Lake Baikal interesting facts for children. Lake Baikal - mysterious, mysterious, great

Security measures

During the 20th century, some efforts were made to preserve Baikal: the fight against poaching, illegal logging, laws were adopted to protect the Baikal Territory. Reserves appeared in the Baikal region and National parks. In 1916, the first Barguzinsky Reserve was created. To the best of their ability, scientific research was carried out to protect the Baikal nature.

Tipping point in conservation unique lake occurred when it received UNESCO World Heritage Site status on December 5, 1996. Obligations were imposed on Russia to preserve the unique ecosystem. Currently, a lot of work is being done to protect the Baikal nature:

• About 97 organizations deal with the problems of Baikal, 400 dissertations have been written on the topic of protecting the lake;
• 3 institutes are responsible for monitoring the state of Lake Baikal;
• to the essential work of protecting a unique corner nature, numerous environmental societies and environmental organizations have joined;
• in 2012, the federal program "Protection of Lake Baikal and socio-economic development of the Baikal natural territory for 2012-2020" was created.

The unique ecosystem of Baikal, the richest sources of resources of the Baikal flora and fauna, the beauty of its vast expanses is vitally important to preserve and protect.

Very informative article. I didn’t even suspect that there could be something unique in Russia. I was struck by the fact that the temperature on the lake differs from the surrounding areas by as much as ten degrees! It turns out that in the summer you can go there to cool down, and in the winter to warm up. Now I will definitely visit this lake, because it amazes everyone. I want to see the transparency of the waters with my own eyes.

Baikal is one of the wonders of Russia. The depth of Lake Baikal is a record. The African Lake Tanganyika, which follows it, has a depth that is 200 meters less. The reservoir is popular with tourists and explorers. Until now, the secrets of Baikal have not been fully disclosed and excite scientists.

Where is

Located almost in the center of Eurasia, in Western Siberia, on the border of the Irkutsk region and the Buryat Republic, Baikal has the shape of a huge crescent. In terms of area, it is equivalent to the Netherlands, Belgium or Denmark. Surrounded by mountains and hills, the reservoir occupies a huge pit. The question of how deep Lake Baikal is is very interesting. We will tell about this later, and now we will describe the relief of the coast. In the eastern part it is relatively flat, the mountains are tens of kilometers away. The western shore of the lake is mountainous.

The Baikal area is seismically active. Earthquakes of small magnitude occur regularly, and there are strong ones, the echoes of which are felt even in Irkutsk. So, in the second half of the 19th century, an earthquake with a force of 10 points occurred. As a result, a land plot of 200 square meters was flooded. km, where 1300 people lived. Strong tremors were noted in 1959 (9 points), in 2008 (9 points) and 2010 (6 points).

The history of the lake and the name

For a long time it was believed that the age of Baikal is 25-30 million years. But recent studies of the relief of the bottom of the lake with its mud volcanoes have shown that it is up to 150 thousand years old. In this regard, Baikal is also unique, because the average age of lakes of a similar origin is 10-15 thousand years.

The rift basin in which Baikal is located is similar in structure to the Dead Sea. Its depth is the depth of Baikal. The opinions of scientists on the formation of the basin differ.

There are 3 versions:

1. The depression is the result of a transform fault.
2. The depression arose as a result of the action of a hot mantle flow under the lake.
3. The depression was formed as a result of minor collisions of Hindustan and the Eurasian plate.

Obviously, as a result of seismic activity, the relief of the bottom of Lake Baikal is changing and is still subsiding.

The origin of the name of the lake is unclear, but all four points of view reflect the greatness of the reservoir and indirectly indicate how deep Baikal is: Japanese - "great water", Turkic - "rich lake", Mongolian - "rich fire" and Chinese - "northern sea" . In our country modern name began to be used in the 17th century, it was borrowed from the Buryats (Beigkhel): in Russian the word was assimilated and the usual pronunciation was established - Baikal.

Features of the landscape and climate

The record depth of Baikal and the vast area of ​​the watershed determine the local climate. Mild winters, but rather cool summers, long autumns and long springs - these are the climatic characteristics of the areas adjacent to the lake. Also, the weather of Lake Baikal is influenced by local specific winds, such as barguzin or kultuk. Because of the current winds, Baikal is referred to as the most restless lakes in the world.

Another remarkable property of the climate is mirages, which appear up to 7 times a year and last for 5-6 hours. They arise due to the difference in air temperature between the surface of the water and the space above it. Mirages occur due to the refraction of rays. Landscape objects can visually rise above the water surface so that the horizon is visible. Another kind of mirage is when thousands of kilometers distant natural objects approach optically.

