For the diversity of landscapes and the pristine beauty of nature, Kuzbass is often called the pearl of Siberia. As far as it is justified, we will try to understand our article. In it you will find detailed information about the geographical location, relief, climate, nature and animals of the Kuzbass. In addition, we will tell you about the most interesting natural monuments and objects of this region.
Features of the geographical location and the diversity of nature
Kuzbass is the native land for more than two and a half million Russians. First of all, it is worth understanding toponymy. Kuzbass is the unofficial name of the Kemerovo region, as well as the abbreviated name of the Kuznetsk coal basin, the borders of which approximately coincide with the borders of the above-mentioned subject of the Russian Federation. And before you start describing the nature of Kuzbass, you should generally familiarize yourself with the geographical position of this region.
So, the Kemerovo region, if you look at the map, is located in the geometric center of the country. By the way, the contours of the region resemble the human heart in their outlines. The poet and author of the Kuzbass anthem, Gennady Yurov, once drew attention to this curious fact:
“If you look at the map of Siberia,
it shows the contours of the heart ”
The region covers an area of 96 thousand square kilometers, which is comparable to the size of such a European state as Hungary. Kemerovo region is located in the southeastern part of Western Siberia. From north to south, it stretches for 500 kilometers, located between the 52nd and 56th degrees of northern latitude. The administrative center of the region is Kemerovo. Other major cities: Novokuznetsk, Prokopyevsk, Mezhdurechensk, Yurga.
The diversity of the nature of Kuzbass manifests itself, first of all, in various forms of relief, the variegation of vegetation and soil cover. The flora of the region is very diverse. So, on the tops of the mountains here you can find sections of the tundra, on the slopes - alpine meadows, in the low mountains - mixed forests, and in the intermontane basins - islands of steppe vegetation.
The nature of Kuzbass: photos and video
Noisy taiga.
Calling to the top of the mountain.
The land of fathers is dear to us from childhood.
Lovely open spaces excite the heart,
Steep shores caress the view.
These lines belong to the pen of the Kuzbass poet Vladimir Ivanov. They perfectly describe the key features of the nature of the Kuzbass. The local Siberian landscapes are able to captivate and charm anyone with their landscape contrasts, in which the dark blue silent taiga is fantastically combined with colorful placers of flower fields. The nature of Kuzbass is amazingly diverse! There is absolutely everything here:
- Pristine and mysterious forests.
- Rough rivers and streams with clear water.
- Snow-capped mountain peaks.
- Caves and bizarre cliffs.
The following video will help you further understand and realize the nature of Kuzbass, as well as plunge into its virgin beauty:
An interesting characteristic of the natural landscapes of Kuzbass is given by the doctor of technical sciences and, concurrently, the artist Alexander Smirnov. He calls them “thoughtful”, “harsh” and “affectionate” at the same time. In more detail about the nature of Kuzbass we will tell further. In particular, we will talk about the relief, climate of minerals, flora and fauna of the Kemerovo region.
Relief
Geologically, the territory of Kuzbass was formed in the era of Hercynian folding about 540-250 million years ago. It was during this period that the main tectonic structures were actively formed, which were reflected in the modern relief of this region.
In general, in the territory of the Kemerovo region, several orographic regions can be distinguished. Its northern part is a flat area, divided by a wide valley of Tom. In the east, the ridges of the Kuznetsk Alatau rise. The highest point of Kuzbass is located here - Upper Tooth Mountain (2178 meters).
The central part of the region is occupied by the vast Kuznetsk depression, bordered on the southwest by the low Salair range. The southern expanses of Kuzbass is a unique country of low gently sloping mountains with average heights of 500-1000 meters and fabulous rock pillars, called Mountain Shoria.
Minerals
Kuzbass - Russian pantry,
Rich in ore and coal.
Golden wheat in the fields
Burning with bronze fire!
(Nadezhda Chimbarova)
The main wealth of Kuzbass is, of course, coal. Almost half of it goes to coking. Within the Kuznetsk coal basin, there are a total of 130 layers of coal and brown coal. The main deposits are concentrated in Kemerovo, Yerunakovsky, Leninsk-Kuznetsk and Belovsky regions. Coal mining is conducted by closed (65%), open (30%), as well as hydraulic (5%) methods.
In addition to coal, the subsoil of Kuzbass is rich in iron ore, gold, phosphate rock, and oil shale. The region also produces a dozen and a half items of various building materials.
Climate
I love the Siberian nature
I am close to her direct character.
