Baikal. How many times did this place flash in my head when I was choosing a place to travel, but unfortunately, I never visited this wonderful lake. Russia is a huge country and there is a lot of beauty in it. I would call our country a New Year tree, hung with beautiful toys, and on the top of the head there is a large and beautiful star. Yes, the star is Lake Baikal. But why does every Russian, at least once, want to visit there? Not only our population, but also residents of foreign countries. What attracts everyone? What is unique about this lake?
Features of the lake
The origin of this lake is tectonic. Located in the southern part of Eastern Siberia.
Uniqueness of water:
- Ecological formula.
- Acidity of water.
- Energy of melt water.
- Unique composition of water.
- The taste of clean water.
The purest water of any lake on the planet. Differs from sea water. There are several times fewer minerals than in other sources. Oxygen saturation.
Baikal is protected by UNESCO.
Unique look flora and fauna, geological objects. All of them are of great importance for the planet.
The oldest lake, about 30 million years old.
One of the deepest lakes. Its depth is 1637 meters.
Water transparency can reach 40 meters.
The eighth wonder of the world or why it is worth visiting Baikal
Definitely, from my point of view, Baikal is one of the wonders of the world. At least once in your life, it’s worth visiting this unique lake. Feel the scale of this planet. Soak up this air. Touch this water. Just enjoy your existence. Here are a few reasons why you should visit this unique creation of nature:
- Variety of terrain. Colorful landscapes.
- There are many interesting myths around this lake.
- Local settlement. Interesting culture of the peoples inhabiting this place.
- Baikalsk. Ski resort.
- Variety of local dishes.
- Flora and fauna.
There is no better place on the planet. Definitely a wonder of this planet.
The scale is amazing. Nature surprises. The features will be daunting. What could be more beautiful than mother nature? If our planet had a face, it would definitely be Baikal.
Such contrast is collected in one place. Well, isn't it unique?
Lake Baikal.
Baikal was included in the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1996 based on four natural criteria:
(vii) The property is a natural phenomenon or area of exceptional natural beauty and aesthetic importance.
(viii) The object is an outstanding example of the main stages of the history of the Earth, including a monument of the past, a symbol of ongoing geological processes in the development of relief, or a symbol of geomorphological or physiographic features.
(ix) The property is an outstanding example of ongoing ecological or biological processes in the evolution and development of terrestrial, freshwater, coastal and marine ecosystems and plant and animal communities.
(x) The property contains the most important or significant natural habitat for conservation therein biological diversity, including endangered species of exceptional global scientific and conservation value.
The lake is located in Russian Federation, on the border of the Irkutsk region and the Republic of Buryatia, stretches from northeast to southwest for 620 km in the form of a crescent. The width of Lake Baikal ranges from 24 to 80 km.
Baikal is the deepest and oldest lake on earth. The maximum depth of the lake is 1642 m. It is located at a point with coordinates 53°14′59″ N. w. 108°05′11″ E. d. (established in 1983 by the expedition of the State Budgetary Institution of National Economy of the Moscow Region, confirmed in 2002 as a result of the implementation of the Belgian-Spanish-Russian project to create a new bathymetric map Baikal)
Baikal is located in a continental depression: the lowest point of the basin lies 1187 m below sea level
The average depth of the lake is 744.4 m. The water surface of the lake covers an area 31,722 km². Reserves fresh water in Baikal - 23,615.39 km³ (about 19% of the world's lake fresh water reserves)
The geological rift system that gave rise to Lake Baikal formed during the Mesozoic period. The age of the Baikal basin is estimated at 20-25 million years. The Baikal rift zone is an area with high seismicity; earthquakes with a magnitude of one or two occur regularly here.
336 rivers and streams flow into Baikal. The largest of them are Selenga, Upper Angara, Barguzin, Turka, Snezhnaya, Sarma. One river flows out of the lake - the Angara.
(View from a height of 734 km, altitude above sea level: 952 km.)
The Holy Nose Peninsula is the largest peninsula, separating the Chivyrkuisky and Barguzinsky bays. The largest island in the lake is Olkhon. Ushkany Islands are four islands in the middle part of Lake Baikal: Bolshoi, Krugly, Tonkiy and Dolgiy. Their area is about 10 sq.m. The islands of the Chivyrkuisky Bay are Shaggy, Goly, White stone, Cormorant and Kovryazhka and the islands of the Small Sea - Izhilkhey, Yedor, Modoto, Kharantsy, Zamotay, Ogoy, Borakchin, Khubyn, Khunuk, Big and Small Toinaki.