Baikal waters: features and currents

Since ancient times, the water of the lake has fascinated the locals: they idolized it, they treated it. It is saturated with oxygen, close in composition to distilled water, and due to the action of microorganisms, it is practically devoid of minerals. The volume of Baikal water is 90% of Russia's fresh water reserves and 20% of the world's. For comparison: there is more water in our great lake than in the 5 largest American lakes combined.

The transparency of Baikal water is surprising: visibility reaches 40 meters. True, this figure can drop to 10 meters during the flowering period of plants. Depending on the time of year and the activity of plants and microorganisms, Baikal water changes its color from bright blue in cold weather to green in summer and autumn.

Baikal is saturated with 336 rivers and streams constantly flowing into it. Turka, Snezhnaya, Upper Angara, Sarma are the largest of them. The Angara is the only river flowing from Lake Baikal.

Depth indicators

How deep is Lake Baikal? It is determined by the origin and parameters of the depression in which the lake is located. The last depth studies were carried out in 1983, they were confirmed in 2002. The lake is fascinating: with an average of 730 meters, the maximum depth of Baikal is 1630 meters. There are two more lakes on Earth with a depth of more than 1000 meters: Tanganyika and the Caspian Sea. And in last water salty, not fresh. Even the average depth of Baikal is amazing - few lakes on Earth can boast a value of 730 meters.

Currents act on the surface of Lake Baikal, encircling its shores and largest islands. In certain places (the western coast of the Small Sea), the current is quite strong, so even in calm weather, ships drift. The decrease in the intensity of water movement is affected by the depth of Lake Baikal in a given place and the distance from the coastline.

Flora and fauna

Baikal is unique in its flora and fauna: two thirds of animal representatives live exclusively here. Oxygenated water provides a favorable environment for the reproduction of species. Scientists have discovered only 70% of the fauna of Baikal. Epishura crustaceans form the basis of the lake's food chain, in addition, they perform an important function of water purification - they pass it through themselves. The fauna of Baikal has 56 species of fish. Among them is a unique species - golomyanka. The fish is interesting in that it does not lay eggs, but gives birth to fry alive. The golomyanka is 43% fat; in search of food, it migrates from great depths to shallow ones.

Nerpa is the only mammal that lives on Lake Baikal.

From the plant world, sponges can be noted, which grow at great depths and are the oldest inhabitants of Baikal.

The uniqueness of the lake is recognized all over the world. Not only the depth of Baikal is taken into account, but also its unique ecosystem. The climate, geographical features of the lake attract tourists and scientists from all over the world.

A story about Lake Baikal for children on the subject of the world will help prepare for the lesson.

Lake Baikal short message

Lake Baikal is the most mysterious and enigmatic. Tourists have admired its beauty for many years. 336 rivers and streams flow into the lake.

Depth of Lake Baikal an average of 730 m. The maximum depth of the lake is 1642 m. Even at a depth of 40 m, the bottom is perfectly visible.

Where is Lake Baikal located?

Baikal is located in the southern part of Eastern Siberia. The lake is located on the territory of the Republic of Buryatia, as well as the Irkutsk region.

How old is Baikal? It is difficult to give an exact number. Scientists traditionally determine the age of the lake at 25-35 million years.

Why is Baikal considered a unique natural phenomenon?

The main wealth of the lake is water, which makes up 90% of all fresh water reserves in Russia and 20% of global reserves. It is clean and transparent, and its oxygen saturation is 2 times higher than its content in ordinary reservoirs.
There are two reasons for this phenomenon:

• The solubility of oxygen in water depends on its temperature. The lower the temperature, the more oxygen in the water. The water in Lake Baikal is very cold. At a depth of 100 m it is not more than 3-4 °C.
• Algae also oxygenate the water.

Baikal water is also purified due to the activity of planktonic crustaceans. The crustaceans filter and absorb algae and bacteria cells. And clean water is returned to Baikal. Sponges, mollusks and worms contribute to water purification by eating various dying organisms.

Lake Baikal moderates the continental climate of these areas. Accumulating the heat received during the summer months, Baikal gives it back with the onset of winter cold.
Another inexplicable phenomenon is that the shores of the lake diverge at a rate of 1.5–2 cm per year.

Animals of Lake Baikal

More than 2600 species and subspecies of animals live in the lake, half of which live only in this reservoir. This lake is the only habitat for Baikal seals (seals).
The weight of Baikal seals can reach 130 kg and on land they become clumsy and defenseless.

In the waters of Baikal there are about 50 kinds of fish(omul, grayling, sturgeon, burbot).
Near Baikal live 200 bird species(ducks, herons, waders, representatives of the eagle family).

