Physical geographical characteristics of the East European Plain. East European Plain: climate, natural areas, geographical location

Russian, or East European, plain - the second

largest after the Amazonian plain of the Earth. Most of

this plain is located within Russia. long

the length of the plain from north to south is more than 2500 km, from west to east

current - about 1000 km. The expanses of the Russian Plain are

Karelian and Pechora taiga, and Central Russian oak forests, and neo

visible tundra pastures, forest-steppes and steppes. What

signs unite the plain? First of all relief - polo

go-wavy over vast spaces. Plain rel

efa of such a huge land area of the Earth is due to

stable platform foundation at its base,

occurrence of thick sedimentary strata and long

the impact of the processes of erosion and redeposition of soils,

that is, external alignment processes.

The Russian Plain is not only a land rich in resources,

this is the land on which the main events took place for more than

thousand-year history of former Russia and today's Russia.

As some scholars suggest, the name Rus appeared

elk in the first centuries of our era and was originally

only to a small area south of Kyiv, where in the Dnieper

its right tributary Ros flows into it. The name Ros (Rus) is related to

rushed to the Slavic tribe itself, and to that territory,

which it occupied.

Relief. At the base of the East European Plain

the ancient Precambrian Russian platform lives, which obus

catches the main feature of the relief - flatness. Warehouse

the foundation rests at various depths and comes out

to the surface within the plain only on the Kola floor

island and in Karelia (Baltic Shield). For the rest of her

territory, the foundation is covered with a sedimentary cover of various

power. South and east of the shield distinguish it "under

terrestrial "slopes and the Moscow depression (more than 4 km deep),

bounded in the east by the Timan Ridge.

Irregularities of the crystalline foundation determine the time

displacement of the largest uplands and lowlands.

The Central Russian

Shennost and Timan Ridge. Downgrades correspond

lowlands - Caspian and Pechora.

Diverse and picturesque relief Russian plains

was under the influence of external forces, and above all, even

vertical glaciation. Over the Russian Plain, glaciers overhang

fled from the Scandinavian Peninsula and from the Urals. Traces of ice

nicknamed Activities manifested themselves everywhere in different ways. at first

the glacier "plowed out" on its way 11-shaped valleys and races

shiryal tectonic depressions; polished the rocks, forming a re

relief of "ram's foreheads". Narrow, winding, long and deep

lateral bays jutting far into the land on the Kola Peninsula

the ditch is the result of the "ploughing" activity of the ice.

At the edge of the glacier, along with rubble and boulders, deposits

clays, loams and sandy loams fell. Therefore, in the northwest

the plains are dominated by hilly-morainic relief, as if

superimposed on the protrusions and depressions of the ancient relief; So,

for example, the Valdai Upland, reaching a height

340 m, has at its base rocks of coal

rioda, on which the glacier deposited moraine material.

During the retreat of the glacier, fires formed in these areas.

rum lakes: Ilmen, Chudskoe, Pskovskoe.

Along the southern border of glaciation, glacial melt waters

deposited a mass of sandy material. Here arose flat

kie or slightly concave sandy lowlands.

Erosion relief prevails in the southern part of the plain.

Particularly strongly dissected by ravines and gullies

localities: Valdai, Central Russian, Volga.

Minerals. Long geological history

ria of the ancient platform lying at the base of the plain, pre

extended the wealth of the plain with various useful resources

dug. In the crystalline basement and sedimentary

platform cover contains such mineral reserves

received, which are important not only for our country,

but also global importance. First of all, these are rich deposits

iron ore of the Kursk Magnetic Anomaly (KMA).

Deposits are associated with the sedimentary cover of the platform

stone (Vorkuta) and brown coal - Podmoskovny Basin

and oil - Ural-Vyatka, Timan-Pechora and Caspian

pools.

Oil shale is mined in the Leningrad region and

near the city of Samara on the Volga. In sedimentary rocks are known

and ore minerals: brown iron ore near Lipets

ka, aluminum ores (bauxites) near Tikhvin.

Construction materials: sand, gravel, clay, lime

nyak - distributed almost everywhere.

With outcrops of crystalline Precambrian rocks Bal

tisky shield on the Kola Peninsula and in Karelia

ny deposits of apatite-nepheline ores and beautiful

ny building granites.

In the Volga region, deposits of culinary

salt (Lakes Elton and Baskunchak) and potash salts in the Kama

Cis-Urals.

Relatively recently in the Arkhangelsk region discovered

wife diamonds. In the Volga and Moscow region, valuable

raw materials for the chemical industry - phosphorites.

Climate. Although, with the exception of the extreme

north, the entire territory of the Russian Plain is located in the mind

local climatic zone, the climate here is diverse.

The continentality of the climate increases towards the southeast.

The Russian plain is under the influence of the western

nose of air masses and cyclones coming from the Atlantic,

and gets the most compared to other plains

Russian rainfall. Abundance of precipitation in the northwest

the plains contribute to the widespread distribution of bo

lot, full flow of rivers and lakes.

