taiga A nearly continuous belt of evergreen coniferous forests across the Northern Hemisphere in Russia. This is the largest forest in the world. WildLife photography in Siberia and Central Asia by Oleg Kosterin used with permission

steppe The term used for the temperate grassland regions in the Northern Hemisphere pisum.bionet.nsc.ru/kosterin/landscap/ altai/chuiskaya2.htm WildLife photography in Siberia and Central Asia by Oleg Kosterin used with permission.

chernozem Black topsoil, one of the world’s most fertile soils. Chernozem is found in the north European plain in the Ukraine and Russia. Used with permission

tundra The flat treeless lands forming a ring around the Arctic Ocean. The climate is extremely cold. Used with permission. Photo is the property of Lyn Gualtieri, University of Washington permission requested

permafrost Permafrost Layer of soil or rock, at some depth beneath the surface, in which the temperature has been continuously below 0 °C for at least some years. It exists where summer heating fails to reach the base of the layer of frozen ground. no copyright –government property.

This NASA image of the Northern Hemisphere shows the permanently frozen ground. This is the tundra region of Asia, Europe, and North America permafrost or permanently frozen ground.

Buildings built on permafrost may collapse when the heat generated by the building thaws the ground. The photo above is an example of what can happen to a building built on ground that is permanently frozen. Homes in Siberia are often built on stilts. Used with permission

desertification An expansion of dry conditions to moist areas that are next to deserts. The shrinking of the Aral Sea is an example of desertification. The photo shows ghosts ships beached on the coast of the Aral Sea Click on the URL below to see picture. Picture may be inserted here.

desertification Aral Sea in 1973Aral Sea in 2000 Within 20 years, the Aral Sea may disappear.

desertification The Aral sea is becoming a desert because water is being diverted from rivers that feed the sea. The diverted water is being used to irrigate the cotton fields in Uzbekistan. The wind blows the sand, which is contaminated with fertilizers and pesticides, into the nearby villages which causes serious illness. The lake is so polluted from run-off that the fish in the lake have died. To correct the problem with the Aral Sea would take many jobs away from the farmers in the regions.

irrigation To supply (dry land) with water by means of ditches, pipes, or streams All photos on the page are found at No copyright

divert (To turn aside from a course or direction) Water is diverted to irrigation channels in order to irrigate the cotton fields around the Aral Sea and the Caspian Sea. Irrigation Channel Used with permission

Other factors that influence the geography of Russia and Central Asia Many of the rivers flow northward into the Arctic Ocean. They are frozen most of the year. Mountains create desert areas in the southwestern part of the region (Caucasus Mts. and Ural Mts.) Lake Baikal is one of the deepest lakes in the world. It contains 20% of the planet’s fresh water supply. St. Petersburg is the “window to the west” that gives the Russians an ice-free port on the Baltic Sea.

Lake Baikal Lake Baikal is the deepest lake in the world.