In the north of the lake there are the islands of Yarki and Millionny.
The Ushkany Islands are known for the largest rookery of the Baikal seal. The Baikal seal is endemic to the lake and a landmark of the Transbaikal National Park.
Baikal seals.
Baby seal.
There are about 2,600 species and subspecies of living organisms in Baikal.
About 1000 species are endemic.
The most famous fish of Baikal: Baikal omul, grayling, whitefish, Baikal sturgeon, golomyanka.
The lake is home to a number of rare forms of aquatic invertebrates (sponges, amphipods).
The crustacean Baikal epishura plays a very important role in the ecosystem of the lake. This representative of a species of planktonic crustaceans, measuring 1.5 mm, consumes organic matter, passing water through its body. Being a natural filter, the Baikal epishura purifies the lake water.
On the Eastern shore of Lake Baikal there is Zabaikalsky national park, on the west coast is the Pribaikalsky National Park.
The flora of the coastal zone of Lake Baikal is represented by more than 800 plant species.
Among the approximately 50 species of mammals that live in the coastal zone in swamps, steppes and forest-steppes, in foothill and mountain forests, high mountain areas: wild reindeer, deer, elk, musk deer, wild boar, Brown bear, wolf, fox, sable, ermine, weasel, squirrel, chipmunk, marmot, otter, muskrat.
About 250 species of birds live in the Baikal region. Most rare species: peregrine falcon, osprey, golden eagle, black crane, white-tailed eagle.
The UNESCO World Heritage Committee included Lake Baikal in the list for the conservation of the unique gene pool of our planet, as the most outstanding example of a freshwater ecosystem. Baikal is the oldest (25 million years old) and deepest (1700 meters) lake in the world. Its natural reservoir stores 20% of all unfrozen fresh water in the world.
The lake is distinguished by a variety of endemic species of flora and fauna, which are of exceptional importance for modern evolutionary science. In addition, the protected conservation area of the lake contains many other natural values for humanity, including the picturesque views of the coastal areas. Last year, a UNESCO committee revised the boundaries of the protected area of the reserve zone, from which five urban industrial areas that threatened environmental pollution to the lake were excluded.
Currently in State Duma Russia is considering the adoption of a law to protect natural resources around Lake Baikal. Representatives of the UNESCO organization expressed their concerns on many issues concerning the integrity of the ecological balance of the lake, including the impossibility of chemical pollution throughout the entire area of the territories adjacent to Baikal.
Located in southeastern Siberia, Lake Baikal is the natural habitat for several freshwater endemic species, the most prominent representative of which is the Baikal seal. The wide variety of plants around Lake Baikal is explained by the climatic asymmetry of the lake, which is spread over a vast area of 3.15 million hectares. In the western part the lake is surrounded coniferous forests and mountain steppes, the eastern part is dominated by pine forests, and the northern shores are covered with deciduous trees.
The formation of geological structures in the lake basin occurred during the Paleozoic and Mesozoic eras, but some tectonic movements are still observed today, as evidenced by the many heat sources at the bottom of the lake. Baikal is considered a unique lake in the world due to the biological diversity of life forms in its waters and around the lake - 1,340 animal species (745 endemic) and 570 plant species (150 endemic). The forests around Lake Baikal are home to about 10 species of animals that are on the verge of extinction.
It’s not for nothing that scientists call Baikal the “Galapagos of Russia,” because the evolution of aquatic flora and fauna, which took place over a million centuries, is truly unique for this region. Tourists are happy to come to this remote corner of Russia, cut off from civilization, to admire the beautiful landscapes. The basin of a deep fresh lake looks stunning at any time of the day, surrounded by mountains, northern forests, tundra and steppe meadows.
The Baikal region has about 1200 historical, architectural and cultural monuments, 100 of which are under state protection. Some of these monuments are sacred relics of the local people. I really want to believe that the unique wonders of the Baikal ecosystem will be preserved for our descendants. Now the Russian government is taking many measures to solve these problems. global problems with the support of scientists from around the world.