The absence of any obstacles in the way of the Arctic

air masses leads to the fact that they penetrate far

South. In spring and autumn, with the advent of the Arctic air,

a sharp drop in temperature and frost. As well as

polar masses enter the plains as arctic masses

sy from the northeast and tropical masses from the south (with the latest

droughts and dry winds are associated in the southern and central

districts).

Water resources. A lot of water flows across the Russian Plain

stvo rivers and rivulets. The most abundant and longest river Rus

the plains and all of Europe - the Volga. Large rivers jav

also the Dnieper, Don, Northern Dvina, Pechora, Kama -

the largest tributary of the Volga. On the banks of these rivers settled

our distant ancestors, creating fortresses that later became poison

frames of ancient Russian cities. Looks into the waters of the Great River

ancient Pskov, on the shores of the epic Ilmen Lake, where

According to legend, the gusler Sadko visited the sea kingdom, it is worth Nov

city (earlier it was called "Lord Veliky Novgorod"),

Moscow, the capital of Russia, arose on the Moskva River.

Water resources are best provided in the north

western and central regions of the Russian Plain. abundance

lakes, high-water rivers - these are not only fresh water reserves and

hydropower, but also cheap transport routes, and fish

industries, and recreational areas. Dense river network of the plain, races

the position of watersheds on low flat elevated

areas are favorable for the construction of canals, of which there are so many

on the Russian plain. Thanks to the system of modern kan

fishing - Volga-Baltic, White Sea-Baltic and Vol

Go-Donskoy, as well as the Moscow-Volga Canal Moscow, located

on the relatively small river Moscow and compare

far from the seas, has become a port of the five seas.

Of great value are agro-climatic

resources of the plain. Most of the Russian Plain receives

sufficient amount of heat and moisture for the cultivation of many

dry agricultural crops. In the north of the forest zone

they grow fiber flax, a crop that requires cool

cloudy and humid summer, rye and oats. All medium

the strip of the plain and the south have fertile soils:

new podzolic chernozems, gray forest and kas

tanovym. Soil plowing is facilitated by calm conditions

flat relief, which makes it possible to cut fields in the form

large arrays easily accessible for machine processing

ki. In the middle lane, mainly cereals and

fodder crops, to the south - cereals and technical (sugar

beets, including sunflower), horticulture is developed and

melon growing. The famous Astrakhan watermelons know and

the inhabitants of the entire Russian plain are beaten.

The most characteristic feature of the nature of the Russian Plain is

well-defined zonality of its landscapes. to the edge

in the North, in the cold, heavily waterlogged in summer

shores of the Arctic Ocean, there is a tundra zone with

its thin and nutrient-poor tun-

wood-gley or humus-peaty soils, with state

under moss-lichen and dwarf shrub plants

communities. To the south, near the Arctic Circle, first in

river valleys, and then along the interfluves appear le

sotundra.

The middle zone of the Russian Plain is dominated by forest

landscapes. In the north it is a dark coniferous taiga for podzolic

tykh, often marshy soils, in the south - mixed, and beyond

themes and broad-leaved forests of oak, linden and maple.

Even further south they are replaced by forest-steppes and steppes with fertile

mi, mainly chernozem soils and grassy grow

consistency.

In the extreme southeast, in the Caspian lowland,

under the influence of a dry climate, semi-deserts were formed with

chestnut soils and even deserts with serozems, saline

kami and salt licks. The vegetation of these places is pronounced

nye features of aridity.

Diverse, but not yet very well mastered recreational

ion resources of the plain. Its picturesque landscapes

good resting places. Rivers and lakes of Karelia, its white nights,

Kizhi Museum of Wooden Architecture; powerful Solovetsky mo

bump; thoughtful Valaam attract tourists. Ladoga and

Lake Onega, Valdai and Seliger, the legendary Ilmen,

Volga with Zhiguli and Astrakhan Delta, Old Russian

cities included in the "Golden Ring of Russia" - that's far from

a complete list of areas developed for tourism and recreation

Russian plain.

Problems of rational use of natural resources

resources. The Russian Plain is distinguished by its diverse nature

natural resources, favorable conditions for the life of

dey, so here is the highest population density in Russia

nia, the largest number of large cities with a highly developed

industry, developed agriculture.

Currently, more and more active work is being done on recultivation.

tivation of lands, that is, upon the return to the territories of their use

walking shape, bringing the devastated landscape into

productive state. Depressions at the site of former development

peat current, quarries remaining after excavation of sand, build

solid stone, coal and iron ore mining from the surface

are to be cultivated. They artificially bring

soils, their turfing and even afforestation is carried out. Thor

fyanye recesses are turned into ponds in which fish are bred.

Positive experience of land reclamation has been accumulated in Mos

kovskaya, Tula and Kursk regions. in the Tula region

heaps and dumps are successfully planted with forest.

Pain is held near the major cities of the Russian Plain

our work to improve the cultural landscape. Create

green belts and forest parks, suburban water basins

we are picturesque reservoirs that are used as

recreation areas.