Problems of Baikal

In 1996, Baikal was included in the UNESCO World Heritage List. But human activities and tourists cause enormous damage to the environment. As a result, the swamping of the once crystal clear Baikal reservoir has taken on rampant proportions.

Besides:

• pollute water by dumping waste from enterprises;
• The Irkutsk hydroelectric power station, built on the main source of Baikal - the Angara, causes the lake to become shallow;
• poaching leads to a decrease in the number of Baikal seals and omul, imperial eagles;
• Predatory deforestation combined with forest fires are destroying this protected area.

Lake Baikal message for grade 4 you can write using this information.

When traveling around Lake Baikal in a kayak, the last thing you think about is that now you have 20% of the world's purest fresh water reserves under you ...

This section contains basic information about the lake, and links to the Magic of Baikal pages, where you can get more detailed information. In the process of collecting information, I encountered the fact that data from different sources diverge, sometimes significantly. For example, there is still no generally accepted opinion regarding the number of islands on Baikal, the number of rivers flowing into the lake, etc. The origin of the names of capes, islands, bays and other objects is often a mystery shrouded in darkness. I tried to take information from reliable sources and point out the discrepancies and their reasons.

Geography of Lake Baikal

Lake Baikal is located in the south of Eastern Siberia. In the form of a crescent being born, Baikal stretched from southwest to northeast between 55°47" and 51°28" north latitude and 103°43" and 109°58" east longitude. The length of the lake is 636 km, the maximum width in the central part is 81 km, the minimum width opposite the Selenga delta is 27 km (between capes Goly on the western shore of Baikal and Sredny on the eastern shore). Baikal is located at an altitude of 455 m above sea level. The length of the coastline is about 1850 km. More than half of the coastline of Lake Baikal is under protection.

The area of ​​the water mirror, determined at the water's edge of 454 m above sea level, is 31,470 square kilometers. The maximum depth of the lake is 1637 m, the average depth is 730 m. Sometimes in the literature there is a statement that the maximum depth of Baikal is 1642 m. Which value is correct? The answer to this question is somewhat paradoxical - both are correct. The point is that the measurement error for such depths is about 2%; 30 meters. Therefore, it is correct to say that the greatest depth of Baikal is 1640 m.

336 permanent rivers and streams flow into Baikal, while half of the water entering the lake comes from the Selenga. The only river flowing from Baikal is the Angara. However, the question of the number of rivers flowing into Baikal is rather controversial, most likely there are less than 336 of them. There is no doubt that Baikal is the deepest lake in the world, the closest contender for this title, the African Lake Tanganyika, lags behind by as much as 200 meters. There are 30 islands on Baikal, although, as mentioned above, there is no unanimity on this issue. The largest is Olkhon Island.

Age of Lake Baikal

The age of the lake is usually given in the literature as 20-25 million years. In fact, the question of the age of Baikal should be considered open, since the use of various methods for determining the age gives values ​​from 20-30 million to several tens of thousands of years. Apparently, the first estimate is closer to the truth - Baikal is indeed a very ancient lake. If we assume that the age of Baikal is indeed several tens of millions of years, then this is the oldest lake on Earth.

It is believed that Baikal arose as a result of the action of tectonic forces. Tectonic processes are still going on, which is manifested in the increased seismicity of the Baikal region.

origin of name

Numerous scientific studies have been devoted to the problem of the origin of the word "Baikal", which indicates a lack of clarity in this matter. There are about a dozen possible explanations for the origin of the name. Among them, the most probable is the version of the origin of the name of the lake from the Turkic-speaking Bai-Kul - a rich lake. Of the other versions, two more can be noted: from the Mongolian Baigal - a rich fire and Baigal Dalai - big lake. The peoples who lived on the shores of the lake called Baikal in their own way. Evenks, for example, - Lamu, Buryats - Baigal-Nuur, even the Chinese had a name for Baikal - Beihai - the North Sea.

The Evenk name Lamu - the Sea was used for several years by the first Russian explorers in the 17th century, then they switched to the Buryat Baigal, slightly softening the letter "g" by phonetic replacement. Quite often, Baikal is called the sea, simply out of respect, for its violent temper, for the fact that the far opposite shore is often hidden somewhere in the haze ... At the same time, the Small Sea and the Big Sea are distinguished. The Small Sea is what is located between the northern coast of Olkhon and the mainland, everything else is the Big Sea.

Baikal water

Baikal water is unique and amazing, like Baikal itself. It is unusually transparent, pure and saturated with oxygen. In not so ancient times, it was considered healing, with its help, diseases were treated. In spring, the transparency of Baikal water, measured using the Secchi disk (a white disk 30 cm in diameter), is 40 m (for comparison, in the Sargasso Sea, which is considered the standard of transparency, this value is 65 m). Later, when a massive algae bloom begins, the transparency of the water decreases, but in calm weather, the bottom can be seen from a boat at a fairly decent depth. Such high transparency is explained by the fact that Baikal water, due to the activity of living organisms that live in it, is very weakly mineralized and close to distilled.

