Hydrochemical and microbiological characteristics of the Gusino-Ubukunskaya group of water bodies

Abstract

Results of hydrochemical and microbiological studies of five largest water bodies belonging to the Gusino-Ubukunskaya group are presented. Present-day environmental state of the ecosystem subject to anthropogenic load is described. The possibility of using water quality parameters of the investigated lakes as indicators of the degree of contamination of waters flowing into the Baikal Lake is shown.

First Data on PAE Levels in Surface Water in Lakes of the Eastern Coast of Baikal

“…Lakes Kotokel, Arangatui, and Dukhovoe had the lowest mineralization, in the range of 58-126 mg/L. Mineralization in Shchuchye was 292 mg/L, and Lake Bormashevoe had the highest value of 1284 mg/L, which is consistent with previous studies [38][39][40][41][42]. Notably, the high mineralization of Lake Bormashevoe could be the result of evaporative concentration, which led to the formation of mineral waters, as noted in [43].…”

“…The content of dissolved oxygen in the water of Lakes Kotokel and Shchuchye was 10.8-13.8 mg/L. Close values were previously reported in [38,40] In Lakes Arangatui, Bormashevoe, and Dukhovoe, the content of dissolved oxygen was reduced to 0-2.5 mg/L at certain sampling sites. The contents of easily oxidizable organic matter (PI values) and organic compounds resistant to oxidation (COD values) were highest in Lake Bormashevoe (45.87 and 162.11 mg/L, respectively) and lowest in Lake Shchuchye (4.08 and 13.84 mg/L).…”

Diatom community responses to long‐term multiple stressors at Lake Gusinoye, Siberia

“…The concurrent high abundances of F. crotonensis and A. formosa have been used previously to infer increased nutrient loadings and anthropogenic disturbances in lake catchments (Anderson et al, 1995;Forrest et al, 2002;Fritz et al, 1993;Garrison & Wakeman, 2000;Hobbs et al, 2010;Wolin & Stoermer, 2005). Indeed, spot measurements from Lake Gusinoye indicate concentration increases for several nutrients between the mid-20th century and the early 1990s, including phosphate (from 0.003-0.03 up to 0.09 mg/L), sulphate (from 8 to 68 mg/L), nitrate (from 0.035 to 0.9 mg/L), and ammonium (from 0.001 to 2.4 mg/L) (Borisenko et al, 1994;Khakhinov et al, 2005). Therefore, the combined high abundances of F. crotonensis and A. formosa, alongside low abundances of Stephanodiscus spp., may represent low but increasing P conditions and moderately abundant N and Si (Michel et al, 2006).…”

“…Therefore, the combined high abundances of F. crotonensis and A. formosa, alongside low abundances of Stephanodiscus spp., may represent low but increasing P conditions and moderately abundant N and Si (Michel et al, 2006). Indeed, spot measurements from Lake Gusinoye indicate concentration increases for several nutrients between the mid-20th century and the early 1990s, including phosphate (from 0.003-0.03 up to 0.09 mg/L), sulphate (from 8 to 68 mg/L), nitrate (from 0.035 to 0.9 mg/L), and ammonium (from 0.001 to 2.4 mg/L) (Borisenko et al, 1994;Khakhinov et al, 2005). Furthermore, Epithemia adnata, which contains endosymbiotic cyanobacteria in its cells to assist in nitrogen fixation, completely disappears from the Lake Gusinoye sediment record at this time, lending support to our suggestion that nitrogen supply was plentiful (DeYoe et al, 1992).…”

Areas of Bacterial Communities of Aquatic Mud Volcanic Depositions in Lake Baikal Region

“…High seismic activity and low heat flow (Table 1) are typical for this area. The water habitation of microorganisms is represented by the Gusino-Ubukunskaya group of lakes [27], including fresh and salty reservoirs and mineral springs.…”