In our article we want to talk about the UK. This distant country is often associated with fogs and frequent rains. But I wonder what are the features of nature and the climate of Great Britain?
Climatic conditions
The country is relatively small, almost all of its regions are influenced by the warm sea and westerly winds, and therefore there are no contrasting temperature drops. The climate in the UK is temperate.
Of course, the altitude also affects the temperature regime - in the mountains and hills it is much cooler than in the valleys. Therefore, on the rolling hills of Wales, as well as in most of Scotland, it is much colder in winter and less hot in summer than in other regions of England.
In summer, the temperature here rarely reaches + 32 ° C, and in winter does not drop below -10 ° C. And yet, there is a significant difference between south and north. So, in the Scottish Islands, the average monthly temperature ranges from + 3 ° C in the winter and to + 11 ° C in the summer.
The nature of Great Britain is in many ways similar to the countries of Western Europe. And this is quite logical, since the British Isles separated relatively recently. The climate of the described region is greatly influenced by the proximity of the North Atlantic Current. That is why moderate temperatures, high humidity and a large amount of surface water prevail here.
Features of geographical location
The climate, of course, is influenced by the ocean and the Gulf Stream. For the British, the usual weather is rain and daily dampness. The most severe weather conditions in Northern Scotland, its mountainous part and in Wales.
The influence of the ocean on the weather is evidenced by the prevalence of unstable weather with thick fogs and strong gusty winds. Winters here, by the way, are unusually mild, but at the same time wet.
Marine southwestern air raises temperatures during the cold season, but at the same time brings rainy and cloudy weather with storms and winds. When cold air invades from the northeast, it becomes quite frosty. All this makes the nature of Great Britain especially noticeable.
Snow covers the entire country. In winter, they are especially plentiful in Scotland. And in the south of England, as a rule, they rarely visit - here even the grass turns green all year round.
UK: nature
The territory of Great Britain by relief is conditionally divided into two regions:
- High Britain (together with Northern Ireland), which is located in the west and north of the country and is a highly separated highlands and lowlands.
- Low Britain, located in the east and south, which is characterized by hilly terrain with small hills.
The nature of the UK is also affected by the fact that the conditional border between the two regions is not always noticeable - in some places it is smoothed. The named border stretches from Newcastle in a southwest direction.
UK forests
When traveling around the country, you clearly notice how quickly the landscapes change each other. In general, the UK, whose nature is very diverse, boasts rich vegetation.
Her features due to climatic conditions and landscape. For example, High Britain is an extremely foggy, windy and rainy region, which, of course, affects the vegetation of the region. And Wales is a mountainous region adorned with forbs and moorlands, where sheep graze.
In prehistoric times, the wild nature of Great Britain was a very dense forest of linden, birch oak, beech. Locals considered sacred many plants, and especially revered oaks. This was due to their ancient beliefs. However, centuries have passed and much has changed.
By the end of the twentieth century, the forests of Great Britain were largely destroyed, thanks to human activities. People cut down mighty trees, drained swamps, which led to serious changes in the species composition of flora and fauna. Exotic trees that were not here before (fir, spruce, larch) were brought into the country and planted.
Currently, forests in the country occupy only 10% of the total area. Most of them survived on the mountain slopes, in river valleys and in the south of the region. Currently, the characteristic plants of Great Britain are beech, ash, hornbeam, elm, oak. But in the Grampian mountains spruce-pine forests with oak groves grow.
Green country
Despite the fact that the country has no large forests, it still seems that this is a green land. Great Britain, the nature of which has been seriously damaged at the hands of man, is engaged in the artificial planting of forest belts between fields, hedges from cold winds, and forms reserves.
In addition to forests, the country is rich in moorland, without which this description of nature would not be complete. Great Britain is also rich in grassy wastelands that have been preserved in wild areas undeveloped by people .
Sedge thickets surround sphagnum bogs, which occupy the wettest places. Willow thickets settled here.
Separately, mention should be made of the wonderful forbs of the central part of the country. In natural meadows and fields, wild white and yellow daffodils, primrose, lilies, yarrow, etc. grow here.
Animal world
Amazing country of Great Britain. Its nature and wildlife are so rich and diverse that it is difficult to list everything. We will only talk about the main representatives of its fauna.
So, in southern Britain, deer, hares, foxes, rabbits, raccoons, otters, ermines, weasels and foxes are common. And from rodents there are proteins, mice, rats. Reptiles are represented only by three varieties of snakes, and they are completely absent in Northern Ireland.
Roe deer, fallow deer, marten, and rabbits are found in the country's forests even now. And rivers and lakes boast salmon and trout. The coastal waters washing the coastline are saturated with cod, herring and haddock.
UK birds
Great Britain has become home to many birds, there are more than two hundred species. About half of them stay in the country, arriving from other parts. Human activities have also affected birds. The number of some species has decreased so much that it is on the verge of extinction, while the populations of others, on the contrary, have increased.
After the massive drainage of swamps, the number of waterfowl decreased. And land development led to the destruction of some plant varieties, which, in turn, affected the birds. But pigeons and sparrows have taken root remarkably in big cities, increasing their population every year.
To restore the number of endangered species in the state, protected areas are created with an environmental regime. There are a lot of them in the UK. It must be said that the British do not spare funds for the maintenance of natural parks, which they call the land of frightened wild birds.
The fact is that many of their feathered inhabitants are not at all afraid of people. And swans in the country generally enjoy popular love. Their appearance here in ancient times is associated with one very beautiful legend. And now these beautiful birds enjoy special status. They are labeled annually, reared to keep a record of their quantity.
Heraldic animals
Great Britain is an amazing country with a long history. Its inhabitants have long sincerely and respectfully treated many plants, endowing them with mythical properties and capabilities. No less contribution was made by animals, which for many centuries became symbols of entire royal dynasties. Therefore, speaking about the nature of England, one cannot but mention heraldry.
For the first time, symbolic images of animals were introduced by King Richard the Lionheart. It was on his coat of arms that three golden lions appeared as a symbol of courage.
Later, lions became the heraldic symbols of many noble families. In addition to them, there are also completely mythical creatures, such as dragons, griffins, unicorns. By the way, five ravens, which are considered a symbol of the impregnability of the fortress, still live in the Tower; such a tradition has its roots in a distant history.