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Ecology of Buryatia. Natural features and resources of the Republic of Buryatia

Features of the nature of Buryatia

In the south of Eastern Siberia, on an area of ​​351.4 thousand square meters. The land of Buryatia stretches kilometers. The features of its nature are greatly influenced by the distance from the seas and oceans and the mountainous terrain of the territory.

The continuous and focal distribution of permafrost and the predominance of a sharply continental climate are also closely related to high relief.

These factors take an active part in the formation of various natural complexes - taiga, dry steppe, treeless rocky highlands, wetlands.

The territory of Buryatia has a significant elevation above sea level, and its lowest point is the level of Lake Baikal (-456 m). The highest point is the city of Munku-Sardyk (3491m).

The territory is mainly occupied by highly dissected mid-altitude mountains. Plain areas can only be found in tectonic depressions and in the valleys of large rivers.

Depressions can be intramountain - this is the Baikal type and intermountain - the Transbaikal type.

The Baikal depression, the Verkhneangarsk and Barguzin basins belong to the Baikal type.

The Transbaikal type depressions include Gusinoozerskaya, Chikoysko-Khilokskaya, Udinskaya, etc.

Note 1

The Transbaikal type of depressions is distinguished by the fact that they have almost no pronounced asymmetry of mountain slopes and are usually located between mid-mountain ridges.

The Eastern Sayans from the mountains of Buryatia are the highest and youngest - this is “Tibet in miniature”.

On the southern shore of Lake Baikal is the Khamar-Daban ridge, or as it is also called the “Siberian Jungle”, because its slopes are covered with impenetrable thickets.

From the east, Baikal is adjacent to the Barguzinsky ridge, their figurative name is “The Land of a Thousand Lakes”. Indeed, there are a large number of lakes of glacial origin.

The Baikal ridge, overgrown with forest, is located in the north of the lake.

Note 2

The peculiarity of the Baikal ridges is that most of them have soft outlines and flat tops. They stretch parallel to the Baikal basin and are directed from southwest to northeast. The exception is Khamar-Daban.

The area is seismically active. The strength of earthquakes can reach 8-10 points. In Transbaikalia, permafrost of rocks has become widespread.

A feature of the sharply continental climate of Buryatia is large annual and daily temperature fluctuations and uneven distribution of precipitation over the seasons. The harsh and windless winter is replaced by a late, dry spring with strong winds and night frosts.

Summer is short, the first half is dry and the second half is rainy. Early frosts and sharp daily fluctuations are characteristic of cool autumn.

IN cold period a powerful northeastern spur of the Siberian anticyclone develops here, so in winter in Transbaikalia low temperature and a large number of sunny days.

In Buryatia, the January air temperature is -24, -25 degrees, on some days it can drop to -45 degrees. Precipitation falls up to 500 mm.

The republic is often called “sunny Buryatia” because the average duration of sunshine is 2200 hours.

On the territory of Buryatia formed different types soil In Transbaikalia, on the plateaus, podzolic soil type is common under larch, pine, cedar and fir forests.

Fertile areas chernozem soils significantly less compared to chestnut ones. The transitional soils between them are gray forest soils.

Meadow and swamp soils formed in river valleys, where groundwater lies close to the surface. Meadow-permafrost soils form along river valleys where there is permafrost. In the southern regions of the Republic there are solonetz and solonetzic soils.

Resources of the Republic of Buryatia

The subsoil of the Republic is rich in various mineral resources. According to their reserves, Buryatia is one of the leading places in Russia.

Within the Republic there are about 30 coal-bearing areas, such as the Udinskaya coal-bearing depression, Dzhidinskaya, Pribaikalskaya, Gusinoozerskaya, etc.

In the depths there are tungsten, molybdenum, and nickel ores. Large tungsten deposits are Kholtosonskoye and Inkurskoye. Orekitkanskoye, Maloyonogorskoye, Zharchikhinskoye are large deposits of molybdenum. Large nickel deposits include Chayskoye and Baikalskoye.

Reserves of non-ferrous metals have been explored - beryllium, lead, tin, zinc.

Even before the revolution, large deposits of ore and placer gold were developed in the north of Buryatia.

Non-metallic minerals include phosphates, apatites, and fluorspar. There are proven reserves of fluxes and refractories. Large deposits asbestos is concentrated in the Molodeznoye, Ilchirskoye, and Zelenoe deposits.

Unique deposits of potassium-alumina ores and nepheline syenites include the Sannyrskoye and Mukhalskoye deposits, respectively.

The area of ​​land occupied by forests in 2012 amounted to 84.3% of the area of ​​the Republic. Forest areas increased by 403.1 thousand hectares, and the area of ​​forest fund lands decreased by 88.8 thousand hectares.

The reason is related to their transfer to the lands of specially protected areas.

The forest resources of the Republic are subject to frequent fires, the average area of ​​which is 63.1 hectares.

The great wealth of the Republic is fresh, mineral and thermal waters; resorts operate on the basis of the latter Russian significance– Arshan, Goryachinsk. Resorts local significance are Nilova Pustyn, Khakusy, Kuchiger, Goryachy Klyuch, etc.

Water resources are represented by rivers and streams, of which there are more than 9 thousand. The Selenga, originating in Mongolia, is one of the largest rivers of Buryatia. The history of many Asian peoples is connected with this river, which flows into Lake Baikal.

The Barguzin River is no less famous. The famous song “The Glorious Sea – Sacred Baikal” is associated with this river. This unique lake is known all over the world; it is ancient and deep. The lake has the status of a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The lake basin contains 20% of the world's surface fresh water reserves and more than 80% of Russia's water reserves.

Figure 1. Typical landscape of Buryatia. Author24 - online exchange of student work

There are many other lakes on this land - Gusinoye, Shchuchye, Sobolinoye, Guitar, Heart, etc.

On the territory of Buryatia there are specially protected natural areas where all resources are protected by law.

These include:

• Barguzinsky, Baikalsky, Dzherginsky nature reserves;
• Tunkinsky and Transbaikalsky national parks;
• twenty reserves;
• 266 natural monuments.

total area These territories make up 10% of the area of ​​the Republic itself.

