May 7th, 2013 Category: Climate Change, Lakes

Russia – May 7th, 2013

Siberia’s Lake Baikal (bottom left), the world’s largest and most biologically diverse lake, faces the prospect of severe ecological disruption as a result of climate change. Scientists have reported that the most pressing threat comes from the dependence of the lake’s food chain on microscopic algae.

Lake Baikal’s algae are particularly vulnerable to expected reductions in the length of time the lake is frozen each winter. However, the lake’s climate has become measurably milder over recent decades, and that annual precipitation is expected to increase. The average ice depth in the lake is believed to have decreased in recent decades, and the ice-free season to have increased. Changes in the lake’s food-chain composition have also been noted.

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July 3rd, 2012 Category: Fires, Lakes

Russia – June 28th, 2012

Multiple plumes of smoke from wildfires west of Lake Baikal (visible in the full image) can be observed in the upper part of the image. While the plumes blow towards the southeast, a cloud of smoke also spans the image in the shape of a band across the middle. (Click here for previous images of wildfires in Russia). Visible near the bottom edge is Lake Khövsgöl, a fresh water lake that is the largest body of water in Mongolia by volume, and the second largest by area.

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May 18th, 2012 Category: Fires

Russia - May 17th, 2012

A long plume of smoke blows over Russia and China, and near the Mongolia border, first southward and then due eastward, then once again due southward, creating two abrupt right angles along its path. The smoke may be coming from fires near Lake Baikal, in Russian Siberia (click here for images of these fires).

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May 17th, 2012 Category: Fires

Russia - May 16th, 2012

Fires by the southern tip of Lake Baikal release a cloud of smoke over Russian Siberia. Although multiple blazes can be observed both north and south of the end of the lake, the fires to the south are releasing more smoke. In that area, strong winds have also carried the smoke further afield, reaching across a great distance towards the bottom edge of the image.

Tags: Fires Lake Baikal Russia Siberia | Comments |