Where is the Vasyugan swamp located on the map. Vasyugan swamps: where they are, description, interesting facts. The importance of the site in the natural water cycle
Vasyugan swamps are located in the center of the Siberian Federal District (SFD), between the Ob and Irtysh rivers. This is the largest swampy place in Russia and the world. Most of this unique natural area is located on the territory of the Tomsk region, including the Novosibirsk, Omsk regions and the Khanty-Mansiysk Autonomous Okrug. The area of this swamp is the largest in the world and is about 53-55 thousand square meters. km, which exceeds the size of such European countries as Switzerland, Denmark or Estonia.
The size of the swamp in length is approximately 570 by 320 km, it is truly huge, you can see it on the map. According to scientists, the swamping of this area began about 10,000 years ago and continues to this day - over the past 500 years, the swamp has increased 4 times. Local legends speak of the ancient Vasyugan Sea-Lake, but geologists say that the Great Vasyugan Swamp did not occur by overgrowing ancient lakes, but as a result of the advance of swamps on land under the influence of a humid climate and favorable conditions.
Initially, on the site of the current single swamp massif, there were 19 separate plots with a total area of 45,000 square meters. km, but gradually the quagmire swallowed up the surroundings, like the onset of desert sands. Today, this region is still a classic example of active, "aggressive" swamp formation: the interesting fact is that the swamps continue to grow, increasing on average by 800 hectares per year. There are more than 800 thousand lakes here, many rivers and streams originate, and the moisture evaporated from the surface maintains the climatic balance and is carried even to the territory of Eastern Siberia and Kazakhstan.
The climate in the area of the Vasyugan swamp is continental and humid. The average temperature in January is -20 °C, in July +17 °C. Snow cover 40–80 cm high lies from October to April on average 175 days a year. Wetlands are the last refuge for many rare and endangered species of animals and birds driven from habitats transformed by humans, and the basis for maintaining the traditional nature management of small peoples, in particular, the indigenous inhabitants of Western Siberia. Among plants, swamps and lakes, various medicinal herbs are of the main value, as well as berries that are found in abundance in swamps: cranberries, cloudberries, blueberries, etc.
Wetlands contain huge reserves of peat and counteract the greenhouse effect by sequestering carbon. Explored peat reserves are more than 1 billion tons, the average depth is 2.4 m, the maximum depth is 10 m.
Vasyugan swamps are home to numerous local fauna, including rare ones. Of the rare species of animals in the swamps live: reindeer, golden eagle, white-tailed eagle, osprey, gray shrike, peregrine falcon. Squirrels, elks, sables, wood grouses, white partridges, hazel grouses, black grouses are present in significant quantities, mink, otter, wolverine are in smaller quantities. The flora also includes rare and endangered plant species and plant communities.
Now the fauna and flora of the swamps is under threat due to the development of the territory during the exploration and exploitation of oil and gas fields. The falling second stages of launch vehicles launched from the Baikonur cosmodrome, which pollute the territory with heptyl residues, also pose an environmental hazard.
Vasyugan swamps consider a variety of insects, animals, fish, birds to be their home. During the migration period, waterfowl and waders stop to rest on them. According to the Institute of Animal Ecology and Systematics of the Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, up to 60% of the total number of ducks fly in the period of spring migration with a diffuse front through swamp systems, and only 40% - along the valleys of large rivers.
Godwit and curlew, various birds of prey, including the peregrine falcon, nest in the marshes. It was on the Vasyugan plain that the thin-billed curlew was last seen, which is considered to be an almost extinct species of birds. In places where swamps border forests and rivers and lakes lie, elks, minks, sables, otters are found, hazel grouses and wood grouses are found. Until the mid-80s of the last century, reindeer were found in the swamps, but today their population has practically disappeared. In the tributaries of the rivers originating from the Great Vasyugan swamp, there are about 20 species of fish. In recent years, bream, pike perch, carp, and verkhovka have become common in local reservoirs. Vulnerable and rare species of fish in the area are nelma, peled, lamprey, and ruff.
In the summer, swamps are almost impassable even for specialized vehicles. Cargo transportation to oil fields and exploration parties is carried out in winter.
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Western Siberia is a vast region bounded on the west by the steep ledges of the Ural Range, and on the east by the slopes of the Central Siberian Plateau. From north to south, it extends from the coast of the Kara Sea to the Turgai Tableland and Altai inclusive. Orographically, it is divided into two sharply different parts: the vast West Siberian lowland, covering about 85% of its territory, and the Altai mountainous country, which occupies a relatively small southeastern corner.