One of the oldest lakes on the planet, its age is 25 - 30 million years. On Baikal, unlike many of the world's oldest lakes, there are no signs of aging. On the contrary, scientists suggest that Baikal is an emerging ocean. This is confirmed by the fact that its shores diverge at a speed of up to 2 cm per year, just as the continents of Africa and South America.
Located in the south of Eastern Siberia. This is the deepest lake in the world, with unique features, and the most large reservoir fresh water on the planet. It has no equal in the world in terms of age, depth, reserves and properties of fresh water, diversity and endemism of organic life. Since ancient times it has been called the sacred sea, glorious, gray and formidable. Among the many epithets we can highlight the following: “world source drinking water", "the blue eye of Siberia", "an oasis of the pristine nature of the Earth", "the sacred center of Northern Asia", "a divine creation", "a sacred gift of nature", "a natural monument with unique landscapes", "a priceless treasury of the genetic wealth of the Earth", " a miracle of limnology, a center of unique natural values." Thanks to its unique features Baikal was included in the list in 1996 World Heritage"UNESCO.
Baikal is one of the oldest lakes on the planet; scientists estimate its age at 25 - 30 million years. Most lakes, especially those of glacial and oxbow origin, live for 10-15 thousand years, and then fill with sediment and disappear from the face of the Earth. There are no signs of aging on Baikal, like many lakes in the world. On the contrary, research recent years allowed geophysicists to hypothesize that Baikal is an incipient ocean. This is confirmed by the fact that its shores diverge at a rate of up to 2 cm per year, just as the continents of Africa and South America diverge.
Among the lakes globe Lake Baikal ranks first in depth (1637 m). On Earth, only 6 lakes have a depth of more than 500 m. The depression of Lake Baikal morphologically represents three independent basins - the Southern with the greatest depth of 1430 m, the Middle (1637 m) and the Northern (920 m). The Baikal depression is asymmetrical. Its western side is distinguished by a steep underwater slope (40-50° steepness), while the eastern side is more gentle. Quite often in the literature about Lake Baikal we still find a lake depth mark of 1620 m. This depth was recorded in 1959 as a result of measurements with a cable lot. Echo sounding measurements in 1974 recorded the depth of the lake at 1637 m.
Currently, the Baikal depression is considered as the central link of the Baikal rift zone, which arose and developed simultaneously with the global rift system (Florensov, 1978). Geophysicists have put forward a hypothesis about the divergence of the shores of Lake Baikal at a rate of 2 cm per year. The Baikal depression is slightly wider than the modern lake, but much deeper. The depth of the depression is determined by the height of the mountains above it, the depth of the lake and the thickness of the bottom sediments lining its bottom. The deepest point of the lake's bottom sediments is located at a depth of approximately 6 - 8 thousand m below the level of the world ocean. The “roots” of the depression cut through the entire earth’s crust and go into the upper mantle to a depth of 50-60 km. Research indicates an abnormally high heating of the subsoil under Lake Baikal. This is the deepest basin on earth.
The Baikal region has high seismicity - it is one of the most seismically active inland areas of the planet. Strong earthquakes occur with a frequency of 7 points - 1-2 years, 8 points - 5 years. In 1862, during a ten-magnitude earthquake in the northern part of the Selenga delta, a land area of 200 square meters went under water. km with 6 uluses, in which 1,300 people lived, and a new Gulf of Proval was formed. Weak earthquakes are recorded almost daily. Every year their number reaches 2 thousand or more. Scientists call Baikal "the ancient crown of Asia"
Baikal is surrounded on all sides by mountains. Along the entire length of the western shore, mountain ranges approach Lake Baikal and drop almost vertically into the water. The highest peaks of mountain ranges: Primorsky ridge - Three-headed char (1728 m), Baikal ridge - Mount Chersky (2572 m), Barguzin ridge - highest point (2840 m), Khamar-Daban - Mount Khan-Ula (2371 m).
In terms of area, Baikal (31,500 sq. km) ranks eighth in the world among lakes and is approximately equal to the area of a country such as Belgium.
