Page 148 - Russian History Viewed through Distorted Mirrors, Vol. 1

Nicolai Levashov. Russian History Viewed through Distorted Mirrors. Vol. 1

able to survive there. All “compartments” in the ecological system of the Equatorial
climatic Zone are so tightly populated that the appearance of new species is almost
impossible.

The animal kingdom of the Equatorial Zone is also very rich and diverse. The
equatorial jungles literally swarm with herbivores, omnivores and predators. It would
seem there is nothing better that nature could create for man’s life and development:
the richest flora and fauna – a great number of vegetable and animal species which
man can use for his needs. This is true, but not as simple as it may seem on the face
of it. In the conditions of such a rich nature man is forced to fight with it in order to
survive not only from an unbelievably great number of predatory and poisonous ani-
mals and insects, but also from an unbelievable variety of rapidly growing plants,
many of which are also poisonous. Having enough moisture, sun and heat, the plants
of the Equatorial Zone grow during the whole year very quickly. Exactly those plants
which were capable of fast growth were able to usurp a place under the sun in the
equatorial jungles.

Therefore, in the Equatorial Zone man is forced to fight with nature for his
place under the sun. And this fight is as hard as that in the severe climatic conditions
of the Arctic Zone. Thus, both very harsh and very mild climatic conditions do not
favour man’s evolutional development. If in the very harsh living conditions man has
to fight with natural forces in order to survive, in the optimal natural conditions for
vegetable life, man has to combat other types of living organisms to occupy his eco-
logical niche. In both cases man has neither the time nor the possibility to stop and
think of anything but his own survival. Super-good and super-bad living conditions
for plants are negative for the development of reasoning life. Finding himself in ei-
ther of these conditions, man stops his evolutional development and very often evolu-
tionally degrades. There are a great many examples of this.

Then, what is useful for man’s evolutional development as a species? Maybe a
Subequatorial climatic Zone creates the necessary conditions? In this Zone the av-
erage annual temperature is several degrees lower than in the Equatorial one. The
amount of precipitation is also considerably less. The Subequatorial Zone is occupied
mainly by the African savanna which is a plain with islands of forests which swarm
(more precisely, swarmed) with different animal forms. Rich herbage, sufficient
moisture and a mild climate create ideal conditions for herbivorous animals, both —
artiodactyl and perissodactyl (ungulate mammals), next to which, as it should be,
there are predatory species.

The African savanna is rich in animal species which man can and does use as
food. In the past he also was a link in the food chain of the savanna’s ecology. What
could be better for man’s development than savanna? However, we will not jump to
conclusions. Let us think a little: mild climate, plenty of various herbivorous animals,
the majority of which move from one place on the savanna to another, especially in
summer, when sun scorches much stronger and, therefore, there is considerably less
moisture. Most herbivorous animals move closer to water — to the rivers, lakes and
springs which do not dry up in summer. Herbivorous predators and people follow
them. Thus, the tribes of the black race which dwell in the African savanna lead a

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