Nature
The Urals are divided into four zones: Arctic, North, Middle and South. Nature of each of these zones varies greatly and can differ even within the same zone. The Ural Mountains are a kind of barrier that prevents spread of some animal species and plants. The difference in climate is also noticeable. For instance, on the western slope precipitation falls more than on the eastern one.
As such, let us consider each zone starting with the Arctic Urals.
Arctic Urals
Natural zones of the Arctic Urals are represented by tundra and forest tundra. Relief of this section of the mountain chain was formed due to frosty weathering. During this process, placers of stones were formed. Permafrost and contrasts of soil cover temperatures in summer lead to solifluction – a gradual process in which a mass moves down a slope ("mass wasting") related to freeze-thaw activity.
The dominant type of relief is the plateau, which retains traces of the cover glaciation. The Alpine relief appears on the southern part of the Polar Urals near mounts Narodnaya and Sablya.
Other natural zones of the Urals affect the soils and flora, which are not so diverse in the Arctic Urals. In the north, the tundra with flat areas turns into tundra with mountainous areas. In the center there are placers of stones with almost no plants. At the foot of the tundra flora is represented by mosses, lichens and shrubs. There are areas of forest in the southern part, but their importance in the landscape is small.
The first dwarf deciduous forests appear in the valleys located on the eastern slope. This part of the mountain range is characterized by a small thickness of snow cover and a more pronounced continental climate. Therefore, there are better conditions for plant life. Near the Arctic Circle, deciduous forests are diluted with firs and cedars, and even further – firs and pines.
An interesting pattern has been established regarding the growth of deciduous and spruce forests: conditions for them at the top of a mountain range are better than on flat areas. The reason is good drainage and temperature conditions.
North Urals
The average height of the central part is about 700 m above sea level. It includes the eastern and western ridges. The first of them is a watershed. Most of the mountain peaks are not sharp, but rounded. Another typical feature of the relief is the multitude of upland terraces located above the level of forests or on their upper border. These formations vary greatly not only on different mountains, but also on opposite slopes.
The natural zones of the Northern Urals are mainly taiga and small areas of tundra. The local fauna consists of typical representatives of dark coniferous forests.
Taiga forests cover the slopes of the mountains with a continuous layer. The tundra has been preserved only on the hills and rocks. The dark coniferous taiga consists mainly of spruce. Fir grows in places where the soil is more fertile. Cedar prefers marshy and rocky slopes. Spruce forests with green moss dominate, as well as blueberries, which are typical of the middle taiga. In the northernmost part, they turn into sparse forests with a large number of swamps.
Pine forest is an infrequent phenomenon here. Its noticeable role in the landscape appears only on the eastern slope. Only here there are favorable conditions for the growth of pine trees: rocky soils and a continental dry climate. There are fewer larches than in the Polar Urals. They grow together with shrubby alder and birch woodlands.
On the western slope is the Pechora-Ilych Reserve, which demonstrates some of the natural areas of the Urals. It is one of the largest in Russia. It preserves the pristine appearance of the mountain taiga.
Middle Urals
The Middle Urals has practically not changed its appearance due to the latest tectonic shifts. For this reason, the mountain peaks are smoothed and low. The mountains are quite destroyed, which led to the loss of the watershed function. This is confirmed by the Chusovaya and Ufa rivers, originating on the eastern slopes and going towards the west. The river valleys are wide and developed, this is demonstrated by the picturesque stones hanging over the riverbeds.
The Middle Urals, whose natural zones are represented by the southern taiga and forest-steppe, is much more comfortable for human habitation than the Northern, and even more so the Polar.
The climate has affected the soils and vegetation - the southern taiga is located in the northern areas, and the forest-steppe is closer to the south.
The eastern and western slopes differ markedly in vegetation cover. In the Trans-Urals, the steppes have moved much further north than in the Pre-Urals. The mountains are covered with a continuous layer of forest, only rare peaks rise above the border of the taiga zone. The taiga predominates, consisting of firs and firs with patches of pine forests. Mixed forests (spruce, fir, birch, linden) are typical for the south-western regions.
A large number of birch forests are located throughout the Middle Urals. They originated in places of cutting down coniferous forests. The natural zones of the Urals have a characteristic composition of the animal world. A variety of forests and a warm climate contributed to the fact that the number of fauna representatives from the south increased.
Middle Urals. This is a plateau raised to a height of 500 to 600 m. It is cut by a dense network of river valleys. Active karst processes have led to the formation of many lakes, caves and craters. Good drainage prevents the formation of swamps, despite the large amount of precipitation. Coniferous and mixed forests with areas of forest-steppe predominate.
The center of the Middle Urals is represented by the highest part of the ridge. Its height is small, so it is almost entirely covered with taiga.
Middle Trans-Urals. It is an elevated plain with a smooth eastern slope. It has outliers, granite ridges and lake basins. Pure pine forests and their mixture with other trees prevail. There are many wetlands in the northern part. The forest-steppe has moved much further north compared to the Urals. The Siberian appearance of the landscape is given by birch pegs
South Urals
This area of the Ural Ridge differs from the Average by high peaks. The watershed is carried out along the Uraltau ridge, which is located to the east and does not have a great height. The relief of the middle mountains prevails in the region. Individual char peaks extend beyond the forest zone. Their surface is flat, but has steep stone slopes with many terraces.
The South Ural peneplain is a plain, elevated and having a folded base. It is dissected by river valleys resembling canyons. The Trans-Ural peneplain is located on the eastern slope, has a lower location and a smooth surface. In its northern part it has many lakes with amazing rocks on the shores.
The natural zones of the Southern Urals are represented by steppe and forest-steppe areas. Flora and soil cover have a high-altitude zonality. Chernozem steppes are typical for the lowest parts of the foothills. In the places where granite is released, you can see pine forest with an admixture of hardwoods.
The forest-steppe occupies the South Ural peneplain, the eastern slopes and the northern parts of the region. The fauna consists of a mixture of steppe and taiga inhabitants.
Animals
If you decide to take a walk in forest, it’ll be totally safe. The only danger people often meet is an abundance of ticks in the summer, but you can easily protect yourself by vaccinating and taking the safety measures.
The North Ural has wolverines, voles, reindeer, arctic foxes; there are hawk owl, cedar as well. The Middle Urals has hedgehogs, ferrets, hamsters, badgers.
The Urals also has brown bears, moose, squirrels, chipmunks, hares, foxes, wolves, wolverines, badgers, muskrats, minks. You can take a look at the animals by visiting the Visim Nature Reserve - one of the largest reserves in the Middle Urals. There you can take a walk in the forest area, where fir, birch, linden grow. Flying squirrels, roe deer, wild boars, wolves, river otters, raccoon dogs, lynxes are also found in the reserve. You can also visit the Yekaterinburg Zoo, which is one of the best zoos in Russia in terms of the variety of species represented in it. There are not only Ural animals, but also more exotic species