Tectonic lakes. The first writers who have contributed something of geological significance were the ancient Greek philosophers (Adams 1954), such as Thales of Miletus (c.636-546 BC), Anaximander of Miletus (615-547 BC), Pythagoras of Samos (540-510 BC), Xenophanes of Colophon (540-510 BC), Herodotus of Halicarnassu… The population in the catchment has increased by 100,000 people in the last half century, putting the lake's fragile ecosystem under pressure. There is a minor road around the lake, with border crossings between Albania and North Macedonia. Religious monuments such as the Black Madonna SW of Struga and St Naum monastery are counterposed with ravages of war such as the fortifications of the Macedonian Front across Galicica Mountain[41], The Macedonian side of Lake Ohrid was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO at the 3rd Session of the World Heritage Committee in 1979[42] and holds that status under Criterion VII as a superlative natural phenomenon related to its refuge function for relict and world-unique freshwater species, and its rich bird life. The most probable reason is overfishing and possibly destruction of spawning grounds. [52], Shore habitats are under particular pressure from human activities. Despite degradation from a variety of sources such as large-scale disposal of construction waste, major land conversion, disruption of water connections to Lake Ohrid, beach urbanization and loss of reed belts,[21] Studenchishte Marsh is still an important buffer to prevent lake eutrophication[23] and a key habitat for biodiversity, including relict plants and endemic species. [43], Concern over current and potential deterioration of the World Heritage Site prompted invitation of a joint Reactive Monitoring Mission by the World Heritage Centre, IUCN and ICOMOS in April 2017, which identified a wide range of pressures including from transport infrastructure, traffic, tourism developments, overfishing, sewerage, solid waste disposal, invasive species, both legal and illegal construction, and management of water levels. ... On this interactive website you can learn more about the tectonic movements. Though third largest by size, Kuybyshev is a reservoir and not considered the third largest lake in Europe. This UNESCO World Heritage site is an ancient lake with an age of 2 - 5 Ma and among the oldest lakes in Europe. The Caspian Sea, in Europe and Asia, is the world’s largest lake, with an area of more than 370,000 square kilometers (143,000 square miles). Although there is time to react, computer simulations indicate that at least a 50% reduction in phosphorus input must be reached to keep the deep water oxygenated for the next 50 years at predicted atmospheric warming. [32] More data is required to determine whether these current fishing levels are sustainable[31] and illegal fishing, particularly on the Albanian side of the lake,[32] remains a problem. The Ohrid and Prespa Lakes are the two largest in a north-south chain of tectonic basins (grabens) including the Korca basin, and Lake Ioannina in NW Greece, known as the Dessaret group. Many of the lakes occur naturally, but some are man-made. Tectonic lakes appear in those spots, with some of the world’s grandest and deepest lakes coming under this category. These include Struga Marsh, large portions of which were drained for agriculture in the 1940s[21] and again in the 1960s when the River Sateska was rerouted. The world’s deepest lake is Lake Baikal, in Russia. minimal mesh size) and only a limited number of licensed fishermen, these rules are always not obeyed as a result of the high market value of the endemic trout. Despite this, dissolved oxygen never drops below ~6 mg L−1. Ladoga is the largest lake at 17,700 km² and features an island with the Valaam Monastery. In 2010, NASA named one of Titan's lakes after it. The current church dates from the 17 th century, and the site has a fascinating history. First steps in that direction have been taken by extending and improving the existing sewage system in North Macedonia in the framework of a GEF (Global Environment Facility) program. The Great Lakes of North America and the lakes of England’s Lake District are all examples of glacial lakes. Although the effects of these human impacts have not been evaluated in detail they are of great concern, as the shallow water sites are particularly rich in endemic bottom fauna and form important spawning grounds for several endemic fish species. Lake Ohrid formed in the Tertiary period between 3.5 and 4 million years ago, is one of the oldest lakes in the world. the two endemic trout species, has dropped significantly over the past decades, both in North Macedonia and in Albania. In Albania, the coastal portion of the lake holds Managed Nature Reserve status. Similar to Lake Baikal or Lake Tanganyika, Lake Ohrid harbors endemic species covering the whole food-chain, from phytoplankton and sessile algae (20 species; e.g., Cyclotella fottii), over plant species (2 species; e.g., Chara ohridana), zooplankton (5 species; e.g., Cyclops ochridanus), cyprinid fish (8 species; e.g., Pachychilon pictus), to predatory fish (two trout species; the Ohrid trout complex Salmo letnica, and "Belvica" Salmo ohridanus) and finally its diverse endemic bottom fauna (176 species; e.g. The