Lake Baikal
is rich in biodiversity. It hosts more than 1,000 species of plants and
2,500 species of animals based on current knowledge, but the actual
figures for ...
Lake Baikal
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Lake Baikal |
 |
 |
| Location |
Siberia, Russia |
| Coordinates |
 53°30′N 108°0′ECoordinates: 53°30′N 108°0′E |
| Lake type |
Continental rift lake |
| Primary inflows |
Selenge, Barguzin, Upper Angara |
| Primary outflows |
Angara |
| Catchment area |
560,000 km2 (216,000 sq mi) |
| Basin countries |
Russia and Mongolia |
|
| Max. length |
636 km (395 mi) |
| Max. width |
79 km (49 mi) |
| Surface area |
31,722 km2 (12,248 sq mi)[1] |
| Average depth |
744.4 m (2,442 ft)[1] |
| Max. depth |
1,642 m (5,387 ft)[1] |
| Water volume |
23,615.39 km3 (5,700 cu mi)[1] |
| Residence time |
330 years[2] |
| Shore length1 |
2,100 km (1,300 mi) |
| Surface elevation |
455.5 m (1,494 ft) |
|
| Frozen |
January–May |
| Islands |
27 (Olkhon) |
| Settlements |
Irkutsk |
|
|
|
| Type |
Natural |
| Criteria |
vii, viii, ix, x |
| Designated |
1996 (22nd session) |
| Reference no. |
754 |
| State Party |
 Russia |
| Region |
Asia |
| 1 Shore length is not a well-defined measure. |
Lake Baikal (
Russian:
о́зеро Байка́л,
tr. Ozero Baykal;
IPA: [ˈozʲɪrə bɐjˈkɑl];
Buryat:
Байгал нуур,
Mongolian:
Байгал нуур,
Baygal nuur, etymologically meaning, in Mongolian, "the Nature Lake"
[3]) is a
rift lake in
Russia, located in southern
Siberia, between
Irkutsk Oblast to the northwest and the
Buryat Republic to the southeast.
Lake Baikal is the largest
freshwater lake by volume in the world, containing roughly 20% of the world's unfrozen surface fresh water.
[4][5] With a maximum depth of 1,642 m (5,387 ft),
[1] Baikal is the world's deepest lake.
[6] It is considered among the world's
clearest[7] lakes and is considered the world's oldest lake
[8] — at 25 million years.
[9] It is the
seventh-largest lake in the world by surface area. With 23,615.39 km
3 (5,700 cu mi) of fresh water,
[1] it contains more water than all the North American
Great Lakes combined.
[10]
Like
Lake Tanganyika, Lake Baikal was formed as an ancient
rift valley, having the typical long crescent shape with a surface area of 31,722 km
2
(12,248 sq mi). Baikal is home to thousands of species of plants and
animals, many of which exist nowhere else in the world. The lake was
declared a
UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1996.
[11] It is also home to
Buryat tribes who reside on the eastern side of Lake Baikal,
[12][13] rearing goats, camels, cattle, and sheep,
[13] where the mean temperature varies from a winter minimum of −19 °C (−2 °F) to a summer maximum of 14 °C (57 °F).
[14]
Geography and hydrography
Lake Baikal is in a rift valley, created by the
Baikal Rift Zone, where the Earth's crust is slowly pulling apart.
[5]
At 636 km (395 mi) long and 79 km (49 mi) wide, Lake Baikal has the
largest surface area of any freshwater lake in Asia, at 31,722 km
2
(12,248 sq mi), and is the deepest lake in the world at 1,642 m
(5,387 ft). The bottom of the lake is 1,186.5 m (3,893 ft) below sea
level, but below this lies some 7 km (4.3 mi) of
sediment, placing the rift floor some 8–11 km (5.0–6.8 mi) below the surface: the deepest continental
rift on Earth.
