НОВАЯ КАРТА МИРА «ГЕОГРАФИЧЕСКИЕ ПОЯСА И ПРИРОДНЫЕ ЗОНЫ СУШИ ЗЕМЛИ»

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.