BAIKAL AREA

Lake Baikal is a unique natural formation on the Earth. There is no inquisitive man on the Planet who has not heard that in Siberia there is a wonder - Lake Baikal. But how well we are informed about this huge beautiful lake? It is known, that Lake Baikal differs with its original peculiarities from other world's freshwater lakes. It is the deepest (more than 1637 m) continental water-body on the Planet and contains 23,600 km2 of water or about 20% of the Earth's unfrozen surface freshwaters. The bottom of the lake is 1182 m bellow the level of the world ocean. The Baikal waters have an exclusive transparency (that is maximum in general for lakes) and minimum mineralization and suspended particles of various composition. An outstanding feature of Lake Baikal, consisting in both riches and originality of its fauna and flora, attracts attention of experts all around the world. 80% of 2635 known species and subspecies of hydrobionts in the lake are found nowhere else, that means they are endemic. But there are many other quantitative characteristics of the Lake which surprise with their unique parameters. For example, who knows (except of specialists, of course) that 300,000,000 omuls and about 100,000 Baikal seals inhabit the lake. It also seems to be unusual: such a great number of virus microorganisms living in the surface water layer and reaching n x 106 particles per 1 ml of water, or the number of cianobacteria which constitute up to 7 x 10s cells per 1 mg of water.

There is another one remarkable feature that distinguishes it from the other geological structures of the Globe. Thus if we add the highest altitude of the mountain ranges that border the lake (2840 m) to its maximum depth (1637 m) and to an estimated maximum sediment thickness of the Baikal basin (8500 m) we will find that the amplitude of the Earth's Crust trough under the lake (12977 m) is about 2 km. deeper than the deepest point of the ocean floor - Mariana Trench (11022 m). Such deep rift faults were found nowhere else on the Earth's continents.

"Glorious Sea, Sacred Baikal". The words of this popular folksong have been known for more than a century. There are quite a number of seas in this country: The Black Sea, the White Sea, the Baltic Sea, the Caspian Sea. But none of them has ever been honoured with such poetic, tender words as "glorious sea". Only this, Baikal the Father, the Siberian Lake - Sea has.

One should not just measure Baikal, for instance as "one fifth of the world's fresh water reserves". Lake Baikal is not a mere reservoir that contains H2O. First and foremost it is an ineffable miracle on a scale which amazes and defies comprehension. And though all reference-books define it as a "lake", the word "sea" comes to mind when looking at Baikal. Its dimensions cannot but impress, and the figures are not sufficient enough to convey what one really feels on its shores.

Swiftly roaring down high ridges to the lake, many streams and rivers have cut through the mountains deep, narrow, dark canyons. In the places where the streams come across hard rock ledges they make up picturesque cascades.

On the steep slopes to the height of 600-800 m above the lake level the taiga rises. Up the slope, forests are replaced by sparse growth of trees and higher up stretches out the tundra.

The water of the lake is distinguished by its extraordinary clarity and cleanness. The colour of the water depends greatly on this clarity. The deepwater area of the Lake is indigo like that of deep seas, with the decrease of clarity the water gets bluish-greenish and in August - September at the time of plankton growth it becomes greenish-grey. The fishermen usually call such waters "white" or "grey", and transparent waters they would call "golomyannye" (as transparent as golomyanka fish, the endemic fish of Baikal).

Throughout the immense time of its existence Baikal, sheltering a unique community of life, has outlived many other natural phenomena. It does not cease to surprise explorers step by step revealing its mysteries and astonishing them with new riddles.

General Information

As other natural phenomena on Lake Baikal, the weather here has a range of peculiarities that one can hardly call comfortable. The main feature of the Baikal weather is its changeability and contrast created by the combination of orographic, hydrological, atmospheric characteristics and topography of the basin. The lake being located in the centre of Eastern Siberia with its continental climate characterized by sharp contrasts between summer and winter temperatures, has some signs of a maritime climate. Seasonal temperature variations of this climate are smoothed over. Thus, there is a comparatively mild winter and cool summer. The difference between the Baikal climate and the climate of Eastern Siberia becomes quite obvious when for instance, comparing the temperatures in Irkutsk and on the lake. Though the distance between them is only 70 km, in December, while it is - 25-30°C in Irkutsk, it is only -15-20°C in Listvenichnyi Bay. But in July, when it is 25 30°C in Irkutsk, it is only 15 20°C ashore Baikal.

Average annual air temperature:

• Southern part -0.7°C
• Central part -1.6°C
• Northern part -3.6°C
• Average annual air temperature in Peschanaya (Sandy) Bay (the warmest place in East Siberia) 0.4°C

Average air temperature above the open surface of Baikal:

• winter -25°C
• summer 17°C

Though the annual range of temperature on the lake is not so wide and there are only a few hot summer days, one cannot complain of the shortage of sunshine. The annual sunshine exceeds 2 300 hours which is more than in Mineralnye Vody (the Caucasus) where it is estimated at 2000 hours.

By rights, Lake Baikal can be called a sunny region. The sun shines brightly above the lake till late autumn.

A comparatively mild winter, cool summer and abundance of sunny days are true merits of the Baikal climate considered in view of the average annual temperature and hours of sunshine. One should also bear in mind a singular characteristic of the Baikal weather - its changeability. Lake Baikal combines climatic features of the Crimea and the Okhotsky Sea coast (Far East). As the Baikal climatologist N.P. Ladyeishchikov emphasizes, even neighbouring points may differ in weather as much as if they were separated by hundreds of kilometers.

Legends & Fairy tales of the Lake's Origin

1: "It is said that a huge stone fell from the sky like they do now, sometimes. While it was falling it became red hot. When it hit the earth there was a great rainfall. Earth, stone, and water came to a boil and in that turmoil Lake Baikal was born."

