Soils of North America: main types, their description and classification

North America, like Eurasia, includes four of the world's six soil-bioclimatic zones. Of these, the arctic and boreal cover the northern, widest part of the continent. A large number of natural zones and affects the diversity of soils in North America. Soils differ in structure and fertility, which allows them to be used for different purposes.

Description

This continent covers almost all major soil zones. In comparison with other continents, the smallest areas are occupied by deserts. There are also very few winnowed sands. In the north of the mainland in the Canadian zone, large areas are allocated to podzolic soils, podzols and marsh soils.In the south of this country, the main part is meadow chernozems and gray forest soils.

The most fertile soils are in the USA. These include chernozems, chestnut soils, brunizems. Red soils, developed in the east of the mainland, and brown soils, which are located in the inner subtropical regions, are considered high-quality soils. In the mountain belts of the continent, mountain brown and mountain brown forest soils are considered the best soils.

Climate

This continent has several types of climate, which differ depending on natural areas:

Arctic deserts - characterized by an arctic climate. Negative temperatures or values close to zero prevail here.
Tundra - subarctic and partially arctic climate prevails here.
Taiga - it is characterized by a temperate climate with high humidity.
Mixed and broad-leaved forests - characterized by a temperate climate that turns into a subtropical one.
Tropical evergreen forests - characterized by a subtropical climate.
Forest-steppe - subtropical climate prevails here.
Deserts and semi-deserts - characterized by a temperate arid climate.
Savannahs and evergreen forests - there is a clear change of dry and wet seasons.

Soil classification

North America is characterized by different types of soil - it all depends on the natural area:

Arctic deserts - characterized mainly by arctic desert soils with permafrost. In such conditions, only a small number of plants can grow.
Tundra - peaty and tundra-gley types of soil prevail here. In some places, rich vegetation is found and mining is underway.
Taiga - podzolic soils predominate in this region, in which trees grow well.
Mixed and broad-leaved forests - mainly brown and gray forest soils. The zone is characterized by a variety of flora and fauna.
Steppe and forest-steppe - chernozems and chestnut soils prevail here.
Variable wet forests - this zone is considered very fertile, although it is characterized by high dryness. At the same time, red and yellow soils prevail in it.
Rigid-leaved forests - characterized by a large amount of red-colored and chestnut soils.
Deserts and semi-deserts are unfavorable for life. Serozems and gray-brown soils predominate here.

Animals and plants

The main part of the continent is located in cold climatic zones, which affects the characteristics of the flora. In the north there are vast areas without plants at all. To the south are localized tundra. Only mosses and lichens grow in the northern regions, while grasses, sedges, and dwarf trees grow in the southern regions.

There are quite a lot of tree species in the taiga. Sequoia and Douglas are considered characteristic of the continent. To the south are deciduous forests. Various types of birches, oaks, ash trees grow here.

Forest-steppes are characterized by the presence of western plane trees, black walnuts, chestnuts. The south of the continent has a warm climate. This zone contains evergreen forests. Among the mountain plants, it is worth highlighting the sequoia and the Montezuma pine.

The fauna of the mainland is diverse. In the north, reindeer and polar bears are found. Martens, minks, weasels live in the taiga. There are also wolverines here. Wolves and foxes live in vast forest areas. American bison live in the forest-steppes. There are many types of rattlesnakes in southern North America.

Alligators and alligator turtles are found in humid tropical climates. You can also see giant bullfrogs here. Of the birds, the red-tailed buzzard lives here. On the warm coast of Florida, you can meet pink spoonbills, similar to herons.

North America is characterized by a variety of climatic zones. That is why the soils of the continent differ in structure, composition and fertility. This allows them to be used for growing various plants.