Lake Baikal

PRESENTATION ON THE TOPIC: "LAKE BAIKAL" 9С student Gymnasium №2 Sidorenko Anastasia

Lake Baikal is a lake of tectonic origin in the southern part of Eastern Siberia, the deepest lake on the planet, the largest natural reservoir of fresh water and the largest fresh water lake on the continent. The lake and coastal areas are characterized by a unique diversity of flora and fauna, most of the species is endemic.

The origin of Baikal still causes scientific disputes. Scientists traditionally determine the age of the lake in 25-35 million years. This fact also makes Baikal a unique natural object, as most of the lakes, especially of glacial origin, live on average 10-15 thousand years, and then are filled with muddy sediments and swamped.

The lake has 2,630 species, subspecies and varieties of animals and aquatic plants. 2/3 of them are endemic, living only in this water body. Scientists explain the large number of living organisms in the lake by the fact that the Baikal water column in all layers contains a high oxygen content. About 1000 species, 96 births, 11 families and subfamilies belong to endemics of Baikal. 27 species of fish living in the lake are not found anywhere else.

Gentian Lingonberry

One of the problems of flora and fauna conservation in the Baikal natural area is poaching. One of the objects of illegal mining is the Baikal seal and especially its cubs - white-coats. In order to attract public attention to the problems of seal population reduction, Seal Day was established in 2003. In 2011 the number of spawning omulas caught by poachers doubled on Baikal[95]. Poachers' catch accounts for more than half of all fish caught in the lakе.