In large industrial cities, attention is paid to

measures to purify water and air from industrial

emissions, dust control, noise control. Reinforced and toughened eco-friendly

logical control of vehicles, including

le and for private cars, which is becoming a pain

she and more.

Hazardous natural phenomena: tornadoes, droughts (southeast, south),

ice floes, hailstorms, floods.

Environmental problems: pollution of rivers, lakes, soils, at

atmospheres - industrial waste; radioactive zara

life after the Chernobyl disaster.

Moscow - one of the ten most environmentally unfriendly

received cities of the world.

NORTH CAUCASUS

Geographical position. On a huge isthmus between

to the Black and Caspian seas, from the Taman ro Apsheron-

the majestic mountains of Bol are located on the peninsula

of the Caucasus.

The North Caucasus is the southernmost part of the Russian territory

rhetoric. Along the ridges of the Main, or Watershed, Caucasus

ridge passes the border of the Russian Federation from the country

us Transcaucasia.

The Caucasus is separated from the Russian Plain by the Kumo-Manych

depression, on the site of which in the Middle Quaternary time there

there was a sea strait.

The North Caucasus is an area located on the border

temperate and subtropical zones.

The epithet "sa" is often applied to the nature of this territory.

my, the most." The latitudinal zonality is replaced here by the vertical

zoning. For a resident of the plains of the Caucasus Mountains - bright

an example of the "multi-story" nature.

Relief, geological structure and minerals.

The Caucasus is a young mountain structure, formed in the peri

od alpine folding. The Caucasus includes: Before

Caucasus, Greater Caucasus and Transcaucasia. Russia includes

only Ciscaucasia and the northern slopes of the Greater Caucasus.

Often the Greater Caucasus is presented as a single ridge.

In fact, it is a system of mountain ranges.

From the Black Sea coast to Mount Elbrus is located

Western Caucasus, from Elbrus to Kazbek - Central Caucasus

kaz, east of Kazbek to the Caspian Sea - East Kav

kaz. In the longitudinal direction, an axial zone is distinguished, occupied

Dividing (Main) and Lateral Ranges (see Fig. 14).

The northern slopes of the Caucasus form the Skalisty ridges,

Pasture and Black Mountains. They have a cuesto structure -

these are ridges in which one slope is gentle, and the other is steep

breaking. The reason for the formation of the quest is interlayering

layers composed of rocks of different hardness.

The chains of the Western Caucasus begin near the Taman

luostrov. At first, these are not even mountains, but hills with soft

outlines. They rise as you move east. The mountains

Fisht (2867 m) and Oshten (2808 m) are the highest parts of Za

Western Caucasus - covered with snowfields and glaciers.

The highest and grandest part of the entire mountain system

we are the Central Caucasus. Here even the passes reach

height of 3000 m, only one pass - Cross on the Military

Georgian road - lies at an altitude of 2379 m.

The highest peaks are located in the Central Caucasus

we are the two-headed Elbrus, an extinct volcano, the highest

peak of Russia (5642 m), and Kazbek (5033 m).

The eastern part of the Greater Caucasus is mainly

numerous ranges of the mountainous Dagestan (in translation - Country

In the structure of the North Caucasus, various

nye tectonic structures. Warehouse to the south

chato-blocky mountains and foothills of the Greater Caucasus. This is the part

Alpine geosynclinal zone.

The fluctuations of the earth's crust were accompanied by bends of the earth's

layers, their stretching, faults, ruptures. By image

cracked cracks from great depths to the surface of the

magma flowed, which led to the formation of numerous

ore deposits.

Uplifts in recent geological periods - Neogene

high and quaternary - turned the Greater Caucasus into a highly

mountain country. Rise in the axial part of the Greater Caucasus from

was carried out by intensive subsidence of earth layers along

edges of the emerging mountain range. This led to the formation

foothill troughs: in the west of the Indal-Kuban and

in the east of the Terek-Caspian.

The complex history of the geological development of the region - with

rank of the wealth of the bowels of the Caucasus with various useful art

shareable. The main wealth of Ciscaucasia is the deposit

oil and gas. In the central part of the Greater Caucasus, mining

polymetallic ores, tungsten, copper, mercury, mo

In the mountains and foothills of the North Caucasus, many

mineral springs, near which resorts were created,

have long received worldwide fame - Kislovodsk,

Mineralnye Vody, Pyatigorsk, Essentuki, Zheleznovodsk,

Matsesta. The sources are varied in chemical composition,

temperature and extremely useful.

Climate. The North Caucasus is located in the south moderately

th belt - a parallel of 45 ° N passes here. sh., that is, clearly

the equidistant position of the territory between

do the equator and the pole, which determines its soft, warm

mild climate, transitional from temperate to subtropical.

