, are structural parts of the geographical envelope. NTCs of the local level are represented by landscapes (facies, tracts).

The boundaries of the NTC, as a rule, are not clearly identified, and the transition from one complex to another is gradual. On the maps, the boundaries of natural complexes are drawn with lines, which are a conventional sign. Each natural complex has its own structure. Structure of the PTC- this is a combination of the components of the nature of the forming PTC.

PTC properties. The main property of PTK of different ranks should be considered its integrity. Integrity means a close relationship between the components of the PTC.

Another important property of the natural complex is stability, which lies in the ability of the PTC to return to its original state when exposed to external forces (deforestation, land reclamation, etc.).

The sustainability of natural complexes is of great importance in connection with the increasing human impact on nature. Crisis phenomena in nature occur when the stability and ability of the PTC to self-heal is disturbed. Sustainability is provided by a variety of relationships between the components of the natural complex. The more complex the PTC, the more stable it is, i.e. has more opportunities for self-healing and counteracting human economic activity.

PTCs are constantly evolving, i.e. have the property of variability. This can be seen on the example of local complexes, when the processes of overgrowing of lakes, the emergence of ravines, the swamping of forests, etc., take place. It is believed that under natural conditions, the evolution of natural complexes occurs in the direction of increasing their stability. In this regard, the main problem with anthropogenic impact on nature is not to reduce the natural stability of natural-territorial complexes.

The concept of landscape. landscape structure . With the development of geography, the idea of ​​PTK changed. On the basis of the doctrine of natural-territorial complexes, a new direction was formed - landscape science, the object of study of which is the landscape (from German land - land, schaft - a suffix expressing the relationship).

The landscape is a homogeneous natural formation within the natural zone and reflects its main features. The landscape can be taken as the basic unit for physical-geographical zoning. To form ideas about the territory, it is enough to study it within the landscape. Each landscape is part of larger territorial geographical units.

Landscape is a relatively homogeneous area of ​​the geographic envelope, characterized by a regular combination of its components and the nature of the relationships between them.

The landscape includes not only natural components, but also small NTCs - facies and tracts that make up its morphological structure.

The simplest (elementary) complex is the facies, which is characterized by the greatest homogeneity of natural components. An example can be a section of a small river valley, a hollow, a small depression, etc., which have homogeneous geological deposits and soils, the same microclimate, water regime and composition of the biocenosis.

Facies are combined into tracts. A tract is a system of facies confined to a separate large landform or watershed on a homogeneous substrate and the general direction of physical and geographical processes. Examples of tracts can serve as PTK within the ravine, hill. A larger unit of the landscape is the area, which is a combination of tracts that regularly repeat within the landscape. The allocation of areas is primarily due to the peculiarities of the geological structure and relief.

anthropogenic landscapes. As a result of the transforming activity of man, in place of natural landscapes, transformed - anthropogenic ones arise.

In landscape science, depending on the degree of anthropogenic impact, there are primary natural landscapes, which are formed by the action of only natural factors; natural-anthropogenic landscapes, which are formed by the action of both natural and anthropogenic factors, and anthropogenic landscapes, the existence of which is supported only by the activities of people. The degree of their change depends on the intensity of economic use. The greatest changes occur during the industrial, transport and agricultural use of landscapes.

Under anthropogenic landscape refers to a geographical landscape that has been transformed by human activity and differs in structure and properties from natural landscapes. Since human activity that causes the formation of anthropogenic landscapes can be purposeful and non-purposeful (unintentional), different anthropogenic landscapes are formed. There are slightly changed, changed and strongly changed landscapes.

A purposeful impact on landscapes leads to their transformation and the formation of landscapes with specified parameters and functions. Agricultural, industrial, recreational, urbanized and others are formed, which are sometimes called cultivated, or cultural. Under cultural landscape is understood as a territory in which, as a result of human activity, the landscape has acquired new properties compared to its previous state (Fig...).