[5]
In geological terms, the rift is young and active—it widens about 2 cm
(0.79 in) per year. The fault zone is also seismically active; hot
springs occur in the area and notable
earthquakes
happen every few years. The lake is divided into three basins: North,
Central, and South, with depths about 900 m (3,000 ft), 1,600 m
(5,200 ft), and 1,400 m (4,600 ft), respectively. Fault-controlled
accommodation zones rising to depths about 300 m (980 ft) separate the
basins. The North and Central basins are separated by
Academician Ridge,
while the area around the Selenga Delta and the Buguldeika Saddle
separates the Central and South basins. The lake drains into the
Angara tributary of the
Yenisei. Notable landforms include
Cape Ryty on Baikal's northwest coast.
Baikal's age is estimated at 25–30 million years, making it one of the most
ancient lakes in
geological history.
[citation needed] It is unique among large, high-latitude lakes, as its
sediments
have not been scoured by overriding continental ice sheets. Russian,
U.S., and Japanese cooperative studies of deep-drilling core sediments
in the 1990s provide a detailed record of climatic variation over the
past 6.7 million years.
[15][16]
Longer and deeper sediment cores are expected in the near future. Lake
Baikal is the only confined freshwater lake in which direct and indirect
evidence of
gas hydrates exists.
[17][18][19]
The lake is completely surrounded by mountains. The
Baikal Mountains on the north shore and the
taiga are technically protected as a national park. It contains 27 islands; the largest,
Olkhon,
is 72 km (45 mi) long and is the third-largest lake-bound island in the
world. The lake is fed by as many as 330 inflowing rivers.
[4] The main ones draining directly into Baikal are the
Selenga River, the
Barguzin River, the
Upper Angara River, the
Turka River, the
Sarma River, and the
Snezhnaya River. It is drained through a single outlet, the
Angara River.
Despite its great depth, the lake's waters are well-mixed and well-oxygenated throughout the water column, compared to the
stratification that occurs in such bodies of water as
Lake Tanganyika and the
Black Sea.
-
Lake Baikal as seen from the
OrbView-2 satellite
-
Spring ice melt underway on Lake Baikal
-
Circle of thin ice, diameter of 4.4 km (2.7 mi) at the lake's southern tip, probably caused by convection
-
-
Mountains seen from the banks of Baikal
Fauna and flora
Lake Baikal is rich in
biodiversity.
It hosts more than 1,000 species of plants and 2,500 species of animals
based on current knowledge, but the actual figures for both groups are
believed to be significantly higher.
[20][21] More than 80% of the animals are
endemic.
[21] The
Baikal seal or nerpa (
Pusa sibirica) is found throughout Lake Baikal.
[22] It is one of only three entirely
freshwater seal populations in the world, the other two being subspecies of
ringed seals.
The watershed of Lake Baikal has numerous floral species represented. The
marsh thistle,
Cirsium palustre, is found here at the eastern limit of its geographic range.
[23]
Fish
Two species of
grayling (
Thymallus baikalensis and
T. brevipinnis) are found only in Baikal and rivers that drain into the lake.
[24][25]
In total, fewer than 60 native fish species are in the lake, but more than half of these are endemic.
[20] The families
Abyssocottidae (deep-water sculpins),
Comephoridae (golomyankas or Baikal oilfish), and
Cottocomephoridae (Baikal sculpins) are entirely restricted to the lake
basin.
[20][26] All these are part of the
Cottoidea. Of particular note are the two species of
golomyanka (
Comephorus baicalensis and
C. dybowskii).
These long-finned, translucent fish typically live in open water in
depths of 100–500 m (330–1,640 ft), but occur both shallower and much
deeper. They are the primary prey of the Baikal seal and represent the
largest fish
biomass in the lake.
[27] Beyond members of Cottoidea, there are few endemic fish species in the lake.
[20]
The most important local species for fisheries is the
omul (
Coregonus migratorius), an endemic
whitefish.