This situation determines the amount of salt received.

some warmth: in summer 17-18 kcal per square

centimeter, which is 1.5 times more than the average

european part of Russia. Except for the highlands

the climate in the North Caucasus is mild, warm, on the plains

the average July temperature exceeds +20 °C everywhere, and summer

lasts from 4.5 to 5.5 months. Average temperatures

January fluctuate from -10 °С to +6 °С, and winter lasts only

only two or three months. In the North Caucasus is located

genus Sochi, where the warmest winter in Russia with a temperature

January +6.1 °С.

The abundance of heat and light allows the vegetation of the Northern

Caucasus to develop in the north of the district for seven months,

in Ciscaucasia - eight, and on the Black Sea coast, to the south

from Gelendzhik - up to 11 months. This means that, with the corresponding

With the current selection of crops, you can get two levels here

zhya per year.

North Caucasus very complex circulation

various air masses. This area can be penetrated

kat various air masses.

The main source of moisture for the North Caucasus is

the Atlantic is falling. Therefore, the western regions of the Northern

The Caucasus are distinguished by a large amount of precipitation. annual

the amount of precipitation in the foothills in the west is

380-520 mm, and in the east, in the Caspian Sea, - 220-250 mm. Poeto

mu in the east of the region there are often droughts and dry winds.

The climate of the highlands very different from the plains and

foothill parts. The first main difference is that

much more precipitation falls in the mountains: at an altitude of 2000 m -

2500-2600 mm per year. This is due to the fact that the mountains delay

air masses cause them to rise up. Air

at the same time it cools and gives up its moisture.

The second difference in the climate of the highlands is a decrease in

duration of the warm season due to lower temperatures

ry air with height. Already at an altitude of 2700 m in the northern

slopes and at an altitude of 3800 m in the Central Caucasus passes

there is a snow line, or the border of "eternal ice". On high

over 4000 m even in July, positive temperatures would

vayut very rarely.

The third difference between the alpine climate is its amazing

diversity from place to place due to the height of the mountains, exposure

slope, proximity or distance from the sea.

The fourth difference is the peculiarity of atmospheric circulation.

Cooled air from the highlands rushes down

narrow intermountain valleys. When lowering to each

For a distance of 100 m, the air heats up by about 1 °C. Coming down from

height of 2500 m, it heats up by 25 ° C and becomes warm,

even hot. This is how the local wind - hair dryer - is formed. Oso hair dryers

especially frequent in the spring, when the intensity of

current circulation of air masses. Unlike a hair dryer,

When masses of dense cold air are compressed, boron is formed (from

Greek logeav - north, north wind), strong cold nisho

blowing wind. Flowing over low ridges into an area with

warmer rarefied air, it is relatively small

heats up and "falls" downwind at high speed

slope. Bora is observed mainly in winter, where

a mountain range borders on the sea or a vast body of water.

The Novorossiysk Bora is widely known. And yet leading

factor of climate formation in the mountains, influencing very strongly

on all other components of nature, is height, resulting

leading to vertical zonality of both climate and natural zones.

Rivers of the North Caucasus are numerous and just like the rel

ef and climate are clearly divided into flat and mountainous. Especially

numerous turbulent mountain rivers, the main source

which are fed by snow and glaciers during the melting period.

The largest rivers are the Kuban and Terek with their numerous

ny tributaries, as well as originating in the Stavropol

Egorlyk and Kalaus hills. In the lower reaches of the Kuban and Te

the river is flooded - vast swampy expanses

stva covered with reeds and reeds.

The wealth of the Caucasus is fertile soil. in the western

parts of Ciscaucasia are dominated by chernozems, and in the eastern,

more arid part - chestnut soils.

The soils of the Black Sea coast are intensively used for orchards, berries

nicknames, vineyards. In the Sochi region are the most northern

tea plantations in the world.

In the mountains of the Greater Caucasus, altitudinal

explanation. The lower belt is occupied by broad-leaved forests with

dominance of oak. Above are forests of beech, which

rye with height pass first into mixed, and then into spruce

fir forests. The upper border of the forest is at an altitude of 2000-

2200 m. Behind it, on mountain meadow soils, there are lush

nye subalpine meadows with thickets of the Caucasian rhododendron.

They pass into short-grass alpine meadows, behind which

follows the highest belt of snowfields and glaciers.

Diversity of natural territorial complexes Se

the true Caucasus is due to their differences in geographical

position, in particular the height above sea level. Most

one can clearly distinguish the natural complexes of the plains, intermountain

valleys, highlands.

Reserves. Caucasian - northern slopes of the western

parts of the Greater Caucasus; protection of unique flora (yew, self

sheet, walnut, noble chestnut) and fauna (tour, chamois, Caucasus

sky deer, etc.).

Teberdinsky - northern slopes of the Main Ridge Bol

shogo of the Caucasus; protection of virgin beech and dark coniferous

forests, subalpine and alpine meadows.

Relief of the East European (Russian) Plain

The East European (Russian) Plain is one of the largest plains in the world in terms of area. Among all the plains of our Motherland, only it goes to two oceans. Russia is located in the central and eastern parts of the plain. It stretches from the coast of the Baltic Sea to the Ural Mountains, from the Barents and White Seas to the Azov and Caspian.

