A NEW MAP OF «GEOGRAPHICAL BELTS AND NATURAL ZONES OF THE EARTH»

Basing on computer processing of the latest multi-scale international and national materials (cartographical, remote sensing, numerous analytical complex and thematic reviews) a new world map «Geographical Belts and Natural Zones of the Earth» at the scale of 1:80M (2014) was compiled, as well as more detailed maps of particular continents (1:10M), which can provide background for elaborating maps of present-day landscapes and specialized landscape-geoecological maps. The map is particularly important for teaching a number of basic courses of geographical and ecological education, in particular, physical geography of continents and oceans. Boundaries of belts and zones have been corrected; in some cases new natural zones were distinguished. The updated classification of sectors and natural zones based on the indicators of heat and water availability, structures of the growing period and indicators of productivity of vegetation types reflects a modern trend towards more active application of quantitative methods, including for the purposes of the global classification of landscapes. Supplementation of the global classifications with the indicator of moisture content is important for the assessment of potential landscape response to climatic changes. Calculation of the areas of particular natural zones on the continents allowed the updating of a generalized model of belt-sector-zonal structure of the Earth («the hypothetical continent») and making changes to the global classification of landscapes. Comparison of the zonal and the belt-sectoral structure of the continents shown on 2014 world map with the belt and zone groups shown on 1988 «Geographical Belts and Zonal Types of Landscapes» map is indicative of the further development of the concept of global structure of the Earth’s landscape sphere.

1. Базилевич Н.П., Титлянова А.А. Биологический круговорот на пяти континентах: азот и зольные элементы в природных наземных экосистемах. Новосибирск, 2008, 376 с. Bazilevich N.P., Titlyanova A.A. Biologichesky krugovorot na pyati kontinentakh: azot I zolnye elementy v prirodnykh nazemnykh ekosistemakh [Biological Cycle at five Continents: nitrogen and mineral constituents in natural land ecosystems], Novosibirsk, 2008, 376 p. (in Russian).

2. Географические пояса и зональные типы ландшафтов мира. Карта под ред. Е.Н. Лукашовой; м-б 1:15 000 000. М.: ГУГК, 1988. Geograficheskiye poyasa i zonalnye tipy landshaftov mira. Karta рod red. Ye.N. Luka-shovoy; 1:15 000 000 [Geographical Belts and Natural Zonal Types of the World Landscapes. Map 1:15 000 000, Ed. Eu.N. Lukashova], M.: GUGK, 1988 (in Russian).

3. Исаченко А.Г., Шляпников А.А. Ландшафты. М.: Мысль, 1989. 605 с. Isachenko A.G., Shlyapnikov A.A. Landshafty [Landscapes], M.: Mysl, 1989. 605 p. (in Russian).

4. Природа и ресурсы Земли. Атлас / Под ред. А.А. Лютого: В 2-х т; Вена: Ед. Хелцел, 1998. Priroda i resursy Zemli. Atlas. Pod red. A.A. Lyutogo. V 2-kh t. [Nature and Resourses of the World. Atlas, еd. A.A. Lyutyi], Vol. I, II. Vena: Yed. Kheltsel, 1998 (in Russian).

5. Романова Э.П. Ландшафтная структура суши Земли. География, общество, окружающая среда. Т. 2. Функционирова- ние и современное состояние ландшафтов. Ч. 2. М.: Издательский дом Городец, 2004. С. 303–318. Romanova E.P. Landshaftnaya struktura sushi Zemli. Geografiya, obshchestvo, okruzhayushchaya sreda. T. 2. Funktsionirovaniye i sovremennoye sostoyaniye landshaftov [Geography, Society, Environment. Vol 2. Functioning and Modern State of Landscapes, Ch.2.]. M.: Izdatelsky dom Gorodets, 2004, pр. 303–318 (in Russian).

6. Романова Э.П., Алексеева Н.Н., Аршинова М.А. Физическая география материков. В двух книгах. Кн. 1. Дифференциация и развитие ландшафтов суши Земли. М.: ИЦ Ака- демия, 2014. 464 с. Romanova E.P., Alekseeva N.N., Arshinova M.A. Fizicheskaya geografiya materikov. V dvukh knigakh. Kn. 1. Differentsiatsiya i razvitiye landshaftov sushi Zemli [Physical Geography of the Continents. In 2 books. Book 1. Differentiation and Development of Landscapes of Land Earth], M: Akademiya, 2014, 464 p. (in Russian).

7. Титлянова А.А. База данных по продуктивности экосистем Евразии, Северной и Южной Америки, Африки и Австралии. URL: http:// www.biodat.rudb/dbsoil/htm (дата обращения: 12.02.2013). Titlyanova A.A. Baza dannykh po produktivnosti ekosistem Yevrazii, Severnoy i Yuzhnoy Ameriki, Afriki i Avstralii. [Physical Geography of the Continents. In 2 books. Book 1. Yuzhnoy Ameriki, Afriki i Avstralii [Data Base on Ecosystems Productivity of Euroasia, North and South America, Africa and Australia] (in Russian). URL: http://www.biodat.rudb/dbsoil/htm (Accessed: 12. 02.2013).

8. Agro-ecological zones methology. FAO GAEZ. 2001. URL:. http://www.org/ag/agl?gl1/gaez (дата обращения: 05.06.2011).

9. Alexeev B.A., Golubev G.N. The World‘s Landscape Systems and its Change, Erdkunde, Band 54, 2000. Р. 12–18.

10. ArcAtlas: Our Earth. GIS by ESRI, 1996. CD-ROM, Environmental Systems Research Institute Inc. Redlands, California, USA, 1997.

11. Atlas of Canada. 2007. URL: http://atlas.nrcan.gc.ca (дата обращения: 23.10.2012).

12. Climadiagramme Weltatlas, 2010. URL: http://www.climadiagramme.de (дата обращения: 24.11.2012).

13. CORINE Land Cover. EEA, Copengagen, 2010/ URL: http://www.eea.eu.int (дата обращения: 22.10.2011).

14. Global Forest Resources Assessment 2010. Main Report. FAO Forester. Рap. 163. Rome. 2010. 163 p.

15. Global Agro-ecological Assessment for Agriculture in the 21st Century (GAEZ). FAO, IIASA, Roma, 2002. 156 p.

16. Global Ecological Zoning for the Global Forest Resources Assessment 2000. Forest Resources Assessment Programme Working Pap. 56. Rome, 2001. 211 p. URL: http://www.fao.org/docrep/006/../ad652e00.htm (дата обращения: 15.04.2011).

17. Map of the Natural Vegetation of Europe. Scale 1: 2 500 000. Vol. 1–3. Bonn, 2003.

18. The map of Terrestrial Ecoregions of the World, 2000. URL: http://wwf.panda.org/about_our_earth/ecoregions/maps/ (дата обращения: 05.10.2011).

19. National Atlas of the United States, 2004. URL: http://www.nationalatlas.gov (дата обращения: 18.10.2011).