Environmental situation in Buryatia

Compared to other regions of Russia, Buryatia is one of the most environmentally friendly regions.

But, nevertheless, environmental problems are also typical for the Republic.

Problems include:

• deterioration of the air condition of Selenginsk and Ulan-Ude;
• condition of some water bodies;
• growing solid waste and its unauthorized disposal;
• environmental damage from past years;
• low ecological culture of the population.

According to Burstat, emissions of pollutants from stationary sources amounted to 26195.1 thousand. tons for 2011. There was an increase in emissions compared to 2010.

By hazard class:

• 70.0% increase in first class;
• reduction by 17% second class;
• a 42.5% decrease in third grade;
• a 22.5% decrease in fourth grade;
• an increase of 58.1% in the fifth hazard class.

The increase in the amount of waste is associated with an increase in the number of overburden rocks that are formed during the development of coal deposits, and this is the fifth hazard class.

The increase in waste of the first hazard class occurred as a result of the fact that capacitors at Buryatenergo facilities that had expired were written off.

Due to the fact that the volume of work at the facilities of JSC Russian Railways was reduced, there was a reduction in waste of the third hazard class.

With the transition of the Selenga pulp and cardboard mill to recycled materials, waste of the fourth hazard class was reduced.

Screenshot from YouTube / channel "Inform Polis Publishing House"

Frank conversation with a professional ecologist

The garbage scandal in Volokolamsk near Moscow coincided with fires at landfills in Vakhmistrovo. After the terrible footage of sick children, rallies and resignations of officials, many of our readers wondered whether the situation with Volokolamsk would repeat itself.

Meteorologists promise a hot spring, and as the weather warms up, burning garbage dumps will begin to release harmful substances. Discuss current topic we invited Natalya Tumureeva, a professional ecologist who has been dealing with garbage problems for many years.

East Baikal interdistrict environmental prosecutor Valery Malkhanov recently told the media that there is now a question of closing the burning landfill in Vakhmistrovo completely, since it does not meet the technical and sanitary-epidemiological requirements for such facilities. How could they even open such a testing ground? Environmental assessments are carried out before the opening of such landfills; how are the locations selected?

Environmental assessment of such facilities is carried out by Rosprirodnadzor. How all this was coordinated, I cannot say, since I have no relation to these organizations. I can only say that a solid waste landfill is a special structure for isolation and neutralization, i.e. It's not just a dump. To open a landfill for waste storage, it is necessary to fulfill many conditions that are dictated by SNiP, SanPiN and other laws and regulations relating to environmental protection and urban planning.

For example, the landfill should be located away from residential buildings and have its own sanitary protection zone. There is a whole list of objects on whose territory and in the immediate vicinity it is not allowed to store waste: places countryside holiday people, I - III zones of sanitary protection zones of water sources, recreational and water protection zones, territory of health care facilities, etc.

The best substrate for placing large volumes of waste is soil with a high content of dense clay and heavy loam. Or it is necessary to fill a waterproof layer of soil to ensure waterproofing of the landfill. Today we are told that these landfills do not meet the requirements. Where did you look during its construction and commissioning? Now the mayor's office is telling us that the landfill is located on the lands of the Tarbagatai district and supposedly has nothing to do with it. This is not true, if only because the garbage is brought there from the city and serviced by its improvement plant.

Today Ulan-Ude, which is the capital of the region, actually does not have its own training ground. We are talking about the need to remove garbage from the coast of Lake Baikal, we are talking about the central ecological zone. But where should this garbage be taken out, if even in Ulan-Ude the landfill is full? These are the words of the prosecutor. Do you agree with him?

I agree, but I think that the problem can be solved; we need to abandon landfilling and start recycling waste. We have built two luxurious processing lines, spent 2.5 billion budget money on this, and everything is idle. Why? Much has been written about various conflicts around these lines. I, as an ordinary resident, can only say that this is a conflict of interest from which the entire republic suffers. Political will is needed to resolve this issue.

The incident with the toxic dump in Volokolamsk scared many. Especially considering the fires at garbage dumps in Vakhmistrovo. How do you assess the risk of a repeat of the Volokolamsk situation in Ulan-Ude?

The risk of recurrence is high, and this must be understood. I am outraged by the inaction of the authorities in this matter. It was only after a meeting with the head on April 7 that they took this problem seriously. The landfill has been burning for a month now, people are breathing this poison, and the city is reporting that the landfill is not ours and it is being burned by a private owner, let them look into it. This is how ordinary residents suffer, many of them children, because the 100th blocks are mostly young families. I already talked about this at the meeting: first extinguish the landfill, and then find out whose it is and why it is burning. If it's arson, fire the watchman and hire proper security. If this is spontaneous combustion, then due to improper operation of the landfill, find out who is to blame and punish. And until our social activists caused a scandal in the media, there was complete inaction, and then they also say about us that we are promoting ourselves.

In Buryatia, a competition was held to perform the duties of a regional operator, but the results of the tender were disputed and proceedings are ongoing at the Federal Antimonopoly Service. Who do you think would be better as a regional operator?

It doesn’t matter, as long as they are honest people who really care about the favorable state of the environment and the quality of life of the population. Instead of laundering money by buying colorful tanks. Which will first of all think about people, and then about profit. I heard an interview with the winning operator on Ekho Moskvy. Yes, he’s a smart guy, but, unfortunately, he doesn’t know a lot about the republic, he doesn’t know that our waste processing plant is not working, he doesn’t know why. He doesn’t know that medical waste is disposed of in our country using the antediluvian method, and the modern line is idle, and much more. At a meeting with the public, the head said that there would be a regional operator and then the problems would be solved. I’m not sure that he can handle it alone; the support of the republican authorities and municipalities is needed here. Today I have the impression that this magical operator will come and do everything for us. We have been crap here for so many years, but he will come and fix everything. Well, if it doesn’t work out, then he can be made to blame.

Many of us give up without thinking plastic bottles And plastic bags in the trash can. But they take hundreds of years to decompose or do not decompose at all. It turns out that they end up rotting in landfills around populated areas, releasing a whole bunch of toxins?