[20] It is caught,
smoked, and then sold widely in markets around the lake. Also, a second endemic whitefish inhabits the lake,
C. baicalensis.
[28] The
Baikal black grayling (
Thymallus baicalensis),
Baikal white grayling (
T. brevipinnis), and
Baikal sturgeon (
Acipenser baerii baicalensis) are other important species with commercial value. They are also endemic to the Lake Baikal basin.
[24][25][29][30]
Invertebrates
The lake hosts a rich endemic fauna of invertebrates.
Epischura baikalensis is endemic to Lake Baikal and the dominating
zooplankton species there, making up 80 to 90% of total
biomass.
[31]
Among the most diverse invertebrate groups are the
turbellarian worms,
freshwater snails, and
amphipod crustaceans.
More than 350 species and subspecies of amphipods are endemic to the lake.
[21] They are exceptionally diverse in
ecology and appearance, ranging from the pelagic
Macrohectopus to the relatively large deep-water
Abyssogammarus and
Garjajewia, the tiny herbivorous
Micruropus, and the parasitic
Pachyschesis (parasitic on other amphipods).
[32]
The "gigantism" of some Baikal amphipods, which has been compared to
that seen in Antarctic amphipods, has been linked to the high level of
dissolved oxygen in the lake.
[33] Among the "giants" are several species of spiny
Acanthogammarus that are found at both shallow and large depths.
[34] These conspicuous and common amphipods are essentially carnivores (will also take
detritus), and can reach a body length up to 7 cm (2.8 in).
[32][34]
As of 2006, almost 150 freshwater snails are known from Lake Baikal, including 117 endemic species from the subfamilies
Baicaliinae (part of
Amnicolidae) and
Benedictiinae (part of
Lithoglyphidae), and the families
Planorbidae and
Valvatidae.
[35] All endemics have been recorded between 20 and 30 m (66 and 98 ft), but the majority mainly live at shallower depths.
[35] About 30 freshwater snail species can be seen deeper than 100 m (330 ft), which represents the approximate limit of the
sunlight zone, but only 10 are truly deepwater species.
[35] In general, Baikal snails are thin-shelled and small. Two of the most common species are
Benedictia baicalensis and
Megalovalvata baicalensis.
[36] Bivalve diversity is lower with more than 30 species; about half of these, all in the families
Euglesidae,
Pisidiidae, and
Sphaeriidae, are endemic (the only other family in the lake is
Unionidae with a single nonendemic species).
[36][37] The endemic bivalves are mainly found in shallows, with few species from deep water.
[38]
With almost 200 described species, including more than 160 endemics, the center of diversity for aquatic freshwater
oligochaetes is Lake Baikal.
[39] A smaller number of other freshwater
annelids are known: 13 species of
Hirudinea (leeches) and four
polychaetes.
[39] Several hundred species of
nematodes are known from the lake, but a large percentage of these are
undescribed.
[39]
At least 18 species of
sponges occur in the lake,
[40] including 14 species from the endemic family
Lubomirskiidae (the remaining are from the nonendemic family
Spongillidae).
[41] In the nearshore regions of Baikal, the largest
benthic biomass is sponges.
[40] Lubomirskia baicalensis,
Baikalospongia bacillifera, and
B. intermedia are unusually large for freshwater sponges and can reach 1 m (3.3 ft) or more.
[40][42] These three are also the most common sponges in the lake.
[40] Most sponges in the lake are typically green when alive because of
symbiotic chlorophytes (
zoochlorella), but can also be brownish or yellowish.
[43]
History
The Baikal area has a long history of human habitation. An early known tribe in the area was the
Kurykans, forefathers of two ethnic groups: the
Buryats; and the
Yakuts.
[citation needed]
Located in the former northern territory of the
Xiongnu confederation, Lake Baikal is one site of the
Han–Xiongnu War, where the armies of the
Han dynasty
pursued and defeated the Xiongnu forces from the 2nd century BC to the
1st century AD. They recorded that the lake was a "huge sea" (
hanhai) and designated it the North Sea (
Běihǎi) of the semimythical
Four Seas.
