Page 9 - Microsoft Word - geo class task.docx

Case study: Lake Baikal in Russia

Lake Baikal, the world’s oldest and deepest freshwater lake, curves for nearly 400
miles through south-eastern Siberia, north of the Mongolian border. On world
heritage list

Functioning
Describe the functioning of the ecosystem
(animals, plant, biophysical interactions).

Plants

• There are about 3500 species of plants
and animals in Lake Baikal and about
84% of them are endemics, which
means that they can be found in Baikal
only. According to the scientists’

research there are even more unknown
species, as new varieties of organisms
and plants are continuously developing
in the lake.
• Baikal has more than 1000 species of
aquatic flora! Besides the algae, about
20 species of flowering plants have
been found here.

Animals

• The most famous endemic of the lake is
a fresh-water seal, locally called
“nerpa”. It has always been of
great interest. Nerpa lives up to 55-60

years, while the average age of other
seals from European lakes is only 30-35
years. It can stay under the water for
about 70 minutes.
• Plant and animal life in the lake is rich
and various. There are between 1,500
and 1,800 animal species at different
depths
• There are some 50 species of fish,

belonging to seven families; the most
numerous of these are the 25 species