The East European Plain has the highest rural population density, large cities and many small towns and urban-type settlements, and a variety of natural resources. The plain has long been mastered by man.

The substantiation of its definition as a physical-geographical country are the following features: 1) an elevated stratal plain was formed on the plate of the ancient East European platform; 2) Atlantic-continental, predominantly temperate and insufficiently humid climate, formed largely under the influence of the Atlantic and Arctic oceans; 3) natural zones are clearly expressed, the structure of which was greatly influenced by the flat relief and neighboring territories - Central Europe, North and Central Asia. This led to the interpenetration of European and Asian species of plants and animals, as well as to a deviation from the latitudinal position of natural zones in the east to the north.

Relief and geological structure

The East European Uplifted Plain consists of uplands with heights of 200-300 m above sea level and lowlands along which large rivers flow. The average height of the plain is 170 m, and the highest - 479 m - on the Bugulma-Belebeevskaya Upland in the Ural part. The maximum mark of the Timan Ridge is somewhat less (471 m).

According to the features of the orographic pattern within the East European Plain, three bands are clearly distinguished: central, northern and southern. A strip of alternating large uplands and lowlands passes through the central part of the plain: the Central Russian, Volga, Bugulma-Belebeevskaya uplands and the Common Syrt are separated by the Oka-Don lowland and the Low Trans-Volga region, along which the Don and Volga rivers flow, carrying their waters to the south.

To the north of this strip, low plains predominate, on the surface of which smaller hills are scattered here and there in garlands and singly. From the west to the east-northeast, the Smolensk-Moscow, Valdai uplands and Northern Uvaly stretch, replacing each other. The watersheds between the Arctic, Atlantic and internal (endorheic Aral-Caspian) basins mainly pass through them. From Severnye Uvaly the territory goes down to the White and Barents Seas. This part of the Russian Plain A.A. Borzov called the northern slope. Large rivers flow along it - Onega, Northern Dvina, Pechora with numerous high-water tributaries.

The southern part of the East European Plain is occupied by lowlands, of which only the Caspian is located on the territory of Russia.

Figure 1 - Geological profiles across the Russian Plain

The East European Plain has a typical platform relief, which is predetermined by the tectonic features of the platform: the heterogeneity of its structure (the presence of deep faults, ring structures, aulacogens, anteclises, syneclises, and other smaller structures) with unequal manifestations of recent tectonic movements.

Almost all large uplands and lowlands are plains of tectonic origin, while a significant part is inherited from the structure of the crystalline basement. In the process of a long and complex path of development, they were formed as unified in the morphostructural, orographic and genetic terms of the territory.

At the base of the East European Plain lie the Russian plate with a Precambrian crystalline basement and in the south the northern edge of the Scythian plate with a Paleozoic folded basement. The boundary between the plates in the relief is not expressed. On the uneven surface of the Precambrian basement of the Russian Plate, there are strata of Precambrian (Vendian, in some places Riphean) and Phanerozoic sedimentary rocks with slightly disturbed occurrence. Their thickness is not the same and is due to the unevenness of the basement topography (Fig. 1), which determines the main geostructures of the plate. These include syneclises - areas of deep occurrence of the foundation (Moscow, Pechora, Caspian, Glazov), anteclises - areas of shallow occurrence of the foundation (Voronezh, Volga-Ural), aulacogens - deep tectonic ditches, on the site of which syneclises subsequently arose (Kresttsovsky, Soligalichsky, Moskovsky and others), ledges of the Baikal basement - Timan.

The Moscow syneclise is one of the oldest and most complex internal structures of the Russian plate with a deep crystalline basement. It is based on the Central Russian and Moscow aulacogenes, filled with thick Riphean sequences, above which the sedimentary cover of the Vendian and Phanerozoic (from Cambrian to Cretaceous) occurs. In the Neogene-Quaternary time, it experienced uneven uplifts and is expressed in the relief by rather large uplands - Valdai, Smolensk-Moscow and lowlands - Upper Volga, North Dvinskaya.

The Pechora syneclise is located wedge-shaped in the northeast of the Russian Plate, between the Timan Ridge and the Urals. Its uneven block foundation is lowered to various depths - up to 5000-6000 m in the east. The syneclise is filled with a thick layer of Paleozoic rocks overlain by Meso-Cenozoic deposits. In its northeastern part is the Usinsky (Bolshezemelsky) vault.

In the center of the Russian Plate there are two large anteclises - Voronezh and Volga-Urals, separated by the Pachelma aulacogen. The Voronezh anteclise slopes gently to the north into the Moscow syneclise. The surface of its basement is covered with thin deposits of the Ordovician, Devonian and Carboniferous. Rocks of the Carboniferous, Cretaceous and Paleogene occur on the southern steep slope. The Volga-Ural anteclise consists of large uplifts (arches) and depressions (aulacogens), on the slopes of which flexures are located. The thickness of the sedimentary cover here is at least 800 m within the highest arches (Tokmovsky).