[44]
The Kurykans, a Siberian tribe who inhabited the area in the sixth
century, gave it a name that translates to "much water". Later on, it
was called "natural lake" (
Baygal nuur) by the
Buryats and "rich lake" (
Bay göl) by the
Yakuts.
[45] Little was known to Europeans about the lake until Russia expanded into the area in the 17th century. The first
Russian explorer to reach Lake Baikal was
Kurbat Ivanov in 1643.
[46]
Russian expansion into the Buryat area around Lake Baikal
[47] in 1628–58 was part of the
Russian conquest of Siberia. It was done first by following the Angara River upstream from
Yeniseysk
(founded 1619) and later by moving south from the Lena River. Russians
first heard of the Buryats in 1609 at Tomsk. According to folktales
related a century after the fact, in 1623,
Demid Pyanda, who may have been the first Russian to reach the Lena, crossed from the upper Lena to the Angara and arrived at Yeniseysk.
[48]
Vikhor Savin (1624) and
Maksim Perfilyev (1626 and 1627–28) explored
Tungus country on the lower Angara. To the west,
Krasnoyarsk on the upper Yenisei was founded in 1627. A number of ill-documented expeditions explored eastward from Krasnoyarsk. In 1628,
Pyotr Beketov first encountered a group of Buryats and collected
yasak from them at the future site of
Bratsk.
In 1629, Yakov Khripunov set off from Tomsk to find a rumored silver
mine. His men soon began plundering both Russians and natives. They were
joined by another band of rioters from Krasnoyarsk, but left the Buryat
country when they ran short of food. This made it difficult for other
Russians to enter the area. In 1631, Maksim Perfilyev built an
ostrog
at Bratsk. The pacification was moderately successful, but in 1634,
Bratsk was destroyed and its garrison killed. In 1635, Bratsk was
restored by a punitive expedition under Radukovskii. In 1638, it was
besieged unsuccessfully.
[citation needed]
In 1638, Perfilyev crossed from the Angara over the Ilim portage to the
Lena River and went downstream as far as
Olyokminsk. Returning, he sailed up the
Vitim River
into the area east of Lake Baikal (1640) where he heard reports of the
Amur country. In 1641, Verkholensk was founded on the upper Lena. In
1643,
Kurbat Ivanov went further up the Lena and became the first Russian to see Lake Baikal and
Olkhon Island. Half his party under Skorokhodov remained on the lake, reached the
Upper Angara at its northern tip, and wintered on the
Barguzin River on the northeast side.
[citation needed]
In 1644, Ivan Pokhabov went up the Angara to Baikal, becoming perhaps
the first Russian to use this route, which is difficult because of the
rapids. He crossed the lake and explored the lower
Selenge River. About 1647, he repeated the trip, obtained guides, and visited a 'Tsetsen Khan' near
Ulan Bator. In 1648, Ivan Galkin built an
ostrog
on the Barguzin River which became a center for eastward expansion. In
1652, Vasily Kolesnikov reported from Barguzin that one could reach the
Amur country by following the Selenga, Uda, and Khilok Rivers to the
future sites of
Chita and
Nerchinsk. In 1653,
Pyotr Beketov
took Kolesnikov's route to Lake Irgen west of Chita, and that winter
his man Urasov founded Nerchinsk. Next spring, he tried to occupy
Nerchensk, but was forced by his men to join
Stephanov on the Amur. Nerchinsk was destroyed by the local Tungus, but restored in 1658.