volume of the lake is estimated to be 50.7 km3 with maximum depth 289 m and the average depth 151 m. Lake Ohrid is a resource It drains into the Gulf of Finland through the Neva River which acts as its outlet. Due to its size, accessibility and species richness, Lake Ohrid is extremely well-suited to the function of a natural laboratory. The formation of the lake basin dates back 8.6 million years and is connected to divergent movement of African and Somali tectonic plates in the East African Rift System (EARS). The transition from compressional to extensional tectonics in the central Balkan Mts occurred around 6 million years ago, with the oldest lake sediments being Pliocene, possibly 3-5 million years old. Lake Ohrid lacks an annual deep water exchange which in other lakes can bring complete overturn; plunging rivers are also absent. Worldwide, rift valley lakes with similarly ancient origins include Lake Baikal, Lake Titicaca, Lake Tanganyika and the Dead Sea. Some of the fish species found in the lake are Vänern salmon, trouts, zander, and whitefish. The Great Lakes of North America and the lakes of England’s Lake District are all examples of glacial lakes. Lake Vänern is fed by Klarälven, Byälven and Norsälven tributaries with Klarälven being the main tributary. Europe was the birthplace of geological sciences. In order to clarify the differences of lake hydrochemistry of Tibetan Plateau, water samples were collected from 32 lakes, including 22 tectonic lakes and 11 glacial lakes, along the Tibetan Plateau road, from September to October 2016. The Geological and Tectonic Framework of Europe. The lake is particularly fertile and rich in vegetation, despite the very cold temperatures. Foulquie managed to use this visibility to capture the stunning shots between the two tectonic plates. [32], Measured by its surface area of 358 km², Ohrid is probably the most biodiverse lake on Earth. Lake Ladoga is a freshwater lake which is 83 km wide, 51 m deep, 837 km3 in volume, and 5 m above sea level. [22], Nowadays, the last remaining significant coastline wetland at Lake Ohrid is Studenchishte Marsh,[21] which is located on the eastern shore near the city of Ohrid. Initially the original settlers controlled t… 3 of the largest lakes in Europe are located in Russia. PDF version. It is over 100km long and 30km wide, and is the largest lake in Indonesia, and the largest Volcano Lake in the world. North Macedonia's side of Lake Ohrid was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1979, with the site being extended to also include the cultural and historic area of Ohrid in 1980. Furthermore, the fishing industry has really boomed in those regions where the lakes are located. Unfortunately, as in many European lakes, it is very unlikely today that eels can reach Lake Ohrid naturally and return to the Sargasso Sea, as a result of several hydropower dams on the Black Drin and the Drin River, both in North Macedonia and Albania. Instead, the third largest lake in Europe is the Lake Vänern which is found in Sweden. Glacial lakes are quite common and most of North America’s and Europe’s lakes have a glacial origin. Some of the species of fish found in the lake include brown trout, whitefish, European Crisco, spined loach, and sturgeon. Geography, 13.01.2021 14:00, sabel1234 How tectonic plates formed Tectonic plates are pieces of Earth's crust and uppermost mantle, together referred to as the lithosphere.The plates are around 100 km (62 mi) thick and consist of two principal types of material: oceanic crust (also called sima from silicon and magnesium) and continental crust (sial from silicon and aluminium). The reason lies very probably in the ideal adaptation of the endemic species to the specific conditions in the lake, such as low nutrient availability, good living conditions in greater depth thanks to high water transparency and oxygen content, as well as subaquatic spring inflows supplying cool and oxygen-rich water. Tectonic mountain exhibit & Tectonic land art From 14 July to 21 October 2018, around 20 mountain huts in the cantons of Glarus, St. Gallen and Graubünden will be hosting mountain exhibits. Among the lakes are also freshwater lakes, salty lakes, and brackish lakes. The lakeshore reed beds and wetlands provide critical habitat for hundreds of thousands of wintering water birds, including rare and threatened species such as the Dalmatian pelican, ferruginous duck, swan, spotted eagle, and eastern imperial eagle. 1A) that consist of high-mountain ridges (peak elevations range between ca. The lakes are the largest tectonic lakes in Europe. My dive adventure started off setting off the local commercial dive center and getting to know my dive master for the day who will be taking the dive group for Scuba diving in lake Silfra. This position aligns with IUCN advice. Low-growing vegetation extends out to a depth of 10 metres while higher vegetation forms a … ... keeps forming new patterns, with new lakes continually forming and disappearing. In May 2019, the UNESCO World Heritage Centre expanded the World Heritage Site to the Albanian side of the lake. Plates move apart at mid-ocean ridges where new seafloor forms. Tectonic plates are pieces of Earth's crust and uppermost mantle, together referred to as the lithosphere.The plates