The Caspian marginal syneclise is a vast area of deep (up to 18-20 km) subsidence of the crystalline basement and belongs to the structures of ancient origin, almost on all sides of the syneclise is limited by flexures and faults and has an angular outline. From the west it is framed by the Ergeninskaya and Volgograd flexures, from the north by the flexures of the General Syrt. In places they are complicated by young faults. In the Neogene-Quaternary, further subsidence (up to 500 m) and accumulation of a thick layer of marine and continental deposits took place. These processes are combined with fluctuations in the level of the Caspian Sea.

The southern part of the East European Plain is located on the Scythian epi-Hercynian plate, lying between the southern edge of the Russian plate and the Alpine folded structures of the Caucasus.

The tectonic movements of the Urals and the Caucasus led to some disturbance of the sedimentary deposits of the plates. This is expressed in the form of dome-shaped uplifts, significant along the shafts (Oksko-Tsniksky, Zhigulevsky, Vyatsky, etc.), individual flexural bends of layers, salt domes, which are clearly visible in the modern relief. Ancient and young deep faults, as well as ring structures, determined the block structure of the plates, the direction of river valleys, and the activity of neotectonic movements. The predominant direction of the faults is northwestern.

A brief description of the tectonics of the East European Plain and a comparison of the tectonic map with the hypsometric and neotectonic ones allows us to conclude that the modern relief, which has undergone a long and complex history, is in most cases inherited and dependent on the nature of the ancient structure and manifestations of neotectonic movements.

Neotectonic movements on the East European Plain manifested themselves with different intensity and direction: in most of the territory they are expressed by weak and moderate uplifts, low mobility, and the Caspian and Pechora lowlands experience weak subsidence.

The development of the morphostructure of the north-west of the plain is associated with the movements of the marginal part of the Baltic Shield and the Moscow syneclise; therefore, monoclinal (sloping) layered plains are developed here, expressed in orography in the form of uplands (Valdai, Smolensk-Moscow, Belorusskaya, Northern Uvaly, etc.), and layered plains occupying a lower position (Upper Volga, Meshcherskaya). The central part of the Russian Plain was affected by intense uplifts of the Voronezh and Volga-Ural anteclises, as well as subsidence of neighboring aulacogenes and troughs. These processes contributed to the formation of layer-tier, stepped uplands (Central Russian and Volga) and the layered Oka-Don plain. The eastern part developed in connection with the movements of the Urals and the edge of the Russian Plate, therefore, a mosaic of morphostructures is observed here. In the north and south, accumulative lowlands of the marginal syneclises of the plate (Pechora and Caspian) are developed. Interspersed between them are layered-stage uplands (Bugulma-Belebeevskaya, General Syrt), monoclinal-stratified uplands (Verkhnekamskaya) and the intra-platform folded Timan Ridge.

In the Quaternary, the cooling of the climate in the northern hemisphere contributed to the spread of ice sheets. Glaciers had a significant impact on the formation of relief, Quaternary deposits, permafrost, as well as on the change in natural zones - their position, floristic composition, fauna and migration of plants and animals within the East European Plain.

Three glaciations are distinguished on the East European Plain: the Okskoe, the Dnieper with the Moscow stage, and the Valdai. Glaciers and fluvioglacial waters created two types of plains - moraine and outwash. In a wide periglacial (preglacial) zone, permafrost processes dominated for a long time. The relief was especially intensively affected by snowfields during the period of reduction of glaciation.

September 13, 2012

The most valuable thing that any country owns is its territory together with the population living there. As for our country, as you know, it occupies 1/6 of the land surface, being the largest state in the world. The territory on which our people live is called the East European Plain and is the second largest after the Amazon, located in South America. In the northwestern part, our plain is limited by the Scandinavian mountains, and from the north it is washed by the waters of the Barents and White Seas. As for the southwestern part, here the Sudetenland of the Czech Republic, as well as the mountains of Central Europe, serve as the border. From the south it is bounded by the waters of Azov. Black and Caspian Seas. In the east, the Russian Plain, as it is often called in our country, is closed by the Ural Mountains. In general, the East European Plain has its length from north to south about 2.8 thousand kilometers, and from east to west - about 1.2 thousand.

Most of its territory is dominated by a relief of a gently sloping flat type, where most of the natural resources of our state are actually located. It is also a great advantage for all of us that our plain is almost completely aligned with the East European platform, as a result of which significant natural disasters and catastrophes associated with earthquakes, floods, landslides, volcanic eruptions and so on are extremely rare. In some places there are small hills and plateaus, the height of which can reach up to 1000 meters in some places. It is noteworthy that during the last ice age, the Baltic Shield was the center of glaciation, as evidenced by some of the preserved landforms that bear the imprint of glaciation.