[citation needed]
The
Trans-Siberian Railway was built between 1896 and 1902. Construction of the
scenic railway around the southwestern end of Lake Baikal required 200 bridges and 33 tunnels. Until its completion, a
train ferry transported railcars across the lake from
Port Baikal to
Mysovaya for a number of years. The lake became the site of the minor
engagement between the
Czechoslovak legion and the
Red Army
in 1918. At times during winter freezes, the lake could be crossed on
foot—though at risk of frostbite and deadly hypothermia from the cold
wind moving unobstructed across flat expanses of ice. In the winter of
1920, the
Great Siberian Ice March
occurred, when the retreating White Russian Army crossed frozen Lake
Baikal. The wind on the exposed lake was so cold, many people died,
freezing in place until spring thaw. Beginning in 1956, the impounding
of the
Irkutsk Dam on the Angara River raised the level of the lake by 1.4 m (4.6 ft).
[49]
As the railway was built, a large hydrogeographical expedition headed by
F.K. Drizhenko produced the first detailed contour map of the lake bed.
[8]
| Lake Baikal |
|
|
|
Russian map circa 1700, Baikal (not to scale) is at top.
|
|
|
|
Steam locomotive on the circum-Baikal railroad.
|
|
Research
Baikal fishermen fish for 15 commercially used species. The
omul, found only in Baikal, accounts for most of the catch.
[50]
Several organizations are carrying out natural research projects on
Lake Baikal. Most of them are governmental or associated with
governmental organizations. The
Baikalian Research Centre is an independent research organization carrying out environmental educational and research projects at Lake Baikal.
[51]
In July 2008, Russia sent two small
submersibles,
Mir-1 and
Mir-2,
to descend 1,592 m (5,223 ft) to the bottom of Lake Baikal to conduct
geological and biological tests on its unique ecosystem. Although
originally reported as being successful, they did not set a world record
for the deepest freshwater dive, reaching a depth of only 1,580 m
(5,180 ft).
[52] That record is currently held by
Anatoly Sagalevich, at 1,637 m (5,371 ft) (also in Lake Baikal aboard a Pisces submersible in 1990).
[52][53] Russian scientist and federal politician
Artur Chilingarov, the leader of the mission, took part in the Mir dives
[54] as did Russian leader
Vladimir Putin.
Since 1993,
neutrino research has been conducted at the
Baikal Deep Underwater Neutrino Telescope
(BDUNT). The Baikal Neutrino Telescope NT-200 is being deployed in Lake
Baikal, 3.6 km (2.2 mi) from shore at a depth of 1.1 km (0.68 mi). It
consists of 192 optical modules (OMs).
[55]
Economy
The lake, nicknamed "the Pearl of Siberia", drew investors from the
tourist industry as energy revenues sparked an economic boom.
[56] Viktor Grigorov's Grand Baikal in
Irkutsk
is one of the investors, who planned to build three hotels, creating
570 jobs. In 2007, the Russian government declared the Baikal region a
special economic zone. A popular resort in
Listvyanka
is home to the seven-story Hotel Mayak. At the northern part of the
lake, Baikalplan (a German NGO) built together with Russians in 2009 the
Frolikha Adventure Coastline Track, a 100 km (62 mi)-long
long-distance trail as example for a sustainable development of the region. Baikal was also declared a
UNESCO World Heritage site in 1996.
Rosatom plans to build a laboratory near Baikal, in conjunction with an international
uranium plant and to invest $2.5 billion in the region and create 2,000 jobs in the city of
Angarsk.
[56]
| Tourism industry on Lake Baikal |
|
|
|
Recreational boaters on Chivyrkuisky Bay
|
|
|
|
Sportfishing boats on Lake Baikal
|
|
Lake Baikal is a popular destination among tourists from all over the
world. According to Russian Federal State Statistics Service, in 2013
79,179 foreign tourists visited Irkutsk and lake Baikal; in 2014 -
146,937 visitors. The most popular places to stay by the lake are
Listvyanka village,
Olkhon island,
Kotelnikovsky cape, Baykalskiy Priboi and Turka village. The popularity
of lake Baikal is growing from year to year, but there are no developed
infrastructure in the area. For the quality of service and comfort for
the visitors point of view, Lake Baikal still has a long way to go.