Baikal is the largest reservoir of fresh water on the planet (23 thousand cubic km), which exceeds the volume of water contained in the five Great Lakes of North America - Superior, Michigan, Huron, Erie, Ontario combined, or 2 times more than in Lake Tanganyika. About 20% of the world's reserves of fresh lake water on the planet are concentrated in the Baikal basin (excluding glaciers, snowfields and ice, where the water is in a solid state).
In the spring, after the lake is freed from ice, the water transparency reaches 40 m, which is tens of times more than in other lakes. For example, in the Caspian Sea, water transparency is 25 m, in Issyk-Kul - 20 m. On Lake Baikal, a silver coin thrown into the water can be traced to a depth of 30-40 m.
The climate of Lake Baikal and its coast has features of a marine climate and differs significantly from the climate of the surrounding area. The huge water masses of the lake in the summer warm up to a depth of 200-250 m and, like a battery, accumulate a large number of heat. Therefore, winters on Lake Baikal are milder and summers are cooler than in the rest of Siberia. The difference in air temperature between Irkutsk and the coast of Lake Baikal during the daytime can reach 8-10°C. The absolute maximum during the period of meteorological observations in Irkutsk reached +36°С, the absolute minimum -50°С. The remoteness of Irkutsk from the seas and its location in the center of the Asian continent give the climate a sharply continental character. Maximum daily temperature differences can exceed 30°C.
Baikal is a World Heritage Site natural heritage. In 2016 it will be 20 years since Lake Baikal was included in the World Natural Heritage List. This happened on December 5, 1996 by decision of the 20th session of the UNESCO World Heritage Committee, held in the Mexican city of Merida. Russia has submitted an application to include Lake Baikal on the World Natural Heritage List.
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To be included on the Natural World Heritage List, a candidate site must satisfy at least one of four criteria:
- be an outstanding example representing the main stages of the development of the Earth, including evidence of ancient life, significant geological processes in the formation of landforms, geomorphological and physiographic elements of significant importance;
- or be an outstanding example representing ecological and biological evolutionary processes, the development of ecosystems and terrestrial, riverine, coastal and marine plant and animal communities;
- or constitute a natural phenomenon or area of exceptional aesthetic significance;
- or contain habitats of the most representative and important species for the conservation of biological diversity, including those habitats containing species of outstanding global significance from the point of view of science and conservation, and those that are threatened with extinction.
Baikal satisfied all four criteria.
Of the thousands of natural objects contained in the List, just over a dozen meet four criteria.
The decision adopted by the UNESCO Committee noted:
Lake Baikal is a classic case of a World Heritage site, satisfying all four natural criteria.
Baikal itself is the main object of the nomination. The lake's features, largely hidden from view by water, are of major scientific and conservation value. The lake is surrounded by mountain taiga landscapes and specially protected natural areas, mostly preserved in their natural state and of additional value.
Lake Baikal is a limnological miracle and a territory with the following excellent qualities:
- The geological rift system that gave rise to Lake Baikal formed during the Mesozoic period. Lake Baikal is the oldest and deepest lake on Earth. Various tectonic forces still continue to operate, as evidenced by the release of thermal flows from the depths of the lake.
- The evolution of aquatic organisms that occurred throughout this long period led to the formation of a unique endemic flora and fauna.
- Lake Baikal is the “Galapagos Islands of Russia” and is of exceptional value for the study of evolution.
- The picturesque landscape around the Baikal basin with mountain ranges, boreal forests, tundra, lakes, islands and steppes provides an exceptionally picturesque environment for Lake Baikal.
- Baikal is the largest reservoir of fresh water on Earth (20% of all world reserves), which further characterizes it as a unique phenomenon.
- Lake Baikal is one of the most biodiverse lakes on Earth, containing 1,340 animal species (745 endemic) and 570 plant species (150 endemic). The forests surrounding the lake contain 10 species of plants listed in the Red Book of the International Union for Conservation of Nature, and a full composition of typical boreal species is represented.”
When Baikal was included in the World Natural Heritage List, the Russian leadership was given special recommendations:
- adopt the Federal Law on Lake Baikal;
repurpose the Baikal Pulp and Paper Mill in order to eliminate it as a source of pollution; - reduce the discharge of pollutants into the Selenga River;
- increase resource support for the activities of nature reserves and national parks adjacent to the lake;
- continue support scientific research and monitoring on Lake Baikal.