Now everyone does this because there is no alternative. Okay, we'll collect them separately. Where will all this go? Again to the same landfill. This is again a question of recycling.

The melted snow exposed all the rubbish on our streets. The traditional April cleanup is coming soon. Many of us will go out to clear the streets of garbage. But where is this garbage removed from the streets then taken? To the same open dump. It turns out like a careless housewife who hastily sweeps the trash under the sofa when guests arrive. The main thing is that the dirt is not visible! But this does not solve the problem as a whole. Clean doesn't mean safe.

The answer is above. Until there is recycling, everything will remain the same. But subbotniks are still needed.

I remember with sadness the times when there was little harmful waste, especially in villages. And it was mainly food grade and decomposed literally within a year. The products were wrapped in paper bags and placed in reusable shopping bags. Now garbage has actually “occupied” not only the city, but also the villages. My relatives, hunters, say that bears have begun to come out to villages more often only because they are attracted by the smell of food waste. How can I solve this problem?

There is already a problem of a zero-waste culture. And this global problem. There wasn't so much packaging before. Remember toothpaste? One tube, it ended up in waste. And now? The paste is in a box, inside of which, in addition to the tube, there is also an instruction that no one reads, and all this is thrown away. The same goes for cosmetics and detergents. Well, it’s not worth talking about bags, everyone knows about it, but few people use reusable bags. I remember when I was at school, for us a bag was something like a fashionable thing; we even carried beautiful bags instead of a bag. And now? Therefore it is a question of culture. I need to decide for myself that I will produce less waste and live by this principle. Buy only necessary things, use reusable bags. I periodically clean the house, donate good, little-worn items to charities, take books and toys to kindergarten, my children play and read there. I sell good children's clothes at nominal prices or donate them to the church. I try to carry a reusable bag (by the way, it doesn’t always work). In the store I refuse extra bags, and if they give them, I wash them at home and reuse them, it’s much more environmentally friendly, I use phosphate-free ones detergents and gentle household chemicals. This is the minimum that can be done. Unfortunately, I don’t do separate collection at home yet. Well, about food waste. This is also culture. Well, or we live well because we throw away food.

Over the past 80 years, the amount of waste in Russia has crossed such a line that it is simply impossible to dispose of them all. The amount of garbage in Buryatia is growing every day. Is it really impossible to recycle it, like in China? There I am always amazed by the picture next to the trash cans. Homeless people there are packing garbage, bottles to bottles, cardboard to paper, pressing cans. Then they sell it all for money. What prevents our authorities from coming to this?

Nothing gets in the way.

Recultivation means returning the fertile properties of the land where the landfill was located for several years. A huge amount of harmful elements has accumulated in the soil. What can be done with former landfills?

Use world experience, such experience exists. Everything that can be recycled to the maximum, non-toxic waste can be burned, but in special furnaces and with waste gas purification. In Japan, for example, football fields with evergreen grass are built on the site of landfills. The technology is there, you just have to do it.

Another problem with landfills is that they are a breeding ground for harmful insects and rodents. You won't envy the residents of the neighborhoods adjacent to the landfills. What advice can you give them?

Demand that the landfill be removed, everything that can be advised. Above I explained what a polygon is. There should be no settlements near the landfill.

Another pain is that liquid decomposition products, filtrates, enter the soil and The groundwater, calling heavy pollution. How do our terrible landfills comply with the law on the protection of Lake Baikal?

No way, there should be no landfills in the CEZ, only temporary storage places. This year, together with Moscow State University, we want to analyze landfills on Lake Baikal. We carried out such mapping work in 2008 with graduate students of VSUTU, now with Moscow State University we want to carry out an analysis of landfill gases and leachates. I'll share the results.

- IN Soviet years We handed over scrap metal and waste paper as schoolchildren. Why did they stop doing this now?

Because no one recycles it. Previously, due to shortages, everything was recycled, but now it is easier and cheaper to buy than to recycle. There are organizations in Ulan-Ude that accept waste, but you need to go to them specifically, i.e. accumulate at home and then take it there all at once. Which, of course, is not very convenient for residents.

There are penalties for those who throw garbage in the wrong places. But have you ever come across cases where such fines were paid?

Yes, I have. But there is also a very complicated procedure, you can be fined if caught red-handed. Nobody sits in the forest and watches. Here all hope lies in vigilant and conscious citizens.

It turns out that the garbage does not disappear anywhere. Both storage in a landfill and combustion cause pollution of soil, water and air, which ultimately affects nature and human health. What is the alternative?

Recycling only. We need to treat garbage as a resource.

Ministry of Education and Science of the Republic of Buryatia

Buryat State University

Faculty of Medicine.

Analysis of the environmental situation in Buryatia.

Completed by: Student of group 14200z

Trifonova Olga Iosifovna.

Checked by: Zhigzhitzhapova S V

Gulan-Ude 2013

1. Introduction. Ecological situation in Russia………………………2

1. State environmental control…………………...11

1. References……………………………………………………………... 13

Introduction.

Environmental situation in Russia

An analysis of the environmental situation in Russia shows that the crisis trends, which clearly manifested themselves in the previous 15 years, have not been overcome, and in some aspects are even deepening, despite the measures taken.

Russia, where preserved continuous tracts of undisturbed ecosystems account for almost 65% of the country's area (11 million km2), has key value for global ecodynamics. Together with some adjacent territories, this massif forms the world's largest Northern Eurasian Center for Environmental Stabilization, the importance of which for the restoration of the Earth's biosphere will increasingly increase.

However, 15% of the territory of Russia (an area larger than Western and Central Europe combined), where the bulk of the population and production is concentrated, is in an unsatisfactory ecological condition, and environmental safety is not guaranteed here. At the same time, specific indicators negative impacts Russia's environmental impact per capita and unit of gross domestic product are among the highest in the world.

Excess of permissible concentrations of harmful substances is observed in the atmospheric air of 185 cities and industrial centers with a population of over 61 million people (40% of the total population of the country). Cases of five times exceeding the maximum permissible concentrations of air pollutants were recorded in more than 120 cities. The main sources of air pollution are still enterprises of ferrous and non-ferrous metallurgy, chemical and petrochemical industries, the construction industry, energy, pulp and paper industry, as well as motor transport.