Environmental concerns
Baykalsk Pulp and Paper Mill
Baykalsk Pulp and Paper Mill
The
Baykalsk Pulp and Paper Mill was constructed in 1966, directly on the shoreline, bleaching paper with
chlorine and discharging waste into Baikal. After decades of protest, the plant was closed in November 2008 due to unprofitability.
[57][58] In March 2009, the plant owner announced the paper mill would never reopen.
[59] However, on 4 January 2010, the production was resumed. On 13 January 2010,
Vladimir Putin
introduced changes in the legislation legalising the operation of the
mill, which brought about a wave of protests of ecologists and local
residents.
[60]
This was based on Putin's visual verification from a minisubmarine, "I
could see with my own eyes — and scientists can confirm — Baikal is in
good condition and there is practically no pollution".
[61]
In September 2013, the mill underwent a final bankruptcy, with the last
800 workers slated to lose their jobs by 28 December 2013.
[62]
On 28 December 2013 the Russian Government decided to build a Russian
Nature Reserves Expo Center on the place of the paper mill.
[63]
Planned East Siberia-Pacific Ocean oil pipeline
The lake in the winter, as seen from the tourist resort of
Listvyanka: The ice is thick enough to support pedestrians and snowmobiles.
Russian oil pipelines state company
Transneft[64]
was planning to build a trunk pipeline that would have come within
800 m (2,600 ft) of the lake shore in a zone of substantial seismic
activity. Environmental activists in Russia,
[65] Greenpeace, Baikal pipeline opposition
[66] and local citizens
[67]
were strongly opposed to these plans, due to the possibility of an
accidental oil spill that might cause significant damage to the
environment. According to the Transneft's president, numerous meetings
with citizens near the lake were held in towns along the route,
especially in
Irkutsk.
[68] However, it was not until Russian president
Vladimir Putin
ordered the company to consider an alternative route 40 kilometers
(25 mi) to the north to avoid such ecological risks that Transneft
agreed to alter its plans.
[69]
Transneft has since decided to move the pipeline away from Lake Baikal,
so that it will not pass through any federal or republic natural
reserves.
[70][71] Work began on the pipeline, two days after President Putin agreed to changing the route away from Lake Baikal.
[72]
Proposed nuclear plant
In 2006, the Russian government announced plans to build the world's
first International Uranium Enrichment Centre at an existing nuclear
facility in Angarsk, 95 km (59 mi) from the lake's shores. However,
critics and environmentalists argue it would be a disaster for the
region and are urging the government to reconsider.
[73]
After enrichment, only 10% of the uranium-derived radioactive material would be exported to international customers,
[73] leaving 90% near the Lake Baikal region for storage.
Uranium tailings
contain radioactive and toxic materials, which if improperly stored,
are potentially dangerous to humans and can contaminate rivers and
lakes.
[73]
Other pollution sources
According to
The Moscow Times and
Vice_(magazine), an increasing amount of an
invasive species of
algae
thrives in the lake from hundreds of tons of liquid waste, including
fuel and excrement, regularly disposed into the lake by tourist sites,
and up to 25,000 tons of liquid waste disposed every year by local
ships.
[74] [75]
Historical traditions
An 1883 British map using the More Baikal (Baikal Sea) designation, rather than the conventional Ozero Baikal (Lake Baikal)
The first European to reach the lake is said to have been
Kurbat Ivanov in 1643.
[76]
In the past, the Baikal was referred to by many Russians as the "Baikal Sea" (
Russian:
Море Байкал,
More Baikal), rather than merely "Lake Baikal" (
Russian:
Озеро Байкал,
Ozero Baikal).
[77] This usage is attested already in the
Life of
Protopope Avvakum (1621–1682),
[78] and on the late-17th-century maps by
Semyon Remezov.
