The continental desert climate is found between the Urals and the Caspian Sea. Summers are hot and winters very cold. The total annual rain fall is extremely small.

Vegetation and wildlife

Variations in climate give Europe a variety in vegetation too. Five major natural vegetation belts are found in Europe. This are-

  1. the Tundra
  2. the Taiga
  3. mixed forests
  4. the steppes and
  5. the Mediterranean Region

The natural vegetation in each of these regions is determined mainly by the climate. Rainfall and temperatures are by far the most important factors affecting natural vegetation.

The Tundra

The tundra belt is a cold, treeless region lying mostly in the Arctic Circle. Because of the low temperatures in this region, the soil is frozen for about six months of the year. Only mosses, lichens and stunted conifers grow here. In the Scandinavian Highlands, summer is a season of beautiful wild flowers.

The reindeer and fur-bearing animals like the Artic hare, polar bear and wolves are found here. The lemming, a rodent found in these areas, has the curious habit of rushing into the sea to its destruction in vast numbers in years of extraordinary increase in its numbers. In this way nature maintains a balance.

The Taiga

A belt of taiga stretches across northern Europe too the south of tundra region. It is a region of coniferous forests, softwood trees, such as spruce, pine, fir and larch are found in these forests. As elsewhere in the world, fur –bearing animals are found in the European taiga, too, and include the ermine, lynx, sable and the tree squirrel. Much of northern Russia, Finland and Sweden are covered with these forests.

Mixed forests

South of the taiga belt and extending over most of the central plains and southern mountain is the reason of mixed forests. These forests are found in regions of relatively higher temperatures and ample rainfall. In these forests, the broad leaved deciduous trees out number the coniferous. In Europe, the common deciduous trees are oak, ash, elm, beech and lime. However, deciduous forests have largely been cleared for agriculture and now they remain only in the hills and other areas not suitable for agriculture.

The steppes and desert steppes

North of the Black Sea in Ukraine and Romania are found the temperate grasslands, known as the steppes. Scanty rainfall here does not allow trees to grow. The grasslands yield place to desert steppes further east in the Caspian region. Very little rain falls here. The region has been, for the most part, plough up to grow large quantities of wheat and other cereals.

The Mediterranean region

The Mediterranean vegetation is confined to southern Europe along the Mediterranean Sea. In these regions, trees with thick bark and leaves, and long roots grow. The trees are generally not tall. Their leaves are often thick and only. Many of the plants which grow in the region are thorny; others have thick and pulpy barks. The common trees are olive, Holm oak, cork oak, cork oak and pine. A variety of bushes including lavender, myrtle, oleander and laurel, myrtle, oleander and laurel also grow in these areas. This region is well-known for growing a variety of fruits such as olive, figs, grapes and oranges.

In the forests and in the mountains, wildlife consisting of foxes, hares, some kinds of mountain deer, sheep and goats and variety of birds is found. Europe, like Australia, is free of the great cats-tigers, leopards, lions, etc.


Like it on Facebook, Tweet it or share this article on other bookmarking websites.

No comments