► Description: |
Describing the natural
state of eight important lakes in Asia and
the human impact on these lake ecosystems,
this book offers a valuable reference
guide. Over the past several decades the
Aral Sea, Dead Sea, Lake Balkhash and
other major lakes in Asia have undergone
significant changes with regard to their
size, water level, chemical composition,
and flora and fauna. Most of these changes
resulted from the loss of water from
tributaries (now used for irrigation
farming) or increasing consumption in
local industries and households. However,
significant human impacts may have begun
as early as 2000 years ago. In addition to
the three lakes mentioned above, Lake
Sevan (Armenia), the Caspian Sea
(Azerbaijan, Iran, Kazakhstan, Russia,
Turkmenistan), Lake Issyk-Kul
(Kyrgyzstan), and Lake Lop Nur (China) are
discussed as the most prominent examples
of changing lake ecosystems. In contrast,
an example of an almost pristine lake
ecosystem is included with the report on
Lake Uvs Nuur (Mongolia).
For each lake, the book summarizes its
origin and early geological history, and
reconstructs its natural state and
variability on the basis of proxy records
from drilled or exposed lake sediments
that have accumulated since the last ice
age. The frequently observed reductions in
lake level and size during most recent
decades led often to significant
environmental impacts in the respective
lake catchments including vegetation
deterioration, soil erosion and badland
formation, soil salinization or the
formation of sinkholes.
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