[79] It is also attested in the famous song, now passed into the tradition, that opens with the words
Славное море, священный Байкал (Glorious sea, [the] sacred Bajkal). To this day, the strait between the western shore of the Lake and the
Olkhon Island is called
Maloye More (Малое Море), i.e. "the
Little Sea".
Lake Baikal is nicknamed "Older sister of Sister Lakes (
Lake Khövsgöl and Lake Baikal)".
[citation needed]
According to 19th-century traveler T. W. Atkinson, locals in the Lake
Baikal Region had the tradition that Christ visited the area:
The people have a tradition in connection with this region which they
implicitly believe. They say "that Christ visited this part of Asia and
ascended this summit, whence he looked down on all the region around.
After blessing the country to the northward, he turned towards the
south, and looking across the Baikal, he waved his hand, exclaiming
'Beyond this there is nothing.'" Thus they account for the sterility of Daouria, where it is said "no corn will grow."[80]
Lake Baikal has been celebrated in several Russian folk songs. Two of
these songs are well known in Russia and its neighboring countries,
such as Japan.
- "The Glorious Sea – Sacred Baikal" (in Russian: Славное Mope, Священный Байкал) is about a katorga fugitive. The lyrics as documented and edited in the 19th century by Dmitriy P. Davydov (1811–1888).[81] See "Barguzin River" for sample lyrics.
- "The Wanderer" (in Russian: Бродяга) is about a convict who had escaped from jail and was attempting to return home from Transbaikal.[82] The lyrics were collected and edited in the 20th century by Ivan Kondratyev.
The latter song was a secondary
theme song for the
Soviet Union's second color film,
Ballad of Siberia (1947; in
Russian:
Сказание о земле Сибирской).
Gallery
-
-
-
Icebound shore of Baikal in early April, at
Listvyanka
-
-
Late 19th-century steam icebreaker Baikal in port
-
-
-
References
A digital elevation model of Lake Baikal region
Lake Baikal is in a rift valley, created by the Baikal Rift Zone, where the Earth's crust is slowly pulling apart.[5] At 636 km (395 mi) long and 79 km (49 mi) wide, Lake Baikal has the largest surface area of any freshwater lake in Asia, at 31,722 km2 (12,248 sq mi), and is the deepest lake in the world at 1,642 m (5,387 ft). The bottom of the lake is 1,186.5 m (3,893 ft) below sea level, but below this lies some 7 km (4.3 mi) of sediment, placing the rift floor some 8–11 km (5.0–6.8 mi) below the surface: the deepest continental rift on Earth.[5] In geological terms, the rift is young and active—it widens about 2 cm (0.79 in) per year. The fault zone is also seismically active; hot springs occur in the area and notable earthquakes happen every few years. The lake is divided into three basins: North, Central, and South, with depths about 900 m (3,000 ft), 1,600 m (5,200 ft), and 1,400 m (4,600 ft), respectively. Fault-controlled accommodation zones rising to depths about 300 m (980 ft) separate the basins. The North and Central basins are separated by Academician Ridge, while the area around the Selenga Delta and the Buguldeika Saddle separates the Central and South basins. The lake drains into the Angara tributary of the Yenisei. Notable landforms include Cape Ryty on Baikal's northwest coast.The Yenisei River basin, which includes Lake Baikal
Lake Baikal as seen from the OrbView-2 satellite
Spring ice melt underway on Lake Baikal
Circle of thin ice, diameter of 4.4 km (2.7 mi) at the lake's southern tip, probably caused by convection
Delta of the Selenga River, Baikal's main tributary
Mountains seen from the banks of Baikal
Lake Baikal is rich in biodiversity. It hosts more than 1,000 species of plants and 2,500 species of animals based on current knowledge, but the actual figures for both groups are believed to be significantly higher.[20][21] More than 80% of the animals are endemic.[21] The Baikal seal or nerpa (Pusa sibirica) is found throughout Lake Baikal.[22] It is one of only three entirely freshwater seal populations in the world, the other two being subspecies of ringed seals.The Baikal seal is endemic to Lake Baikal.