The East European Plain has its platform deposits, which lie horizontally, making up the highlands and lowlands that form the topography of the common surface. It is noteworthy that in some places such a folded foundation comes to the surface, sometimes forming ridges and hills. Examples of such places are the Timan Ridge and the Central Russian Upland, while in other places the relief is mostly calm. On average, the height of the plain above sea level is 170 meters, but there are also places where the lowlands are at a level of 30-40 meters below sea level. Many coastal lowlands many thousands of years ago partially went under the water of the washed seas, as a result of which, as a result of water erosion, the relief was slightly corrected. Examples of such lowlands are the Caspian and Black Sea, where one can observe a characteristic slope towards the oceans.

The East European Plain is rich in full-flowing rivers that belong to the basins of two oceans: the Atlantic (Neva and Western Dvina) and the Arctic (Pechora, Northern Dvina). Other rivers flow into the Caspian Sea, which has no connection with the world's oceans, having a closed water area. Here flows not only the most famous, but also the longest river in Europe, sung in songs - the Volga.

The minerals of the East European Plain are rich in oil and coal reserves, but as a result of intensive mining, these natural resources are already being gradually depleted. The main part of the country's energy resources falls on the Siberian zone, which has huge oil deposits in the world. If we talk about the natural zones of this plain, then most of it is located in the temperate climate zone, in which there are both coniferous and mixed forests. In general, the forest reserves on the territory of the Russian plain are also quite extensive.

Summing up all of the above, it should be said that the geographical position of the East European Plain is very favorable, since it has the most favorable conditions for human habitation. The absence of natural disasters, as well as strong heat, with a good climate, led to the emergence of centers of civilizational and cultural development of modern people. It is for this reason that we should be grateful to nature for endowing our country with such wonderful living conditions and rich natural resources.

Source: fb.ru

Actual

The East European Plain is the steppes, which are rich grain granaries of the country where the highest quality wheat is grown, the forests of the North, the vast expanses of which are an ideal natural pasture and unique habitat for hundreds of thousands of animals. This is a variety of nature, tree species, vegetation cover, temperature and humidity. Where is the main plain of Russia and what are its features - more on that later.

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Special features

East European Plain on the map

Within a vast flat area, seasonal temperature and humidity levels fluctuate significantly. Moreover, in one region snowfalls can occur, creating impassable drifts, and in another, endless forests can rustle with leaves and fragrant meadows bloom. It is known that these expanses are part of the East European Platform. It is ancient and geologically stable. giant shield on the surface, which closely borders on the belts of tectonic folding. The outlines of this most significant flat area on this side of the planet are impressive to anyone familiar with the basics of geography.

What does the East European Plain look like on the map:

its eastern boundary is framed by the ridge;
the southern margins closely adjoin the Mediterranean folded belt and the Scythian plate, which occupies the area of the foothills of the Caucasus and Crimea;
the length of the East European Plain in the western direction runs along the Danube, close to the coasts of the Black Sea and Azov.

Note! Due to the venerable geological age in these almost endless expanses, only minor elevations can be found, and even then only in the northern regions.

As a result of the movement of the glacier to the south, elements of tectonic plates can be seen simply with one's own eyes, in the region of Karelia and in some areas of the Baltic. The further advancement of endless ice masses, combined with a low altitude relative to sea level, led to an almost ideal surface.

In terms of economic opportunities, the area of this vast territory differs highest population density in rural areas, there is a huge number of large and small cities, urban-type settlements. The natural resources are impressive in their diversity. The expanses of the territory have been successfully developed by man as an industrial and agricultural base for many thousands of years.

About tectonics

The rather complicated geological structure and structural features have been studied for many decades by various scientists from amateur amateurs to professional scientists with a worldwide reputation, who gave their description territory of the East European Plain.

In some scientific schools, it is better known as the Russian Plain, on which geologists distinguish the two most significant ledges - the Ukrainian Shield and the Baltic Shield, areas with a small or deep occurrence of basement elements.

Such a relief is associated with huge areas and a significant geological age of formations and structures. The foundation consists of several layers.

Archean complex of layers. The tectonic structure is rather peculiar, characterized by the outcrop of the basement. These are the areas of the Baltic, Karelia, the Kola Peninsula, known for their rocks, as well as the Konotop, Podolsky and Pridneprovsky massifs. They are formed over three million years ago, are rich in significant deposits of graphite, ferruginous quartzite and other very valuable minerals. No less interesting is another type of Archaean, which is represented by the Voronezh anteclise, where the basement occurrence is insignificant. The age of the formations according to today's data is about 2.7 million years.

Features of subsidence and elevations

As mentioned above, the East European Plain in ancient times was significantly affected by the glacier, which was also facilitated by its geographical position. During the Ice Age, almost the entire area was completely covered many meters of ice, which could not but have a physical impact not only directly on the surface layers of the soil, but also indirectly on deep-lying structures. As a result of such phenomena, uplifts and subsidences appeared on the surface at a fairly low height of the plain relative to sea level. By and large, this area is a platform cover, consisting of several deposits:

Proterozoic;
Paleozoic;
Mesozoic;
Cenozoic.

