Документ взят из кэша поисковой машины. Адрес оригинального документа : http://herba.msu.ru/shipunov/school/biol_330/2013_2014/presentations/baikal/vascular_plants_on_the_baikal_islands_and_peninsulas_presentation.pdf Дата изменения: Wed Apr 16 19:11:37 2014 Дата индексирования: Mon Apr 11 04:50:46 2016 Кодировка:

VASCULAR PLANTS ON THE ISLANDS AND PENINSULAS OF MALOE MORE (LAKE BAIKAL): PATTERNS OF DIVERSITY AND SPECIES TURNOVER
Victor V. Chepinoga, Vitali E. Zverev, Elena L. Zvereva and Mikhail V. Kozlov Jennifer Asbury Biol 330


LAKE BAIKAL: BACKGROUND
·

25 million years old

·
·

Oldest and deepest fresh water lake in the world.
Formed in the Paleozoic, Mesozoic and Cenezoic periods. Contains 20% of the worlds unfrozen water supply.

·


BACKGROUND: CONTINUED
·

One of the most bio diverse lakes on Earth

·
· · ·

1,340 species of animal (745 endemic)
570 species of plant (150 endemic). Surrounding the lake there are 10 threatened species and typical boreal species. Home to a unique species of freshwater earless seals called the nerpa


LOCATION OF LAKE BAIKAL
Lake Baikal is located in the northern caucuses. It is situated inside of Siberia north of Mongolia and west of China. It belongs to the Irkustsk Oblast of Russia. Maloe More is about 70 km in length and covers about 640,000 km between the mainland and Olkhon Island.


PRIMARY GOALS OF STUDY


Document spatial patterns in diversity of vascular plants Explore effects of natural(bird colonies) and human-induced (tourism) disturbances. Explore these effects on 12 islands and 4 peninsulas Estimate species turnover on a subset of 5 islands within a 30 year period. Use results to asses conservation value of Maloe More islands and develop recommendations for protection of regional biodiversity






THREATS TO BIO DIVERSITY



1. Pollution is seen as the largest threat to biodiversity. The most acute problem is associated with the paper and pulp mill in Baikalsk.



2. Contamination coming from the Selenga river which flows into Baikal is another source of pollution.
3. Increasing tourism poses terrestrial and aquatic pressures on the ecosystem.





Currently tourism is disorganized and uncontrolled. This is disturbing and damaging important natural areas.


MAP OF STUDY AREA


STUDY AREA



Semi-desert and Steppe-desert




Arid climate
Annual precipitation is 230mm or less Annual temperature is -1.2 degrees Celsius




Frost free period lasts 110-127 days
Small islands are exposed to strong winds up to 40 ms-1 Islands are treeless with the exception of Zamogoj


PLANT SAMPLING



Surveys were conducted simultaneously by all 4 people in the group
On small islands and peninsulas sampling was discontinued individually when no new species had been recorded for 5 min.





Fixed times were used on the largest islands due to time constraints. (Khubyn, Oltrek and Zamogoj)
1 person (the VCC) recorded common species using pre printed forms and collected only specimens that needed to be identified in a lab.




PLANT SAMPLING: CONTINUED



The other 3 people sampled above ground plants seen along the way and these samples were identified on the day of collection by the VCC



Each collector recorded species seperatly


COLLECTION OF ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Tourism/Recreational Activities


Bird Colonies


0= no visible traces of visitation

0= absent



1= rubbish or other signs of visitation were occasionally seen
2= trampled vegetation, paths, scrap-heaps and bonfire places were frequent across the island/peninsula



1= present but affecting minor part of island/peninsula
2= affecting more than half of island/peninsula







SPECIES TURNOVER



Species turnover was higher on small islands than on bigger islands This is opposite to what happens in the tropics This is due to the small number and variety of species who can actually survive in this type of environment versus the many different species who can survive in a tropical or subtropical region




RESULTS



269 species of vascular plants were recorded. The numbers ranged from 9-143 Species richness did not differ between islands and peninsulas Highest proportions of unique species were found on Khunuk (15.7%) and Zamogoj (12.6%)





Areas with large bird colonies had significantly smaller species richness than areas with small or no colonies. The current impact of tourism and recreational activities did not cause detectable changes in plant diversity.


IMPACTS OF COLONIAL BIRDS



The Herring gull is the most common bird nesting on the Maloe More islands. Island colonies of this species totaled about 500 nests in the early 1970's and has steadily increased since then. There was a more than two-fold decrease in overall species richness on islands with large gull colonies.




CONSERVATION OF LOCAL FLORAS



Tourists degrade and impoverish local landscapes




Eco tourism is rare at Lake Baikal
Restrictions should be imposed on tourist visitation to at least 3 islands thereby conserving local biodiversity



The islands to be visited are (in the order of decreasing importance: Zamogoj, Khubyn and Khunuk)