2: The insufficiently known Arabian Cosmo- graphy "Creation Wonders" (the 12th century) reads about Baikal: "It is a sea of remarkably transparent and tasty water. It lies behind the Diamond Sea. The Most High has made it in the form of two joined horns. It has sprung up from an underground crevice. And it has been and it will be moaning till the Last Judgement. And the sea is always rough and enraging...".

"And God saw: "The land has appeared cold, I am afraid it may feel hurt!" And not to offend the land, gave God the Lord not just a bedding but a bountiful measure of his, the measure by which he measured everything he had. And the measure fell down and turned into Lake Baikal..."

3: In ancient times the place where Lake Baikal now is, was covered a dense forest. There was so much game that it was difficult for man to pass through it. And among birds there was one, as big as a sturgeon. Its wings were huge and strong, and if it touched a tree, the tree would fall down with its roots up, and if it touched a rock the rock would fly to bits.

The people were afraid of the bird, but they could not kill it as when it flew by, hot rays it eradiated, made hunters fall in a dead faint.

But a man was born. He grew before the people's eyes. Soon he grew up as strong as Hercules and feared nothing. The people came and asked him to save them and kill that monstrous fiery bird. The hero listened to them. From 100 trees he made a bow, from 200 stems he cut out an arrow and set off hunting. Shortly after the Earth shuddered. And the bird fell down and a fire broke out, and it was hot in the skies.

The people left the taiga for the mountains and saw water columns through the flames. And a sea appeared on that place. While the Earth and the taiga were burning, the people "were crying out: "Baikal, Baikal". Since that time the place has been called Baikal. Nobody knows for sure what the people meant by that word, either that bird, or the big fire, or the word meant "much water"... All the people remember that the place is called Baikal.

THE FACE OF BAIKAL – NERPA (Baikal seal)

Baikal is one of the few continental reservoirs inhabited by "nerpa" (the Baikal seal). It is still a great mystery how nerpa appeared in the centre of the Asian continent, if its relatives live in the northern arctic regions. Some scientists consider that it was pushed southward from the Arctic Ocean by advancing polar ice during the Ice Age when oceanic waters carved out the Yenisey valley up to the mouth of the Tunguska River. Baikal seals are known to go up rivers and rise rather high up with their streams, and sometimes they may even take an overland trip from one river to another. Add to this fact, the chromosomic analyses and other data are in favour of the nerpa being an arctic-sea seal. Anyway, there are many differences that the nerpa has to other seals. First, Baikal seals are more graceful, especially females. Second, they differ from others by the silver-grey colour of the skin. And, finally, they have 2 more litres of blood which enables the nerpa to do without fresh air for almost 70 minutes. According to the observations of workers of the Limnological Institute, nerpa is able to dive at a depth of almost 300 m.

Lake Baikal forms an ideal habitat for nerpa - plentiful food, mainly golomyanka fish and bullheads; an ice regime that creates the optimum conditions for nerpa's breeding and moult cycle, and rather large and deep water body.

Since ancient times nerpa has been an important resource for man. It valued for its wonderful fur, median fat and soft meat. According to the archaeologists' data, since time immemorial nerpa has been attracting people to the Baikal shores. Once nerpa was used as an object of barter and was also regarded as a totem.

Nerpa is a big animal, it grows about 120-150 cm long and can weigh as much as 100-120 kg; it has a long life span. Specimens that appear to at the age of 50 and even older have been found.

In the lifetime of a female, after a gestation period of 11 months, it can give birth to about twenty young ones. In winter time, when the lake is covered by the thick layer of ice, the seal makes holes in the ice by its sharp claws. Nearby, in a snowy den, it gives birth to one or, rarely, to two seal-calves. At first, they are of yellow-green colour. Two weeks later they turn white, and later they acquire a noble silver-grey tint of colour. As usual seal calves are born at the end of winter or the beginning of spring. The seal-mother suckles her young ones for one and a half months to two months.

Seals live throughout Baikal but mostly in the northern section. In summer time the seals are dispersed all over the lake. In late autumn and at the end of spring the animals keep themselves to ice floes. The seals usually spend the winter under ice. Each animal keeps open some air-holes. Often they are well hidden by snow-drifts or ice hummocks. Thus, it is an out of sight lair ("logovo"), where nerpa rests.

Nerpa feeds mainly at night-time, as golomyanka fish, its favourite food, only concentrate after dark in the upper layer, 100 m deep, which is accessible for nerpa. At daytime the fish submerge to great depths.

The average daily intake of a grown-up nerpa is about 3-4 kg of fish. So, throughout the year the nerpa eats up more than a ton of fish, mainly golomyanka. Man has often accused nerpa of aiding the extinction of omul. But the pursuit of omul requires considerable energy on the part of the seal. And nerpa prefers when available, the rather immobile golomyanka fish an bullheads.

Nerpa is the only mammal endemic to Lake Baikal. At present the number of seals is estimated at around 60 000 heads (according to information gained by researchers E. Petrov and M. Ivanov, nerpa's population is no less than 100,000 animals.)

GEOLOGICAL & Geophysical Data

Geological age of Lake Baikal:
Pre-rift (pre-baikalian) period (Cretaceous-Late Eocene): 70 - 35 million years
Rift period: 30 - 0 million years
a) protobaikalian (early baikalian) stage (Oligocene - Early Pliocene): 30 - 3.5 million years
b) neobaikalian (proper baikalian) stage (Pliocene - Holocene): 3.5 - 0 million years

The age of deposits on the Baikal shores:
Tompuda River moraine: 39000 years
Rel River moraine: 25580 years /- 350 years
Chernozems silts on the first baikalian terraces (Holocene optimum) approximately: 7000 years
Peat bogs of Chivirkuy Bay: 10000 - 12000 years