A particularly unfavorable situation is observed in the cities of Arkhangelsk, Lipetsk, Moscow, Norilsk, Bratsk, Yekaterinburg, Kamensk-Uralsky, Kemerovo, Krasnoyarsk, Nizhny Tagil, Ufa, Sterlitamak, Chelyabinsk, Magnitogorsk, Novokuznetsk, Omsk, Cherepovets.

Expert estimates say that the share of the influence of atmospheric air pollution on the overall morbidity rate in children is on average 17%, in adults - 10%. Air pollution causes 41% of respiratory diseases, 16% of endocrine diseases, 2.5% of cancer diseases in people aged 30-34 years and 11% in people 55-59 years old.

Forest and lake ecosystems, as well as agrocenoses, are significantly affected by harmful emissions not only from local sources, but also from long-distance sources, including foreign ones. In the European part of Russia, over 1 million tons of oxidized sulfur of transboundary origin fall annually, which is more than from Russian sources. A very significant contribution to the pollution of the Russian natural environment with sulfur and nitrogen oxides is made by Ukraine, Poland and Germany.

The water quality of most water bodies of the Russian Federation does not meet sanitary, hygienic and fishery standards, since almost 40% of water discharged into them Wastewater belongs to the polluted category. Almost half of the country's population is forced to use water that does not meet sanitary and hygienic requirements due to poor water treatment and the unsatisfactory condition of public water supply systems. Behind last years The quality of drinking water has not improved.

Because of unstable work Most enterprises, their difficult financial situation, insufficient budget funding, water protection measures are carried out in completely insufficient quantities.

The ecological state of a significant part of those used in agriculture land, the trend of soil degradation continues. On 43% of the arable land area there is a decrease in humus content, and in the Non-Chernozem zone the share of such soils reached 45%. The area of ​​land exposed to radioactive contamination is not being reduced.

Uncontrolled harvesting of berries, mushrooms, valuable species medicinal plants. There is great damage to forests from pests and diseases, fires, and illegal logging. Every year, up to 300 thousand hectares of forest plantations die from these causes.

However, positive trends can be noted in changes in the number of game animals. The process of stabilization and growth in the number of mammals classified as hunted animals - elk, wild boar, roe deer - is explained by the increased effectiveness of the fight against poaching and the improvement in the condition of the food supply of game animals. The forecast for sturgeon numbers is unfavorable; the strictest measures against poachers are needed here.

The problems of processing household and industrial waste and the destruction of chemical, biological and nuclear weapons remain acute. The threat of hazardous waste imports into Russia remains. A serious danger comes from overcrowded, physically and morally outdated storage facilities for liquid radioactive waste and spent nuclear fuel, decommissioned nuclear submarines. The high degree of wear and tear of technological equipment at enterprises of the chemical, petrochemical, and microbiological industries is fraught with man-made accidents with subsequent chemical contamination of the territory.

Society is very concerned about the low level of knowledge about the problem of environmental pollution with dioxins and other supertoxicants, as well as the emergence of new substances in production, the consequences of which have not been sufficiently studied.

The environmental situation in the country is characterized in detail in annual government reports on the state of the natural environment. Russian Federation, which are replicated and available to interested consumers.

Ecological situation in the Republic of Buryatia.

The Republic of Buryatia is one of the most environmentally friendly regions of the Russian Federation.

The main types of negative technogenic impacts are associated only with a small part of the territory of the republic, which belongs to industrial centers and adjacent areas.

Main environmental problems of the region:

– atmospheric air pollution, including emissions of pollutants from vehicles;

– pollution of surface water bodies;

– an increasing amount of production and consumption waste.

Table 1.

Main indicators of environmental pollution in the Republic of Buryatia

air pool

The formation of a high level of air pollution on the territory of the Republic of Buryatia is due to emissions from enterprises producing, transmitting and distributing electricity, gas, steam and hot water and vehicles.

Over the past five years, emissions of pollutants into the atmosphere in the Republic of Buryatia have increased by 18.1 thousand tons.

Causes of air pollution:

– an increase in the amount of fuel burned, which used mixtures of various coals at enterprises for the production, transmission and distribution of electricity, gas, steam and hot water;

– increase in production volumes at enterprises producing other minerals;

– the presence in the cold season (mainly winter) of long periods with meteorological conditions unfavorable for the dispersion of harmful impurities in the atmosphere, i.e. under the action of an anticyclone – when powerful temperature inversions form a retaining layer that extends over hundreds of kilometers and prevents the transfer of impurities to the upper layers of the atmosphere .

In addition, it is worth taking into account the factor of increasing the number of enterprises that submitted an annual statistical report (public administration and military security enterprises), whose indicators increased the amount of pollutant emissions from stationary sources.

Water features

The main sources of pollution of surface water bodies are industrial enterprises and housing and communal services enterprises that discharge wastewater containing pollutants that exceed the maximum permissible concentration of the water body.

The biggest load on the river. Selenga is observed in the area of ​​Ulan-Ude, where wastewater is discharged from the right-bank and left-bank treatment facilities of the Vodokanal municipal unitary enterprise in Ulan-Ude.

In 2008, 510.59 million m3 were discharged into surface water bodies, including the lake basin. Baikal - 449.5 million m3, Yenisei basin - 1.08 million m3, water bodies of the Vitim basin - 60.02 million m3. Of these, contaminated wastewater - 49.53 million m3, there was a decrease in comparison with 2007 by 2.88 million m3 (5.5%). In 2008, wastewater was discharged by 44 water users through 53 outlets.

The total volume of discharges of contaminated wastewater (49.53 million m3) contains 26,350 tons of pollutants (in 2007 - 52.41 million m3, containing 28,839 tons of pollutants). Comparative data on the discharge of pollutants into water bodies are given in table 2.

Table 2.

Comparative data on the discharge of pollutants into water bodies (according to statistical reporting data on water use in form 2-TP (vodkhoz)

Short description

Russia, where preserved continuous tracts of undisturbed ecosystems account for almost 65% of the country's area (11 million km2), is of key importance for global ecodynamics. Together with some adjacent territories, this massif forms the world's largest Northern Eurasian Center for Environmental Stabilization, the importance of which for the restoration of the Earth's biosphere will increasingly increase.