The West Siberian Lowland is one of the greatest lowlands in the world. It is a vast, heavily swampy plain, with absolute heights of 80-120 m, slightly inclined to the north. The Ob River, crossing the entire lowland in the direction from south to north - from Novosibirsk to the mouth (for about 3000 km) - has a drop of only 94 m, or an average of a little more than 3 cm per 1 km. The appearance of the plain is explained by the geological history of the West Siberian lowland, which until the end of the Tertiary period was the bottom of the sea, as a result of which it turned out to be filled and leveled by a thick layer of marine sediments. The bedrock crystalline rocks were deeply buried under the later deposits; they rise close to the surface only along the periphery of the lowland.
The West Siberian lowland is characterized by high swampiness, where swamps occupy up to 70% of its surface. The famous Vasyugan swamps (53 thousand km 2) are located here. The formation of swamps in this area is associated with stagnation and poor conditions for the flow of surface water. A characteristic feature of the West Siberian Lowland is the weak swampiness of the river valleys, which stand out on the map as relatively dry stripes among the heavily swampy interfluve spaces. This seemingly unusual phenomenon is explained by the history of the formation of the relief and river valleys of Western Siberia, which was relatively recently (in the geological sense) the bottom of the sea. After the departure of the sea, the surface of the plain was subjected to intensive swamping, and with a subsequent decrease in the base of erosion, the river valleys had a draining effect only on a narrow adjacent strip.
The swamps of Western Siberia are a colossal reservoir of water. The average swampiness of the plain is about 30%, in the swampy zone it is 50%, and in some areas (Surgut Polesye, Vasyuganye, Kondinskaya lowland) it reaches 70-80%. A combination of many factors contributes to the widespread development of swamp formation, the main of which are the flatness of the territory and its tectonic regime with a steady tendency to sink in the northern and central regions, poor drainage of the territory, excessive moisture, prolonged spring-summer floods on rivers, combined with the formation of backwater for tributaries. with an increase in the level of the Ob, Irtysh and Yenisei, the presence of permafrost.
According to the peat fund, the total area of peat bogs in Western Siberia is 400 thousand km 2, and taking into account all other types of waterlogging, from 780 thousand to 1 million km 2. The total peat reserves are estimated at 90 billion tons in the air-dry state. It is known that bog peat contains 94% water.
In the center of the Siberian Federal District, between the Ob and Irtysh rivers, there is the Vasyugan Swamp, the largest in Russia and the world. Most of this unique natural area is located on the territory of the Tomsk region, including the Novosibirsk, Omsk regions and the Khanty-Mansiysk Autonomous Okrug. The area of this swamp is the largest in the world and is about 53-55 thousand square meters. km, which exceeds the size of such European countries as Switzerland, Denmark or Estonia. The size of the swamp in length is approximately 570 by 320 km., it is truly huge, you can see it on the map.
According to scientists, swamping of the area began about 10,000 years ago ago and continues to this day - over the past 500 years, the swamp has quadrupled. Local legends speak of the ancient Vasyugan Sea-Lake, but geologists say that the Great Vasyugan Swamp did not occur through the overgrowth of ancient lakes, but as a result of the advance of swamps on land under the influence of a humid climate and favorable orographic conditions. Initially, on the site of the current single swamp massif, there were 19 separate plots with a total area of 45,000 square meters. km, but gradually the quagmire swallowed up the surroundings, like the onset of desert sands.
Today, this region is still a classic example of active, "aggressive" swamp formation: the interesting fact is that the swamps continue to grow, increasing on average by 800 hectares per year. There are more than 800 thousand lakes here, many rivers and streams originate, and the moisture evaporated from the surface maintains the climatic balance and is carried even to the territory of Eastern Siberia and Kazakhstan. The climate in the area of the Vasyugan swamp is continental and humid. The average temperature in January is -20 °C, in July +17 °C. Snow cover 40–80 cm high lies from October to April on average 175 days a year.
Flora and fauna
Wetlands are the last refuge for many rare and endangered species of animals and birds driven from habitats transformed by humans, and the basis for maintaining the traditional nature management of small peoples, in particular, the indigenous inhabitants of Western Siberia. Among the plants of swamps and lakes, various medicinal herbs, as well as berries, which are found in abundance in swamps, are of primary value: cranberries, cloudberries, blueberries, etc.
