to better understand the environmental problems of the Russian Plain, you must consider in detail what natural resources has this geographical area than it is notable.
Features of the Russian Plain
The first answer to the question of where the Russian plain.East European Plain is located on the mainland Eurasia and the second largest in terms of area after the Amazon plains.The second title of the East European Plain - Russian.This is due to the fact that a considerable part of Russian state takes.It is in this area is concentrated most of the population and are the largest of the city.
length plain from north to south is nearly 2.5 thousand. Km, and from east to west - about 3 thousand. Km.Almost the entire territory of the Russian Plain has a flat terrain with a slight slope - not more than 5 degrees.This is due mainly to the fact that plain almost completely coincides with the East European platform.It does not feel the movement of the earth's crust, and as a result, no devastating natural phenomena (earthquakes).
The average height of the plain is about 200 meters above sea level.It reaches the maximum height on the Bugulma-Belebeevsky hill - 479 m. The Russian plain can be divided into three bands: the northern, central and southern.On its territory there are several hills: Central Russian plain, Smolensk-Moscow Upland - and lowlands: Woodland, Oka-Don Plain and others.
Minerals Russian plains
Russian plain is rich in resources.There are all kinds of minerals, ore, non-metallic, combustible.A special place is the extraction of iron ore, oil and gas.
1. Ore
Iron ore of Kursk magnetic anomaly.Deposits: Lebedinskoye, Mikhailovskoye, Stoilensk, Yakovlevskoye.Ore mined deposits of its high iron content - 41.5%.
2. Nonmetallic
- Bauxite.Deposits: Vislovskoe.The content of alumina in the rock reaches 70%.
- chalk, marl, fine-grained sand.Deposits: Volsk, Tashlinskoe, Dyatkovo and others.
- Lignite.Pools: Donetsk, near Moscow, Pechora.
- Diamonds.Deposits of the Arkhangelsk region.
3. Combustible
- Oil and Gas.Oil and gas regions: Timan-Pechora and Volga-Urals.
- oil shale.Deposits: Kashpirovskiy, Obschesyrtskoe.
Minerals Russian plains mined in different ways, which has a negative impact on the environment.There is a blockage of soil, water and atmosphere.
The impact of human activities on the nature of the East European Plain
Ecological Problems of the Russian Plain is largely due to human activities: development of mineral deposits, the construction of cities, roads, emissions of large enterprises, using their huge volumes of water reserves which have not time to be replenished,besides also contaminated.
Below we consider all the environmental problems of the Russian Plain.The table shows what problems there are, where they are located.Possible ways of struggle.
| problem | reasons | Localization | What threatens | Solutions |
| Soil pollution | Development KMA | Belgorod region. Kursk region. | Decreasing grain yields | Reclamation of land by the accumulation of black soil and overburden |
| Industrial construction | Area: Belgorod, Kursk, Orenburg, Volgograd, Astrakhan | proper disposal, reclamation of depleted land | ||
| Constructionrailways and highways | All areas | |||
| Mining chalk, phosphorite, rock salt, shale, bauxite | Region: Moscow, Tula, Astrakhan, Bryansk, Saratov, and others. | |||
| Pollution hydrosphere | Development KMA | Kursk region., Belgorod region. | Reducing the level of groundwater | Clean water, raising the groundwater level |
| pumping groundwater | Moscow region., Orenburg region.and others. | emergence of karst topography, surface deformation due to the subsidence of rocks, landslides, sinkholes | ||
| Air pollution | Development KMA | Kursk region., Belgorod region. | air pollution harmful emissions, the accumulation of heavy metals | increase in forest area, green spaces |
| Large industrial enterprises | Region: Moscow, Ivanovo, Orenburg, Astrakhan and others. | The accumulation of greenhouse gases | Installation of high-quality filterstubes companies | |
| Major cities | all major centers | Decline in transportation, increasing green areas, parks | ||
| Reduction of species diversity of flora and fauna | Hunting and population growth | All areas | decreases the number of animalsendangered species of plants and animals | Creating reserves and sanctuaries |
climate of the Russian Plain
climate of the East European Plain is temperate continental.Continentality increases as you move inland.The average temperature in the plains in the coldest month (January) is -8 degrees in the west and -12 degrees to the east.In the warmest month (July) the average temperature in the north-west of 18 degrees, in the south-east of 21 degrees.
greatest amount of precipitation falls in the warm season of the year - about 60-70% of the annual amount.Over the hills rainfall is greater than over the lowlands.Annual rainfall in the western part of 800 mm per year, on the east - 600 mm.
on Russian plain are several natural zones: steppe and semi-desert, forest, deciduous forest, mixed forest, taiga, tundra (when moving from south to north).
Forests plains consist principally of conifers - pine and spruce it.Earlier, the forest is actively cut down and used in the woodworking industry.Currently, forests are recreational, water regulation and water conservation value.
Flora and fauna of the East European Plain
Because of the small climatic differences on the territory of the Russian Plain is possible to observe a pronounced soil and vegetation zoning.Northern sod-podzolic soils to the south give way to more fertile black earth, which affects the character of the vegetation.
Flora and fauna have suffered greatly due to human activities.Gone many species of plants.From fauna suffered the greatest damage to fur animals, which have always been coveted object of hunting.Endangered mink, muskrat, raccoon dog, beaver.Forever exterminated large ungulates such as the tarpan, almost extinct bison and saiga.
to save individual species of animals and plants were created reserves: Oka, Galich'ya Mountain, Central Black Soil them.Vladimir Alekhine Forest on the Vorskla, and others.
rivers and seas of the East European Plain
Where is Russian plain, there are many rivers and lakes.The main rivers, plays a major role in human activities are the Volga, Oka and Don.
Volga - the largest river in Europe.It is the Volga-Kama gidropromyshlenny complex, which includes a dam and a hydroelectric dam.The length of the Volga is 3631 km.Many of its tributaries are used on the farm for irrigation.
Don also plays a significant role in industrial activities.Its length - 1870 km.Especially important are the Volga-Don canal and Tsimlyanskoe reservoir.
In addition to these major rivers flow in the plain: Hopper, Voronezh, Bityug, Northern Dvina Western Dvina, Onega, Kem and others.
Besides rivers belong to the Russian plains to the sea: the Baltic, Barents, White, Black, Caspian.
under the Baltic Sea gas pipeline passes "Nord Stream".This affects the ecological situation of the hydrological object.During the gas pipeline going contamination of water, many species have reduced their numbers.
In the Baltic, Barents, Caspian and White Seas made extraction of certain minerals, which in turn adversely affects the waters.Some of the industrial waste seeps into the sea.
in the Barents and Black seas made catching some fish on a commercial scale cod, herring, flounder, haddock, halibut, catfish, anchovies, perch, mackerel and others.
in the Caspian Sea made catching fish, mostly sturgeon.On the beach because of the favorable natural conditions there are many resorts and tourist centers.In the Black Sea shipping routes pass.Manufactured exports of oil products from Russian ports.
Groundwater Russian plains
addition of surface water, groundwater is used by man, because of the irrational use adversely affects soil - subsidence, etc. are formed. On the plain there are three Great Artesian Basin: Caspian, Srednerussky Russian and East.They serve as a source of water supply vast territory.