Content

Introduction. Ecological situation in Russia………………………2
Ecological situation of the Republic of Belarus……………………………………..4
Air pool………………………………………………………...5
Water bodies…………………………………………………………….6
Waste………………………………………………………8
Federal share programs……………………………...9
State environmental control…………………...11
Environmental prospects…………………………………...12
References……………………………………………………………...13

Angarsky Slava, 8th grade

The main problems of Lake Baikal are described.

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GKOU SKOSHI No. 62 III-IV type

Abstract on biology on the topic “Ecological problems of the Baikal region”

Completed by: Slava Anagarsky, 8th grade

Head: Cherdonova V.A.

2014

Introduction

Baikal is located in Eastern Siberia and is rightfully considered one of the wonders of nature. This is the deepest (1637 m) ancient lake on Earth, whose age exceeds 25 million years. Despite its age, Baikal is not going to age; on the contrary, its shores diverge at a rate of 2 cm per year and geophysicists claim that Baikal is an incipient ocean. With a length of more than 600 km and a width of 27 to 79 km, Baikal has a colossal volume of water - 23 thousand cubic km, which exceeds the volume of all the Great American Lakes combined. Baikal contains 20% of the world's surface fresh water reserves. The amazing purity of Baikal water is due to the small amount of suspended substances and is maintained thanks to the endemic planktonic crustacean - epishura. The transparency of Lake Baikal water reaches 40 meters. This pearl of Russia is located in a magnificent frame of mountain ranges: Khamar-Daban, Primorsky, Baikal and Barguzinsky. More than 300 rivers flow into Baikal, the largest tributary is the Selenga River. Only one river flows out of Baikal - the Angara, it is called the “daughter of Baikal”. There are 22 islands on Lake Baikal - the most famous is Olkhon Island. According to legend, Olkhon is the abode of the formidable spirits of Lake Baikal. Olkhon is known for a large number of sunny days - more than 300 days a year the bright sun shines there. There is also the famous Shaman Stone, the place where ancient shamans lived. Baikal is a champion in biodiversity. Of the 2,635 species of animals and plants found in the lake, 75% of them are found nowhere else in the world, that is, they are endemic. The only mammal that lives in Baikal is the Baikal seal; the Baikal omul is also the hallmark of Baikal. The indigenous population of Lake Baikal are the Evenks, then the Buryats came - about 700 years ago. The Russians appeared in the Baikal region in the 17th century with the detachment of the Pentecostal Kurbat Ivanov, who was the first to draw up a map of Lake Baikal. What does the name of the lake mean? The most common version is that Baikal is a Turkic word and comes from “bai” - rich, “kul” - lake. It turns out: “rich lake”.

In 1996, Baikal was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The total area of ​​the Baikal World Heritage Site is 8.8 million hectares, of which 3.15 million hectares are the surface of the lake, and 1.9 million hectares are occupied by 3 reserves (Baikalsky, Zabaikalsky, Barguzinsky) and 2 national parks(Pribaikalsky, Tunkinsky). 5 urbanized industrialized territories (Baikalsk, Slyudyanka, Kultuk, Babushkin and Severobaikalsk) are excluded from the boundaries of the Site. The Selenga River Delta is protected by the RAMSAR Convention on Wetlands, as it is a key point in northern Asia on the migration route for migratory birds around the world.

2. Main environmental problems

1) Pollution of Lake Baikal coming from the waters of the Selenga River

The Selenga River is the largest tributary of the lake. Baikal, the volume of its flow is more than 50% of the total river flow into Baikal.. River delta. Selenga is unique natural object– a key point in Eastern Siberia on the migration route of migratory birds. More than 5 thousand hectares of the river delta are protected by the RAMSAR Convention (Convention on the Protection of Wetlands). The main spawning grounds of the Baikal omul are located in the shallow waters of the delta.

A small part of lake water pollution. Baikal is located in the Chita region. Pollution comes from metallurgical and woodworking enterprises in the city of Petrovsk-Zabaikalsky and several enterprises in the Khiloksky and Krasnochikoysky districts. Pollutants enter the lake. Baikal along the river Chikoy and Khilok, which are the main tributaries of the Selenga. These enterprises annually discharge a total of more than 20 million m3 of wastewater, including tens of thousands of tons of suspended substances and organic matter.

The main sources of river pollution The Selenges are located in the Republic of Buryatia. Large industrial centers are located here, such as the city. Ulan-Ude and Selenginsk. In Ulan-Ude - urban sewage treatment plants provide 35% of all discharges into the Selenga. In 2000, water samples taken in the river. Selenga in the immediate vicinity of Ulan-Ude contained pollutants in concentrations several times higher than the maximum permissible concentration. Thus, it was noted that permissible concentrations of phenols were exceeded by 2-8 times and COD (chemical oxygen demand) by 2 times. It was also noted that the maximum permissible concentrations were exceeded for copper ions, iron, BOD, nitrates, zinc and petroleum products, and for the content of phosphorus and nitrates.

In 1973, near the city of Selenginsk, 60 km from the lake. Baikal was built by the Selenga Pulp and Cardboard Mill (SPCC). In 1991, a closed water circulation system was introduced. According to the company, the discharge of wastewater into the river. Selenga has been completely stopped. However, the plant continues to pollute the atmospheric air, annually generating more than 10,000 m3 of solid waste containing heavy metals and organochlorine compounds, which seep into Lake Baikal with the waters of the Selenga.

Used in agricultural activities chemical substances washed away by rain into the river. Selenga and then end up in the lake. Baikal. The total area of ​​agricultural land in the Republic of Buryatia occupies 11.2% of the entire territory of the Republic of Buryatia. Livestock waste and soil erosion also negatively affect the lake's water quality. Baikal.

Study of the concentrations of pollutants in bottom sediments and water in the upper and lower delta of the river. Selenga, carried out in 2001, showed an excess of the MPC by 1.5-2 times for such heavy metals as copper, lead and zinc.