With a significant pressure of many thousands of glaciers, which literally leveled the surface of these territories, the formation of the basement is distinguished by a discontinuous trend. The feature of the building is alternating arrangement of ups and downs of the relief. The profile looks quite interesting in the field of geology:

lowering of the area of the Caspian lowland;
Sarmatian Upland;
Baltic-Middle Russian lowering of the relief;
zone of the Baltic Shield.

According to the data obtained using modern calculation methods, there are reliable data on the thickness of the platform cake in various regions of the plain. Average data within 35–40 kilometers. The maximum is the Voronezh anteclise - about 55 kilometers, scientists attribute the minimum to the Caspian region.

Note! Approximately, the East European Plain has a fairly solid age - from 1.6 to 2.6 million years

The features of the relief of this vast territory are that the most ancient formations are fixed in the area of its eastern borders. The oldest elements of the massif are the most static elements of the geological structure; this can be said about the Tatar, Caspian and Zhiguli-Pugachev massifs, separated by a protoplatform cover.

About the nuances of syneclise and anteclise

The Caspian syneclise is considered the most ancient, numerous deep salt domes are defined here, which is the most characteristic of the Guryev zone.

Here they occupy areas from tens to hundreds of square meters. kilometers. Despite the name, the most varied shapes and outlines are inherent in domes - a circle, an ellipse, and irregular forms of formation are also found.

The largest known domes in this region are Chelkarsky, Dossorsky, Indersky, Makatsky, Eltonsky, Sakharno-Lebyazhinsky.

Long-term studies of geologists and specialized methods of photography and scanning from orbit make it possible to obtain reliable data on the tectonic structure of the Russian Plain. The research results are as follows:

Moscow syneclise is the largest on the East European platform. Its northern contours are determined by a pair of uplifts - Soligalichsky and Sukhonsky. The researchers determine the lowest part of the region near the city of Syktyvkar, where the Seregovsky salt domes, formed by Devonian salts, are identified.
The tectonic element of almost equal importance is the Volga-Ural anteclise. Numerous relief drops are recorded here, the most significant height is the Mordovian Tokmovo arch. Anteclise bears

one of the largest plains on our planet (the second largest after the Amazonian plain in Western America). It is located in the eastern part. Since most of it is within the borders of the Russian Federation, it is sometimes called Russian. In the northwestern part, it is limited by the mountains of Scandinavia, in the southwestern part - and other mountains of central Europe, in the southeastern -, and in the East -. From the north, the Russian Plain is washed by the waters and, and from the south -, and.

The length of the plain from north to south is more than 2.5 thousand kilometers, and from west to east - 1 thousand kilometers. Almost the entire length of the East European Plain is dominated by a gently sloping plain. Most of the major cities of the country are concentrated within the territory of the East European Plain. It was here that many centuries ago the Russian state was formed, which later became the largest country in the world in terms of its territory. A significant part of Russia's natural resources is also concentrated here.

The East European Plain almost completely coincides with the East European Platform. This circumstance explains its flat relief, as well as the absence of significant natural phenomena associated with movement ( , ). Small hilly areas within the East European Plain resulted from faults and other complex tectonic processes. The height of some hills and plateaus reaches 600-1000 meters. In ancient times, the shield of the East European Platform was in the center of glaciation, as evidenced by some landforms.

The East European Plain. satellite view

On the territory of the Russian Plain, platform deposits occur almost horizontally, making up lowlands and uplands that form the surface topography. Where the folded foundation protrudes to the surface, elevations and ridges are formed (for example, the Timan ridge). On average, the height of the Russian Plain is about 170 meters above sea level. The lowest areas are on the Caspian coast (its level is about 30 meters below the level).

Glaciation left its mark on the formation of the relief of the East European Plain. This effect was most pronounced in the northern part of the plain. As a result of the passage of the glacier through this territory, a multitude of (, Pskov, Beloe and others) arose. These are the consequences of one of the most recent glaciers. In the southern, southeastern and eastern parts, which were subjected to glaciation in an earlier period, their consequences have been smoothed out by processes. As a result of this, a number of uplands (Smolensk-Moscow, Borisoglebskaya, Danilevskaya and others) and lacustrine-glacial lowlands (Caspian, Pechora) were formed.

To the south, there is a zone of uplands and lowlands, elongated in the meridional direction. Among the hills, one can note the Azov, Central Russian, Volga. Here they also alternate with plains: Meshcherskaya, Oka-Donskaya, Ulyanovsk and others.

Further south are the coastal lowlands, which in ancient times were partially submerged under sea level. The plain relief here was partially corrected by water erosion and other processes, as a result of which the Black Sea and Caspian lowlands were formed.

As a result of the passage of the glacier through the territory of the East European Plain, valleys formed, tectonic depressions expanded, and even some rocks were polished. Another example of glacier impact is winding deep peninsulas. With the retreat of the glacier, not only lakes were formed, but concave sandy lowlands also arose. This happened as a result of the deposition of a large amount of sandy material. Thus, over the course of many millennia, the many-sided relief of the East European Plain was formed.