Landscapes, over time, are characterized by changes in qualitative and quantitative parameters. Such transformations are called landscape development. The factors causing landscape development processes are divided into internal and external. As a result of development, some landscapes can be transformed and disappear, while others, on the contrary, can be formed. The task of rational nature management is to prevent undesirable destruction (degradation) of landscapes, i.e. manage landscape development.

Questions and tasks

1. What is PTK and what natural components stand out in them?

2. What does the concept of "Sustainability of PTK" mean and what factors ensure it?

3. As a result of what kind of economic activity can the interrelations of the PTC be destroyed?.. Give examples.

The geographic envelope is not tripled in the same way everywhere, it has a "mosaic" structure and consists of separate natural complexes (landscapes). Natural complex - it is a part of the earth's surface with relatively homogeneous natural conditions: climate, topography, soils, waters, flora and fauna.

Each natural complex consists of components between which there are close, historically established relationships, while a change in one of the components sooner or later leads to a change in others.

The largest, planetary natural complex is the geographic shell; it is subdivided into natural complexes of a smaller rank. The division of the geographic shell into natural complexes is due to two reasons: on the one hand, differences in the structure of the earth's crust and the heterogeneity of the earth's surface, and on the other hand, the unequal amount of solar heat received by its various parts. In accordance with this, zonal and azonal natural complexes are distinguished.

The largest azonal natural complexes are continents and oceans. Smaller - mountainous and flat areas within the continents (West Siberian Plain, Caucasus, Andes, Amazonian lowland). The latter are subdivided into even smaller natural complexes (Northern, Central, Southern Andes). Natural complexes of the lowest rank include individual hills, river valleys, their slopes, etc.

The largest of the zonal natural complexes - geographic zones. They coincide with climatic zones and have the same names (equatorial, tropical, etc.). In turn, geographical zones consist of natural zones, which are distinguished by the ratio of heat and moisture.

natural area called a large land area with similar natural components - soils, vegetation, wildlife, which are formed depending on the combination of heat and moisture.

The main component of the natural zone is the climate, because all other components depend on it. Vegetation has a great influence on the formation of soils and wildlife and is itself dependent on soils. Natural zones are named according to the nature of the vegetation, since it most obviously reflects other features of nature.

The climate naturally changes as you move from the equator to the poles. Soil, vegetation and wildlife are determined by climate. This means that these components should change latitudinally, following climate change. The regular change of natural zones when moving from the equator to the poles is called latitudinal zoning. Moist equatorial forests are located near the equator, and icy Arctic deserts are located near the poles. Between them are other types of forests, savannas, deserts, tundra. Forest zones, as a rule, are located in areas where the ratio of heat and moisture is balanced (equatorial and most of the temperate zone, the eastern coasts of the continents in the tropical and subtropical zone). Treeless zones are formed where there is a lack of heat (tundra) or moisture (steppes, deserts). These are the continental regions of the tropical and temperate zones, as well as the subarctic climatic zone.

The climate changes not only latitudinally, but also due to changes in altitude. As you climb up the mountains, the temperature drops. Up to a height of 2000-3000 m, the amount of precipitation increases. A change in the ratio of heat and moisture causes a change in the soil and vegetation cover. Thus, unequal natural zones are located in the mountains at different heights. This pattern is called altitudinal zonation.

The change of altitudinal belts in the mountains occurs approximately in the same sequence as on the plains, when moving from the equator to the poles. At the foot of the mountains there is a natural zone in which they are located. The number of altitudinal belts is determined by the height of the mountains and their geographical position. The higher the mountains, and the closer they are to the equator, the more diverse the set of altitudinal zones. The most complete vertical zonality is expressed in the Northern Andes. Moist equatorial forests grow in the foothills, then there is a belt of mountain forests, and even higher - thickets of bamboos and tree-like ferns. With an increase in altitude and a decrease in average annual temperatures, coniferous forests appear, which are replaced by mountain meadows, often turning, in turn, into stony placers covered with moss and lichens. The tops of the mountains are crowned with snow and glaciers.

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