High level of pollution in the river delta. Selenga are considered main reason death of omul eggs.

2) Pollution of Lake Baikal by air emissions

Air pollution over the waters of Lake Baikal mainly comes from settlements located directly around the lake, especially along its southern part. Almost all emissions from Baikalsk (entirely from the BPPM) and Slyudyanka enter the lake. The surrounding mountains protect Baikal from distant sources of pollution, but at the same time prevent the dispersion of airborne emissions from local sources. The valley of the Angara River forms a passage to the lake for the northwestern winds prevailing on Baikal, which carry air emissions from the Irkutsk-Cheremkhovo industrial hub along the Angara valley to Baikal. The impact of air emissions varies depending on the time of year. In December, the wind force is low and emissions may not reach the lake; in April-May the wind speed increases. Depending on the direction of the wind, air emissions from the Selenga River valley also reach the lake, incl. from Ulan-Ude, Selenginsk and Gusinoozersk. Highest level air pollution found in the southern part of Lake Baikal. The most common pollutants are particulate matter, sulfur dioxide, carbon monoxide, nitrogen dioxide and hydrocarbons.

7 of the 45 Russian cities with the highest levels of air pollution are located in the Irkutsk region (data from IUGMS, 1995). These are the cities: Angarsk, Bratsk, Zima, Irkutsk, Usolye-Sibirskoye, Cheremkhovo and Shelekhov. In terms of air quality, East Siberian economic region is one of the worst places to live in Russia.

5 of these 7 cities are located within the 200 km zone of the Baikal air basin - Irkutsk, Shelekhov, Angarsk, Usolye-Sibirskoye and Cheremkhovo (Irkutsk-Cheremkhovo industrial hub). Increased pollution of the cities of the region with the main pollutants is associated with emissions from thermal power plants, coal, mining, aluminum, chemical, engineering, metalworking, light and Food Industry. The total emissions from stationary and mobile sources in the Irkutsk region in 2000 amounted to 633.3 thousand tons, the total amount of air emissions that reached Lake Baikal reached thousands of tons. Distribution area atmospheric pollution The Irkutsk-Cheremkhovo industrial hub exceeds 30 thousand square meters. kilometers and extends from the city of Tulun to Lake Baikal.

The settlements of Buryatia located directly on the shore of the lake or near it, for example, Severobaikalsk, Kamensk and Selenginsk, also have an impact.

Consequences of the construction of the Irkutsk hydroelectric power station - changes in the level of Lake Baikal

In 1950, a decision was made to begin construction of the Irkutsk hydroelectric power station - the first hydroelectric power station of the Angarsk cascade. The hydroelectric dam raised the level of Lake Baikal by 1 meter. The Irkutsk HPP reached its design capacity in 1959. During the creation of the Irkutsk reservoir, 220 thousand hectares of valuable floodplain agricultural land were flooded. Almost 500 thousand hectares of valuable forests with berries and hunting grounds were under water.

Sharp fluctuations in the water level of Lake Baikal cause irreparable damage to the flora and fauna of Lake Baikal. With a sharp decrease in water level, the spawning grounds of valuable fish species dry out, eggs and juveniles die. The dam of the Irkutsk hydroelectric power station, which does not have fish passage devices, blocked the migration routes of fish going to spawn in the upper reaches of the Angara. In reservoirs, valuable fish species, such as sturgeon and whitefish species, are replaced by perch, ruff and ruff. Scientists from Buryatia have concluded: fluctuations in water levels affect the entire ecosystem of Lake Baikal, leading to mixing of water masses and severe destruction of the banks. Spawning grounds and fish reproduction are under threat.

3) Pollution of Baikal by household wastewater from settlements in the coastal zone

Directly in villages and small towns About 80,000 people live along the shores of Lake Baikal.

A rough calculation shows that all these settlements discharge about 15 million m3 of wastewater per year. Treatment of domestic and industrial wastewater in settlements around Lake Baikal is either non-existent or of very low quality.

Discharge of polluted water from ships

A particular problem is the discharge of ballast water from ships and the pollution of lake waters with oil products. In total there are more than 300 vessels on Baikal (not including the small fleet). Navigation lasts about 6 months. In 2000, only 29 vessels entered into contracts for the delivery of subsoil water. Every year about 160 tons of petroleum products enter Baikal. According to existing rules, any ship that has the right to navigate Lake Baikal must enter into an agreement for the delivery of subsoil water. Dumping them into the lake is prohibited; they must be taken to special treatment facilities.

In all of Baikal, there is currently only one station of this kind - in the port of Baikal, on the Samotlor barge. Previously, this ship plied throughout Lake Baikal, collecting waste in different places according to a specific schedule. Several years ago, due to lack of funding, the barge was laid up in the port of Baikal, where it remains today.

4) Deforestation in the watershed

Primary timber is the main source of income for the Republic of Buryatia, since 72% of the 35 million hectares of the total territory are covered with forests. Forest reserves in Buryatia are estimated at 1900 million m3.

Official sources in Buryatia state that only sanitary logging is being carried out in the Baikal catchment area, which is necessary to prevent natural disasters such as fires and insect infestations. Despite these claims, satellite imagery and testimony from local residents confirm that significant logging continued after Lake Baikal was awarded World Heritage status in 1996. According to Greenpeace Russia, more than 3 million m3 of forest are cut down annually in the Baikal catchment area. Punishments for illegal logging are extremely lenient, or even not applied at all.

In recent years and currently, forest fires are occurring more and more often, mostly due to careless handling of fire. There is also no constant monitoring and control of legal logging.

With the transition to a market economy in the region, the number of illegal forest transactions has increased significantly. Almost all the timber from Buryatia is exported to China.

5) Commercial and amateur removal of biological resources

Hunting

As a result of legal and mostly illegal hunting in the post-Soviet period in the taiga of the Baikal region, the total number reindeer decreased by 16%, sable - by 21%, elk - by 33%, bear - by 44%, wild boar - by 62%

Fish

The state of fish populations is affected by overfishing, destruction of spawning grounds, the number of epishura, radiation and temperature balance in top layer water, breeding of atypical fish species and pollution. However, there have been no systematic studies of human influence on fish stocks. Of the 55 species of fish in Baikal, 15 are commercially fished, these include: omul, whitefish, grayling, lenok, taimen, sturgeon, burbot, perch, pike, roach, dace, ide, yellowfin and longfin goby. The main object of fishing (70% of the total volume) is the famous Baikal omul.

