The greatest sculptor and architect of all time is nature. The forms created by her are unique and unique, and their scale constantly reminds humanity of greatness, beauty and strength. The territory of Russia is very large, which is why in its open spaces there are many wonderful creations of nature. The history of their occurrence is often associated with various myths and legends that are of interest to thousands of people from around the world. The Russian miracle of nature - Lake Baikal - attracts a huge number of tourists and researchers due to its unique characteristics.
Occurrence
To this day, the origin of the lake and its age cause controversy among scientists. Baikal is the oldest body of water on Earth, its formation took place more than 30 million years ago, while the same type of formation of lake of glacial origin "live" no more than 10-15 thousand years. During this time, irreversible processes of siltation or waterlogging occur. In this sense, Baikal is a miracle of nature, its waters are transparent, have the lowest level of pollution by organic and mineral compounds, and the coastline is gradually changing upwards. The stone bowl, which contains the largest volume of fresh water on the planet, is surrounded on almost all sides by mountain slopes. This deepest basin located on land, according to many scientists, goes through the earth's crust to the upper layers of the mantle. Therefore, it is generally accepted that tectonic processes entailed the formation of a reservoir. When and how this ancient sea arose, remains to be seen, but the nature of Lake Baikal raises many questions for mankind.
Geography
In the expanses of Eastern Siberia, from the north-east to the south-west there is a crescent water surface. Lake Baikal is located in central Asia on the border of the Republic of Buryatia and the Irkutsk region. Its length is 630 km, the width varies from 25 to 80 km. The water area is comparable with the territory of some European states (Holland, Belgium), it is about 32, 000 square meters. km The coastline often changes; its maximum length is fixed at around 2, 200 km. The bottom relief is diverse, there are coastal shelves and underwater ridges, but today Lake Baikal is the deepest lake on the planet. Hydrographic studies and acoustic sounding of the bottom are carried out regularly. According to the latest confirmed data, the maximum depth is 1642 meters, with an average value of more than 700 meters. The second place among deep-sea lakes is occupied by Tanganyika and the Caspian (Caspian Sea).
Research
The nature of Lake Baikal at all times amazed people with its primitiveness, diversity and monumentality. The first information about the lake dates back to the 16th century, at which time Siberia attracted researchers as an inexhaustible source of furs, ores of precious metals and stones. The Russian embassies sent to China, for the first time, put the great "Ocean Sea" on the map. At the same time, N. Spafaria for the first time describes the reservoir as Lake Baikal, the flora and fauna of its coast. Since the formation of the Russian Academy of Sciences (1723), by decree of Peter 1, a focused study of the reservoir, the properties of its water, origin, flora and fauna begins. Archaeologists, historians, folklorists, geologists, ecologists conduct fundamental research on Lake Baikal, which to this day is full of mysteries.
Water and ice
Baikal water is saturated with oxygen, it contains a very small percentage of organic and mineral compounds and can be used as distilled. In spring, it is as transparent as possible, transmits the rays of the sun, has a blue tint, objects located at the bottom can be seen at a depth of 40 meters. The temperature of the water masses varies depending on the depth: in the summer, the bottom layers warm up to +4 0 С, the surface layers up to + 9 0 С, and in shallow bays the maximum value is +15 0 С. Due to the formation of a large amount of bioplankton on the surface, the water acquires a greenish tint, its transparency drops to 8 meters. Ice on Lake Baikal is the subject of study by many scientists. Its thickness reaches a mark of 1-1.5 meters, while it is transparent. In the coastal regions, shallow water and grottoes form in shallow water; at low temperatures, ice cracks with a characteristic sound resembling a shot or thunder. Unique ice Baikal "hills" are cone-shaped formations with a hollow middle, their height can reach 6 meters. Holes in the hills are located away from the shore. Hills can form peculiar mountain ranges or be located one at a time.
Seismic activity
Weak earthquakes (1-2 points) are constantly observed on Lake Baikal. Tectonic processes change the topography and coastal zone. Stronger earthquakes occur quite regularly, their consequences depend on the strength of the shocks. In 1862, as a result of one of them with a capacity of 10 points, the Selenga delta changed, a large populated land area went under water. The last recorded earthquake with a magnitude of 6 points was recorded in 2010. Probably, tectonic processes are associated with the growth of the lake. So, it increases annually by 2 cm.
Inflow and drain
The volume of fresh Baikal water is about 24, 000 km 3, more is found only in the Caspian Sea, but it is salty. The Siberian Sea is fed by a large influx of streams and rivers. Their approximate amount is 330-340 pieces and depends on the time of year. In the spring, during the snowmelt on the surrounding mountain slopes, the number of streams increases significantly. The largest water arteries of Lake Baikal include the Selenga River (brings in half the volume of the entire tributary), Barguzin, Upper Angara, Turk, Sarma, etc. The decrease in volume occurs due to the natural process of evaporation from the surface of the lake. The main runoff occurs in the Angara. By the way, many legends and legends are associated with this river. The people call her beauty, the only daughter of the old Baikal.
Flora and fauna
The nature of Baikal is diverse and unique. The rocky slopes are covered with forest thickets, which are inhabited by a large number of animals: bears, deer, foxes, eagles, etc. In total, scientists number about 2650 species of animals and plants, with 65-70% of them not found in the global ecosystem, i.e.. are endemic. The uniqueness of the animal kingdom of the lake itself is explained by its oxygen saturation throughout its depth and the ability to self-clean. The crustacean epishura (zooplankton), Baikal seal, viviparous fish, Golomyanka, omul, sturgeon, grayling, bottom sponges give an idea of the diverse fauna of the lake. The huge mass of lake flora consists of algae that live in various conditions (diatoms, golden, blue-green). The bottom layers, even at the maximum depths, are densely populated, organic matter serves as a source of nutrition for deep-sea inhabitants. According to many indicators (age, water properties, depths, unique animals and plants), the lake is a unique ecosystem on a global scale, which is why protecting the nature of Lake Baikal is one of the priority areas of activity of our state.
Ecology
The clash of rapidly growing civilization and pristine nature, as a rule, ends with the victory of the technogenic world. 150 years ago, the banks of the reservoir were impenetrable forests, which travelers were afraid to enter because of the large number of bears. Today, massive deforestation, river and air pollution, and poaching have threatened the existence of such a unique ecosystem as the nature of Lake Baikal. Enormous damage is caused by the factories located on the coast and large towns and cities. A huge step to preserve the lake was the closure of the pulp and paper mill and the transfer of the pipeline to a safe distance from the water area. The level of water pollution by organic and inorganic compounds is very high due to the inflow of the Selenga River. Industrial and urban effluents, oil products are discharged along its course and fall into Lake Baikal. Environmental protection and the protection of the ecological system are currently carried out on the basis of the federal law adopted in 1999. It regulates the types of activities that are allowed to be carried out on the lake. In fact, all coastal zones and Lake Baikal itself should become a huge reserve, in which civilized conditions for recreation, tourism and ecosystem exploration will be organized. In 1996, the lake was included in the UNESCO World Heritage List, that is, it received the status of a monument protected by humanity.