In total, fewer than 60 native fish species are in the lake, but more than half of these are endemic.[20] The families Abyssocottidae (deep-water sculpins), Comephoridae (golomyankas or Baikal oilfish), and Cottocomephoridae (Baikal sculpins) are entirely restricted to the lake basin.[20][26] All these are part of the Cottoidea. Of particular note are the two species of golomyanka (Comephorus baicalensis and C. dybowskii). These long-finned, translucent fish typically live in open water in depths of 100–500 m (330–1,640 ft), but occur both shallower and much deeper. They are the primary prey of the Baikal seal and represent the largest fish biomass in the lake.[27] Beyond members of Cottoidea, there are few endemic fish species in the lake.[20]
Russian map circa 1700, Baikal (not to scale) is at top.
Steam locomotive on the circum-Baikal railroad.
Several organizations are carrying out natural research projects on Lake Baikal. Most of them are governmental or associated with governmental organizations. The Baikalian Research Centre is an independent research organization carrying out environmental educational and research projects at Lake Baikal.[51]
Recreational boaters on Chivyrkuisky Bay
Sportfishing boats on Lake Baikal
Czech adventure tourist crosses the frozen lake
A thermal spa at Zagza in the Kabansky District
The Baykalsk Pulp and Paper Mill was constructed in 1966, directly on the shoreline, bleaching paper with chlorine and discharging waste into Baikal. After decades of protest, the plant was closed in November 2008 due to unprofitability.[57][58] In March 2009, the plant owner announced the paper mill would never reopen.[59] However, on 4 January 2010, the production was resumed. On 13 January 2010, Vladimir Putin introduced changes in the legislation legalising the operation of the mill, which brought about a wave of protests of ecologists and local residents.[60] This was based on Putin's visual verification from a minisubmarine, "I could see with my own eyes — and scientists can confirm — Baikal is in good condition and there is practically no pollution".[61] In September 2013, the mill underwent a final bankruptcy, with the last 800 workers slated to lose their jobs by 28 December 2013.[62] On 28 December 2013 the Russian Government decided to build a Russian Nature Reserves Expo Center on the place of the paper mill.[63]Baykalsk Pulp and Paper Mill
The lake in the winter, as seen from the tourist resort of Listvyanka: The ice is thick enough to support pedestrians and snowmobiles.Main article: Eastern Siberia–Pacific Ocean oil pipelineRussian oil pipelines state company Transneft[64] was planning to build a trunk pipeline that would have come within 800 m (2,600 ft) of the lake shore in a zone of substantial seismic activity. Environmental activists in Russia,[65] Greenpeace, Baikal pipeline opposition[66] and local citizens[67] were strongly opposed to these plans, due to the possibility of an accidental oil spill that might cause significant damage to the environment. According to the Transneft's president, numerous meetings with citizens near the lake were held in towns along the route, especially in Irkutsk.[68] However, it was not until Russian president Vladimir Putin ordered the company to consider an alternative route 40 kilometers (25 mi) to the north to avoid such ecological risks that Transneft agreed to alter its plans.[69] Transneft has since decided to move the pipeline away from Lake Baikal, so that it will not pass through any federal or republic natural reserves.[70][71] Work began on the pipeline, two days after President Putin agreed to changing the route away from Lake Baikal.[72]
The first European to reach the lake is said to have been Kurbat Ivanov in 1643.[76]An 1883 British map using the More Baikal (Baikal Sea) designation, rather than the conventional Ozero Baikal (Lake Baikal)
View of Lake Baikal
Shamanka, or Shaman's Rock on Olkhon Island
Icebound shore of Baikal in early April, at Listvyanka
Pod of seals on Baikal
Late 19th-century steam icebreaker Baikal in port
Baikal omul at market
No comments:
Post a Comment