The volume of water in Baikal is about 23 thousand cubic kilometers, which is 20% of the world and 90% of Russian fresh water reserves. Every year, the Baikal ecosystem reproduces about 60 cubic kilometers of clear, oxygenated water.

Climate

The climate in Eastern Siberia is sharply continental, but the huge mass of water contained in Baikal and its mountainous surroundings create an unusual microclimate. Baikal works like a big thermal stabilizer - in winter it is warmer in Baikal, and in summer a little cooler than, for example, in Irkutsk, located at a distance of 70 km from the lake. The temperature difference is usually around 10 degrees. A significant contribution to this effect is made by forests growing on almost the entire coast of Lake Baikal.

The influence of Lake Baikal is not limited to the regulation of the temperature regime. Due to the fact that the evaporation of cold water from the surface of the lake is very small, clouds cannot form over Baikal. In addition, the air masses that bring clouds from the land heat up when passing the coastal mountains, and the clouds dissipate. As a result, the sky over Baikal is clear most of the time. This is also evidenced by the numbers: the number of hours of sunshine in the area of ​​Olkhon Island is 2277 hours (for comparison - on the Riga seashore 1839, in Abastumani (Caucasus) - 1994). You should not think that the sun always shines over the lake - if you are not lucky, you can get one or even two weeks of disgusting rainy weather even in the sunniest place of Baikal - on Olkhon, but this is extremely rare.

The average annual water temperature on the surface of the lake is +4°C. Near the coast in summer the temperature reaches +16-17°C, in shallow bays up to +22-23°C.

wind and waves

The wind on Baikal blows almost always. More than thirty local names of winds are known. This does not mean at all that there are so many different winds on Baikal, just that many of them have several names. The peculiarity of the Baikal winds is that almost all of them almost always blow along the coast and there are not as many shelters from them as we would like.

Prevailing winds: northwest, often called mountain winds, northeast (barguzin and verkhovik, also known as angara), southwest (kultuk), southeast (shelonnik). The maximum wind speed recorded on Lake Baikal is 40 m/s. Large values ​​are also found in the literature - up to 60 m/s, but there is no reliable evidence for this.

Where there is wind, there, as you know, there are waves. I note right away that the opposite is not true - the wave can be even with complete calm. Waves on Lake Baikal can reach a height of 4 meters. Sometimes values ​​​​of 5 and even 6 meters are given, but this is most likely an estimate “by eye”, which has a large error, as a rule, in the direction of overestimation. The height of 4 meters was obtained using instrumental measurements in the open sea. The excitement is strongest in autumn and spring. In the summer on Lake Baikal, strong excitement is rare, and calm often occurs.

currents

As in any sea, there are currents in Baikal. They are caused by various reasons: atmospheric pressure drops, winds, the flow of rivers flowing into Baikal, the Coriolis force.

The current velocity is only a few centimeters per second, rarely exceeding 10 cm/s, it depends on many factors and decreases with distance from the coast and with depth.

Surface current near West Bank Lake Baikal is almost always directed from north to south, and near the east - from south to north. In other words, in general, the current along the Baikal coast is counterclockwise. There is also a current along the coast of Olkhon Island. With the exception of the Olkhonskiye Vorota strait and the nearby areas of the island, it is directed clockwise. In the Olkhon Gates Strait and nearby west coast The current of the Small Sea is so strong that in calm weather the drift of the ship is clearly visible.

Fauna and flora of Baikal

There are more than 2600 species and varieties of animals and more than 1000 species of plant organisms in Baikal. New species are discovered from time to time. There is reason to believe that at present only 70-80% of the species of living organisms inhabiting the waters of Lake Baikal are known to science. In the old days, when science was not yet in a coma, an average of 10 new organisms were discovered per year. About 40% of plants and about 85% of animal species living in open Baikal are endemic; found only in Baikal. Living organisms in Lake Baikal are distributed from the surface to maximum depths.

There are 58 species of fish in the lake. The most famous are omul, whitefish, grayling, taimen, sturgeon, golomyanka, lenok. About 2000 species of plants grow on the coast of Lake Baikal. 200 species of birds nest on the shores. In Baikal there is a unique, typically marine mammal - the Baikal seal. It is assumed that she got to Baikal from Arctic Ocean during the ice age along the Yenisei and Angara. Currently, there are several tens of thousands of seals in the lake. In summer, in the central and northern parts of the lake, they can be seen quite often.