Always, any time of the year
She is true to herself.
(Stepan Torbakov)
The climate in the Kemerovo region is temperate continental. Winters are long and rather cold, summers are warm, but relatively short. Average July temperatures are + 17 ... + 18 degrees, January –17 ... –20 degrees. The frost-free period is 100-120 days a year. The amount of precipitation varies widely: from 350 mm in the plains to 1000 mm in the mountainous regions.
Hydrography
Due to sufficient moisture in the territory in Kuzbass, a fairly dense and extensive hydrological network has formed. The largest rivers in the region are the Tom, Mras-Su, Inya, Kiya, Yaya, Chumysh and Kondoma. All of them belong to the Ob basin. The Tom River crosses almost the entire region from the northwest to the southeast.
Lakes in the Kemerovo region are relatively few. They are found only in mountainous areas, as well as in the valleys of large watercourses. The largest lake in the region is Berchikul. The reservoir is practically drainless: only one tiny rivulet flows from it. In summer, the lake loses a lot of moisture as a result of evaporation, but the water level in it remains almost unchanged. Berchikul feeds mainly on underground sources.
Landscapes
In Kuzbass in a relatively small area there are several types of landscapes. These are multi-colored alpine meadows, and stony tundra thickets, and classical taiga forests, and mountain "fir trees" with pronounced sections of tall grass. In the intermontane basins and depressions, steppe landscapes are widespread, as well as individual pine forests. The total forest cover of the region reaches 67%. Almost 40% of the forest structure of Kuzbass are dark coniferous "fir".
Flora and fauna
The Kemerovo region lies within two natural botanical zones - forest-steppe and subtaiga. The following tree species prevail in the forests of Kuzbass: fir, spruce, pine, cedar, larch, aspen and birch. The maximum forest cover is typical for the southern and eastern regions of the region, and the minimum for the Kuznetsk depression. In the foothills, light birch forests predominate, and on the mountain slopes, fir, spruce-fir and fir-aspen forests predominate.
The fauna of the region is very diverse. Wild wood, deer, roe deer, elk and reindeer are found in the wooded area. True, the latter are found only within the Kuznetsk Alatau. In the forests, various predators also feel great - lynxes, wolves, bears, foxes and wolverines. The avifauna of the region is represented by capercaillie, black grouse, and taiga grouse. A little less common are buzzards, peregrine falcons and black kites. In general, within the Kemerovo region, zoologists count 50 species of mammals, 150 species of birds and 7 species of fish.
Environmental objects and territories
Shor National Park and the Kuznetsk Alatau Nature Reserve are located in the Kemerovo Region. In addition, the list of specially protected natural territories of Kuzbass includes another 14 state reserves.
Shor National Park is located in the basin of the Mras-Su and Kondoma rivers. It was established in 1989 with the aim of preserving the unique landscapes of Mountain Shoria (in particular, cedar forest biocenoses and areas of black taiga). The nature of this amazing park was almost not affected by human activity, and therefore has retained its original appearance.
The Kuznetsk Alatau Nature Reserve is another natural pearl of this region. It is located in the central part of the mountain system of the same name. The highlight of this reserve are 32 glaciers with a total area of seven square kilometers. In addition, the reserve is a nesting site for a number of rare taiga species of birds.
Among the most interesting natural monuments of Kuzbass are the following objects:
- Gavrilovsky caves.
- Tutal rocks.
- Kusedeevskaya grove.
- Itkarinsky waterfall.
- Celestial Teeth.
- The Royal Gate.
- Krestovsky swamps.
- Velvet ridge.
Gavrilovsky caves are two underground cavities with a total length of 300 meters, located in the Guryev region. They were discovered at the beginning of the twentieth century. According to the recollections of local residents, earlier underground cavities stretched for several tens of kilometers. But in the 70s of the last century, geologists brought down several passages for security purposes.
Tutala rocks are located in the Yashkinsky district, on the right bank of the Tomsk. They represent numerous outcrops of dark shales. The cliffs are popular among climbers who hone their skills here, as well as among archaeologists and historians, because it is on them that you can see the famous petroglyphs called the “Tutal Scribe”.
Kuzeedeevskaya relict lime grove is located in the Novokuznetsk district in a small hollow. According to scientists, this unique "linden island" in the middle of the taiga arose even during the first ice age. The grove was opened by the botanist Porfiry Krylov at the end of the 19th century, and in 1964 it was declared a natural monument.