Despite the fact that the total biomass of omul was halved in the 70s, the total biomass of omul in the lake in 1980 remained approximately the same as before 1930. This situation arose due to the ban on commercial fishing from 1969 to 1975 and the intensive introduction of the practice of artificial fertilization of omul eggs.

Currently, there are five fish farms (Bolsherechenskaya, Barguzinskaya, Selenginskaya, Burduguzskaya and Belskaya), which in 1993 bred about 3 billion omul eggs.

In the 1950s, a special fish farm was built on the lower Selenga to restore the Baikal sturgeon population and produce caviar. The Baikal sturgeon is included in the Russian Red Book. In 2000, more than 900,000 sturgeon were raised artificially here.

The East Siberian Fish Center claims that over the past twenty years the number of sturgeon and grayling has decreased by about 10 times. Most likely, this was due to overfishing; in addition, the numbers were affected by the disappearance of spawning grounds as a result of the construction of the Irkutsk hydroelectric power station, and general water pollution. Artificial insemination To prevent the extinction of the species in Baikal, it is now necessary not only omul and sturgeon, but also grayling. Another endangered fish species is taimen. Species atypical for Baikal, such as ratan and carp taken from the Amur, and bream from small lakes near Baikal also pose a certain threat to the ecological balance of the lake. Ratan is a serious competitor for local fish species such as omul and splinter.

6) Projects for the construction of pipelines through the Baikal drainage basin

Because of the fast economic development and the population growth of Asian countries along the Pacific coast, the total energy demand of these countries is growing by about 14% annually. This has stimulated interest among Russian oil companies in building an oil pipeline from Western Siberia, where the main oil fields are located, to the Pacific Ocean.

There is already a pipeline running from Western Siberia east to Angarsk, where an oil refinery is located 90 km from Lake Baikal - the Angarsk Petrochemical Plant (ANHK). The most simple solution it would be possible to continue this pipeline in east direction, however, Baikal lies on its way. Two different oil companies have proposed two plans to get around the lake - a northern and a southern route.

In 2009, 25 countries of the world were suppliers of imported products to the republic. Main trading partners: Ukraine (49%), China (19.7% of imports), Mongolia (13.1%), Belarus (11.9%).

The commodity structure of import supplies carried out by enterprises and organizations of the republic is characterized by a high share of mechanical engineering products - 70% (machines, equipment, vehicles). Of the others, the most major articles In 2009, food and agricultural raw materials accounted for 21.6%, metals and products made from them – 4.1%.

Railway transport

In the republic it is represented by three sections of railways common use with a total length of 1,227 km, which belong to the East Siberian Railway, a branch of JSC Russian Railways, and are serviced by two of its branches. First of all, this is a section of the Trans-Siberian Railway from Vydrino station to Petrovsky Zavod station, which is a double-track electrified main line. The second section is a single-track non-electrified railway Ulan-Ude - Naushki - State border with Mongolia. The third is the section of the Baikal-Amur Mainline from the western border of the republic to the Taksimo station - electrified, single-track, further east, to the Hani station - not electrified, single-track.

On the East Siberian Railway, in the long term, it is planned to electrify the Southern Railway of the Eastern Railway (Ulan-Ude - Naushki), which will increase freight traffic through the Naushki station to Mongolia and the People's Republic of China. In order to develop the deposits of the Eastern production and infrastructure complex, in particular, the industrial development of deposits of the Ozerny ore cluster, it is planned to build the Novoilinsk - Ozerny GOK - Taksimo railway at the Novoilinsk-Ozerny GOK section. As part of the reform of railway transport, it is planned to complete the creation of a suburban passenger company in Ulan-Ude.

Automobile transport

Road transport is the most popular and accessible transport in the republic. It accounts for over 80% of all passenger traffic. The total length of roads in the republic is 9153 kilometers. Currently, 97% of road transport and 80% of passenger transport is carried out by private and joint-stock companies.

Air Transport

The most significant and urgent task for the development of air transport in the republic is associated with the development of the Ulan-Ude airport.

Ulan-Ude International Airport is the center of the intersection of air routes between Southeast Asia and the European part of the Russian Federation, as well as cross-polar routes from Southeast Asia to North America via the North Pole. Ulan-Ude Airport has undeniable advantages over airports in the East Siberian region due to its location near the main cross-polar routes (Polar-2, Polar-3), as well as the best weather conditions. The airport's strategic location makes it an ideal location for technical landing, refueling and ground handling of cargo aircraft from the Asia-Pacific region. Up to 100% of flights on the main cargo route of the last decade “China – Moscow – Europe” were carried out through Ulan-Ude airport.

The modernization of the Ulan-Ude international airport complex, which provides for the creation of a cargo terminal on its basis on the Asia-Europe route, will be carried out within the framework of the Federal Target Program “Economic and social development of the Far East and Transbaikalia until 2013.” The result of the project will be an increase in the competitiveness of the airport, an increase in cargo and passenger flows, including to the countries of Southeast Asia. A special role is assigned to the Ulan-Ude airport in the development of the special economic zone of the tourist and recreational type “Baikal Harbor”: it is planned to direct the main flow of tourists through it.

Table 9

Characteristics of transport routes in the region

*

Conclusion:

The Republic of Buryatia has a fairly extensive and developed transport infrastructure, represented by various modes of transport.

The main transport artery of the republic is the Trans-Siberian Railway. The length of public and departmental roads with hard surfaces is 10 thousand km.

A developed network of highways makes it possible to transport goods by road to most settlements in the region.

Chapter V I . Environmental problems of the area.

With the interaction of society and the natural environment (EN) during the production process, landscapes and their components change, which affects the health and lifestyle of people. In order to assess the consequences of human activity and identify ways to rationalize environmental management in the study area, it is necessary to determine the levels of impact of settlements on the environment. The Republic of Buryatia is a complex in which residents, in the course of their life activities, influence the state of the environment.

