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Examples of Granted Projects
Survey of the Current Status of Mongolian Khubsgul Lake's Annual Water Level Rise
Biwa Scientific Round Table Society President, Kenji Fushimii
| Mongolia's Beautiful
Khubsgul Lake The Khubsgul Lake, a an ancient lake located near the borders of Mongolia and Russia, is the largest freshwater lake in Central Asia. The entire catchment area is designated a national park to protect the lake's unique biota. With a transparency of 30m, the lake water is clear and blue, its transparency being 30m. The flora and fauna indigenous to the lake makes Khubsgul Lake one of the world's precious natural heritages. Although, at present, use of the lake is limited to those for tourist purposes, the development of apatite mines in the mountains on the west coast and crude oil transport from Russia are causing increased water pollution and impacts on the ecosystem are feared. With an eye of protecting the nature of this beautiful lake, the Biwa Scientific Round Table Society is engaged in the following activities: Conservation Activities in Khubsgul Lake
The water level of Khubsgul Lake has risen by 10 cm in the past thirty years. On the surmise that temperature change has a part in the sudden water level rise, we initiated a survey of the water level, water quality and permafrost. Because Khbsgul Lake has not been exposed to anthropogenic impact, it holds the possibility of identifying the direct impact that global warming has on ecosystems. We intend to continue our survey with an outlook on global warming, a global environmental issue. 2) Hosting Eco-tours Since 1998, we have made use of grants from the Japan Environment Cooperation to invite undergraduate and graduate school students living or studying in Shiga Prefecture to accompany us on surveys of Khubsgul Lake hosted by our organization. The assistant work in surveys allows participants to learn the importance of environmental conservation and simultaneously transcend generation and national barriers in exchange activities through experiencing "waste-free" tours that do not impose a burden on the environment and gaining first-hand information from specialists on the thawing of permafrost, the surrounding vegetation, water plankton and currents. 3) "Mongolia's Khubsgul Lake Workshop 2001"
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Contact: Biwa Scientific Round Table Society Secretariat c/o Michiko Nakagawa, Lake Biwa Research Institue 1-10 Uchidehama, Otsu City, Shiga Pref. TEL: +81-77-526-4690 FAX: +81-77-526-0568 E-mail: nakagawa@lbri.go.jp |
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