are around 100 km (62 mi) thick and consist of two principal types of material: oceanic crust (also called sima from silicon and magnesium) and continental crust (sial from silicon and aluminium). The graben system is still tectonically active and Lake Ohrid sits in a seismogenic landscape, with many visible traces including fresh fault scarps, displaced sediment and soil sequences, stepped hillsides, and a hydrothermal field near Kosel. (Hydrobiologia 2006, 553: 89–109), S. D. Hadzisce, "The mixo-phenomenon of Lake Ohrid in the course of the years 1941/42-1964/65 (in German)" (Proceedings of the International Association of Theoretical and Applied Limnology 1966, 16: 134–138). As a result, eel found in Lake Ohrid are stocked populations. [43] In addition, draft Decision 43 COM 7B.36 was released[45] recommending for the Ohrid region, including Lake Ohrid, to be placed on the List of World Heritage in Danger during the 43rd Session of the World Heritage Committee in Baku, Azerbaijan. A quantitative model is proposed for the long-term evolution of lakes and inter-nally drained basins resulting from tectonic vertical motions, sediment infill, outlet erosion, and climatic regime. Many of these lakes were formed long ago by glaciers. The THING Project is based on the Thing sites that are the assembly sites spread across North West Europe as a result of the Viking diaspora and Norse settlements. It hosts one of the oldest lakes in Europe and is characterized by a basin and range-like geological setting together with the halfgraben basins of Korca, Erseka and Debar. Kapka Kassabova, To the Lake, a Balkan Journey of War and Peace, Granta 2020, Lorenschat, Julia & Schwalb, Antje (2013), T. Hauffe, C. Albrecht, K. Schreiber, K. Birkhofer, S. Trajanovski, and T. Wilke (2011), Society of Wetland Scientists (2018) The Declaration on The Protection of the Lake Ohrid Ecosystem (Available 28/5/2018 via, Natural and Cultural Heritage of the Ohrid Region (Albania), "Sondazhi: Liqeni i Pogradecit më i bukuri në Shqipëri", "LIQENI I POGRADECIT, DALLGËT KTHEHEN NË AKULL (FOTO)", "Liqeni i Ohrit, syri dhe shpirti i Pogradecit", "Liqeni i Pogradecit, Albania Lexo më shumë në", "Lake Ohrid; Invest in Macedonia – Agency for Foreign Investments of the Republic of Macedonia", "One of Titan lakes to be named Ohrid Lacus", "Single View News - United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization", "The ancient Balkan lakes harbor a new endemic species of Diaphanosoma, Fischer, 1850 (Crustacea: Branchiopoda: Cladocera)", "Eutrophication of ancient Lake Ohrid: Global warming amplifies detrimental effects of increased nutrient inputs", "Studenchishte Marsh as an Integral Part of Ancient Lake Ohrid: Current Status and Need for Protection", nitial Characterisation of Lakes Prespa, Ohrid and Shodra/Skadar. Lake Como, also known as Lario, is a unique, Y-shaped lake that gives the impression of an inland sea. The lakes are the largest tectonic lakes in Europe. It is also the 14th largest freshwater lake in the world by area. Moderate earthquakes are frequent, with the strongest yet measured here on 18 February 1911, with a magnitude 6.6 at a focal depth of 15 km, destroying houses but with no loss of life[14], The lake drains an area of around 2600 km² and is fed primarily by underground springs on the eastern shore (about 50% of total inflow), with roughly 25% shares from rivers and direct precipitation. [32] The mission report devised 19 recommendations for Macedonia, which were incorporated under Decision 41 COM 7B.34 of the World Heritage Committee at its 41st Session in Krakow, Poland in 2017.[44]. 8. The history of Þingvellir is closely linked with the history of Iceland. Over 20% of the lake's water comes from nearby Lake Prespa, about 10 km (6.2 mi) to the southeast and at 150 m higher altitude than Lake Ohrid. Besides fishing, the coast of Lake Onega also flourishes with mining of minerals such as black schist, granite, and marble. Lake Ohrid formed in the Tertiary period between 3.5 and 4 million years ago, is one of the oldest lakes in the world. It was created +/- 70,000 years ago when a massive super volcano erupted in the largest volcanic explosion in at least 25 million years. Lake Ohrid Basin is a graben structure situated in the Dinarides at the border of the Former Yugoslavian Republic of Macedonia (FYROM) and Albania. Tectonic movements Geologic history Lake Thingvallavatn Watershed The fish in the lake. Between the two plates is a rift valley. Tectonic lakes are lakes formed by the deformation and resulting lateral and vertical movements of the Earth's crust. Over 400 meters (1,300 feet) deep, it is the deepest lake in Europe. Most lakes have much shorter life spans as they rapidly fill with sediments. Segers, H.; and Martens, K; editors (2005). These movements include faulting, tilting, folding, and warping. The towns situated at the lakeside are Ohrid and Struga in North Macedonia along with Pogradec in Albania. IX (Uitgeverij Dr. W. Junk, Den Haag, Netherlands, 1960), M.R. This aim could be reached by controlling household wastewater, which is by far the biggest phosphorus source at the moment. 8. [19][20], Previously extensive wetland habitats in the vicinity of Lake Ohrid have been lost due to conversion into agricultural or urban land.