To determine the level of such impact, it is necessary to calculate the average ecological population density (EP avg) by adjusting the population size by the pollution concentration coefficient:

K 1 =1; K 2 =1.5; K 3 =2.0,

where K 1 – corresponds to a population of up to 500 thousand people; K 2 – from 501 thousand to 1.0 million people; K 3 – over 1.0 million people.

Then identify the level of impact (HC) of the urban settlement on natural environment. The HC is determined by the formula:

UV=EP avg /K avg,

where K avg is a tabular indicator that takes into account the environmental situation and the importance of the state of the soil (K p), atmosphere (K a), water basin (K in) of the Republic of Buryatia.

K av =K p +K a +K in /3.

Thus:

1.4+1.1+1.25/3=1.25 - K avg

377100*1=377100;

377100/1.25=3168 – impact level of Ulan-Ude;

25500/1.25=2400 – impact level of Severobaikalsk;

23500/1.25=14400 – impact level of Gusinoozersk;

19500/1.25=14800 – level of influence of Kyakhta.

The Republic of Buryatia is one of the most environmentally friendly regions of the Russian Federation.

The main types of negative technogenic impacts are associated only with a small part of the territory of the republic, which belongs to industrial centers and adjacent areas.

The environmental situation in Buryatia is moderately acute. The greatest impact on the water bodies of the republic is exerted by the housing and communal services of the city of Ulan-Ude (more than 40% of the total volume of contaminated wastewater). Four areas of contaminated groundwater have been discovered on the territory of the republic; the largest is located in the area of ​​activity of the Selenga Central Control and Control Plant. 3 industrial hubs (Ulan-Udinsky, Gusinoozersky and Nizhneangarsky) account for about 70% of the total emissions of pollutants into the atmosphere of the republic.

Main environmental problems of the region:

– atmospheric air pollution, including emissions of pollutants from vehicles;

– pollution of surface water bodies;

– an increasing amount of production and consumption waste.

air pool

The formation of a high level of air pollution on the territory of the Republic of Buryatia is due to emissions from enterprises producing, transmitting and distributing electricity, gas, steam and hot water and vehicles.

Over the past five years, emissions of pollutants into the atmosphere in the Republic of Buryatia have increased by 18.1 thousand tons.

Table 10

Key indicators of the impact of economic activities on the environment and natural resources

*Compiled from: Russian Statistical Yearbook. 2007. pp. 90-92; Russia in numbers

Causes of air pollution:

– an increase in the amount of fuel burned, which used mixtures of various coals at enterprises for the production, transmission and distribution of electricity, gas, steam and hot water;

– increase in production volumes at enterprises producing other minerals;

– the presence in the cold season (mainly winter) of long periods with meteorological conditions unfavorable for the dispersion of harmful impurities in the atmosphere, i.e. under the action of an anticyclone – when powerful temperature inversions form a retaining layer that extends over hundreds of kilometers and prevents the transfer of impurities to the upper layers of the atmosphere .

In addition, it is worth taking into account the factor of increasing the number of enterprises that submitted an annual statistical report (public administration and military security enterprises), whose indicators increased the amount of pollutant emissions from stationary sources.

Water features

The main sources of pollution of surface water bodies are industrial enterprises and housing and communal services enterprises that discharge wastewater containing pollutants that exceed the maximum permissible concentration of the water body.

The biggest load on the river. Selenga is observed in the area of ​​Ulan-Ude, where wastewater is discharged from the right-bank and left-bank treatment facilities of the Vodokanal municipal unitary enterprise in Ulan-Ude.

In 2007, 510.59 million m³ were discharged into surface water bodies, including the lake basin. Baikal - 449.5 million m³, Yenisei basin - 1.08 million m³, water bodies of the Vitim basin - 60.02 million m². Of these, contaminated wastewater - 49.53 million m³, a decrease compared to 2006 by 2.88 million m³ (5.5%). In 2007, wastewater was discharged by 44 water users through 53 outlets.

The total volume of polluted wastewater discharges (49.53 million m²) contains 26,350 tons of pollutants (in 2006 - 52.41 million m², containing 28,839 tons of pollutants).

Table 11

Comparative data on the discharge of pollutants into water bodies

*Compiled from: Russian Statistical Yearbook. 2009. pp. 90-92; Russia in numbers

Conclusion:

The environmental situation in the Republic of Buryatia remains difficult: high levels of air and environmental pollution remain in most cities of the republic, and anthropogenic impact on the ecosystem of Lake Baikal continues.

Conclusion.

The Republic of Buryatia has significant and diverse natural resource potential, which is an important factor in ensuring a favorable natural environment and further economic development.

The Republic of Buryatia has a large pre-assessed raw material base uranium, unique reserves of various varieties of jade, quartz, zinc. The republic's gold resource base accounts for more than 2% of Russia's total reserves. Currently, only gold mining makes a significant contribution to all levels of the budget of the Republic of Buryatia. The Baikal region has great opportunities for the development of amateur hunting and fishing, collecting mushrooms, berries and nuts.

Tourism is recognized as a strategic direction of socio-economic development of the Republic of Buryatia. In terms of its tourism assets, the republic is one of the most competitive regions of Russia.

Positive changes are taking place in the field of tourism development planning and organization at the local level, which is a factor that increases the manageability of the industry and reduces the negative economic, environmental and socio-cultural results of uncontrolled tourism development. Promoting the tourism product of Buryatia in professional tourism markets contributes to the development of international relations, attracting investment resources not only in the tourism sector, but also in other promising sectors of the economy, the development of promising enterprises and projects, which ultimately leads to an increase in tourist flow to the republic.

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Russian statistical yearbooks (2008,2009,2010)

Lapidus B.M. Regional studies: Tutorial

for universities, M., 2000

Geographical atlases of Russia. Various editions.

Economic geography of transport / ed. N.N Kazansky. M., 1991

Rodionova I.A. Economic geography and regional economics: Textbook., M., 2002

Great encyclopedia of transport. Edited by V.P. Kalyavina, St. Petersburg, 1998.

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