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Nikki Yang | Geography 308

Nikki Yang | Geography 308. Lake Baikal “Sacred Sea”. Southeastern Siberia, Republic of Buryatia. Lake Characteristics. 25-30 million years old, deepest (1,700m) lake in the world. 636 km long by 80 km wide, 2100 km of coastline, made up of 3 underwater depressions.

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Nikki Yang | Geography 308

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  1. Nikki Yang | Geography 308

  2. Lake Baikal “Sacred Sea” • Southeastern Siberia, Republic of Buryatia

  3. Lake Characteristics • 25-30 million years old, deepest (1,700m) lake in the world. • 636 km long by 80 km wide, 2100 km of coastline, made up of 3 underwater depressions. • 20% of the world’s fresh water. • Numbers of islands in the lake, the largest one is Olkhon. • Over 3 hundred rivers and streams flow into Baikal. • Deepest point is 1637 m; its clarity allows 40-50 m of visibility. http://www.fotobaikal.narod.ru/images/Baikal/kruiz01.jpg http://www.fotobaikal.narod.ru/images/Baikal/kruiz08.jpg

  4. Climatic Conditions • January & February = -19 C, August = +11 C • Surface water temperature on the open part of the lake in August is +9 to 12 C near the shore it is sometimes as high as +20 C • Freezes in January with an ice thick of 70-115 cm • Precipitation • Middle and North 200-350 mm • South 500-900 mm http://www.fotobaikal.narod.ru/images/Baikal/kruiz05.jpg

  5. Buryat History • The earliest written accounts of Lake Baikal occur in Chinese texts. • Russians colonized in 1600’s and intermixed with the Buryats. • The Republic of Buryatia lies along the eastern shore of Baikal. • Created by Soviets in 1923 with the joining of Buryat-Mongol and Mongol-Buryat Oblasts. • Remained as minority republic within Russia after 1991 • Capital = Ulan-Ude • Population = 386,000 http://www.visitsiberia.com/images/maps/reg4.gif

  6. The Buryats • Largest ethnic minority group in Siberia • Mongol descent • Engaged in hunting, fishing, gathering, intensive cattle-breeding. http://www.badma-seseg.ru/photo02.html

  7. Religions of the Buryats Shamanism • Decline of Shamanism • 1930 Killings and Imprisonment by Stalin • Healing substantiated http://www.sarahleen.com/contents/images/stories-cgi/Baikal/12BuddhistMonks Buddhism • Originated from Mongolia • Influenced by Lamas • Buddhist Center – Ivolginsk Datza • The first Buddhist women’s cloister http://www.baikaler.com/photos/shamaningbig.jpg

  8. Olkhon Island • Biggest Island of Baikal and the lake's energetic center • The Buryats see both the lake and Olkhon Island as Sacred • Picturesque landscapes, sandy bays, steep capes with unusual shapes make Olkhon a place to treasure. • The lake is also a strong symbol of Siberian Russian identity. http://www.baikalex.com/travel/olkhon.html

  9. Animals and Plants • 1200different species of animals and 1000 species of plants • 80% of the species at Baikal are endemic(Native) • Most unique animal Nerpa Seal • Epishura zooplanktons and small crustaceans responsible for the clarity of Baikal’s water. http://www.irkutsk.org/baikal/under.htm http://userpage.fu-berlin.de/~rpeter/images/travel/nerpa.jpg

  10. Plants • Larches • Alpine Plants • Cedars • Vascular Plants http://baikal.irkutsk.org/plants/page_01.htm

  11. Invertebrates & Fishes • Most diverse communities – Benthic invertebrate populations • Gammarids • Oligocheates • Mollusks http://www.ermiksson.net/~laura/aqua/pics/omul.jpg • 50 edible species of fish • Salmon • Sturgeon • Grayling • Omul http://oceanexplorer.noaa.gov/projects/alaskatools01/media/benthos_600.jpg

  12. Animals • 2500 species of animals • 82% are endemic (native) • 14 endemic families with 100 geniuses • Brown Bear • Siberian Chipmunk • Reindeer • Elk • Moose • Deer • White Tailed Eagle • Grey Heron • Black Headed Gull http://www.fond-ecran.org/1024/D-heron-1024.jpg http://www.nationalgeographic.com/wildworld/profiles/terrestrial/pa/pa0601_pto.html http://www.teuva.fi/maisema/dk02/larrid10603.jpg

  13. Animal Poaching • Poaching is a growing problem • Hunting • Illegal trade in pelts and skins • Decline of animals • Brown Bear • Deer • Moose • Elk • Nerpa • Habitat destruction http://userpage.fu-berlin.de/~rpeter/images/travel/nerpa.jpg http:www.sbaikal.pp.ru/eng/baikal/anmials.html Nerpa Fur http://www.reapintl.com/photos/feb-apr2003/studententerprises/evenkmuseum/images/nerpa%20fur.jpg

  14. Economy http://www.sarahleen.com/contents/images/stories-cgi/Baikal/Baikal.html • Industries • Machinery • Aviation • Forestry • Mining • Baikal is the base of Russian economic expansion towards Far East • Irkutsk Oblast – Chief administrative and Economic Center of Siberia • Industrial-Agricultural and Commercial Territory • Producing • Wheat • Vegetables • Textiles • Natural resources • Unique Nature • Healthy Springs • Wild Forest • Different Furs • Wonderful Recreational Possibilities

  15. Ecological Problems • Human environmental Impacts • Construction of the Irkutsk Dam. • Intensive industrial development • The Paper-and-Pulp Mill • Polluted the surrounding region and threatens pristine conditions that existed for centuries. • Produces bleached cellulose that is used in clothing manufacture. • Produces chemicals and effluent that threaten more then 1,500 species unique to the lake. • Air Pollution • Selena River

  16. Laws and Protection • Lake Baikal was earliest case of Soviet Environmental Movement, 1960’s. • Russian State Committee of Environmental Protection • Federal Forestry • 1993 Baikal Commission • Federal Law “About Safety of Lake Baikal” (passed in 1999). http://www.fotobaikal.narod.ru/images/gal28/b11.jpg

  17. Sources • Lake Baikal Guidebook • http://baikal.eastsib.ru/ • Baikal Explorer • http://baikalex.com/ • Living Lakes • http://www.livinglakes.org/partnership.htm • Baikal Web World • http://www.bww.irk.ru/index.html • Lake Baikal Homepage • http://www.irkutsk.org/baikal/index.html

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