Vasyugan swamps consider their home to a variety of insects, animals, fish, birds. During the migration period, waterfowl and waders stop to rest on them. According to the Institute of Animal Ecology and Systematics of the Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, up to 60% of the total number of ducks fly in the period of spring migration with a diffuse front through swamp systems, and only 40% - along the valleys of large rivers. Godwit and curlew, various birds of prey, including the peregrine falcon, nest in the marshes. It was on the Vasyugan plain that the thin-billed curlew was last seen, which is considered to be an almost extinct species of birds.
In places where swamps border forests and rivers and lakes lie, elks, minks, sables, otters are found, hazel grouses and wood grouses are found. Until the mid-80s of the last century, reindeer were found in the swamps, but today their population has practically disappeared.
In the tributaries of the rivers originating from the Great Vasyugan swamp, there are about 20 species of fish. In recent years, bream, pike perch, carp, and verkhovka have become common in local reservoirs. Vulnerable and rare species of fish in the area are nelma, peled, lamprey, and ruff.
Vasyugan swamp are the main source of fresh water in the region (water reserves up to 400 km³), this is the region where there are huge reserves of peat. Explored reserves are more than 1 billion tons (2% of the world), the average depth is 2.4 m, the maximum is 10 m. The most important function of the swamp is to purify the atmosphere, for which it is called a giant natural filter. Peat swamps of Siberia absorb toxic substances, bind carbon and thus prevent the greenhouse effect by saturating the air with oxygen.
The deserted Vasyugan moss peat bogs are a "geographical trend" in the north of the Tomsk region, which in the old days was called the Narym Territory. Historically, these were places of exile for political prisoners. The first Russian settlers founded the Tyumen (1586), Narym (1596) and Tomsk (1604) prisons shortly after the completion of Yermak's military expedition (1582–1585), which marked the beginning of the conquest of the Siberian Khanate in 1607. Judging by the documents found in peat bogs, by 1720 in the Narym Territory, the newly arrived population lived in 12 settlements. Since 1835, a systematic settlement of exiles began (a new influx of exiles came to Vasyugan in the 1930s–1950s), it was mainly due to them that the local population increased.
black gold
Later, the more active development of Western Siberia was facilitated by the landlessness of the peasants of the central provinces as a result of the reforms of 1861, and especially the Stolypin agrarian reform of 1906. In 1949, oil was found in the western part of the swamp, Kargasoksky district was nicknamed the “oil Klondike”, by the beginning of the 1970s more than 30 oil and gas fields had already been discovered in Vasyugansky (Pionerny) and Luginetsky (Pudino) regions. In 1970, the construction of the Aleksandrovskoye–Tomsk–Anzhero-Sudzhensk oil pipeline was started, and in 1976, the construction of the Nizhnevartovsk–Parabel–Kuzbass gas pipeline.
Ecology of the Vasyugan swamp
Despite the almost complete absence of settlements in the area of the Vasyugan swamps, with the development of civilization, a variety of factors began to have a negative impact on a unique natural object. Peat extraction violates the natural landscape of the Vasyugan Plain, there are negative consequences of draining the swamps and poaching lead to the destruction of unique flora and fauna. Heavy tracked vehicles, all-terrain vehicles, construction and drilling activities, oil spills and the use of water in drilling processes are damaging the swamp ecosystem.
Industrial runoff constantly gets into the rivers, tourists leave garbage behind. Also, the second stages of rockets are a big problem. launched from the Baikonur Cosmodrome: falling into the swamps, they pollute them with the remnants of highly toxic rocket fuel - heptyl. Analysis of samples of water, soil and plants from raised bogs collected in contaminated areas showed that the content of heptyl in some of them is 5 times higher than the MPC.
Swamp fires
However, the most dangerous and most frequently repeated anthropogenic impact on the ecosystems of Vasyugan are those that destroy all natural complexes of swamps, including in winter. As a result, many intramarsh lakes of pyrogenic genesis appear, forest stands and many animals die. The growth of lakes reduces the flow of water from the already swampy forests.
In the 1920s, a seven-year fire in peat bogs on the territory of the modern Northern region of the Novosibirsk region led to the formation of the largest lake Tenis in the south of Western Siberia. Subsequently, its basin deepened in some places to 11–18 meters, the area of the water surface approached 19 square meters. km, and the total water reserves accumulated from swampy watersheds are about 47 million cubic meters. m.UNESCO reserve
Assessing the role and importance of the Great Vasyugan Swamp as a complex and multifunctional ecosystem, and taking into account its uniqueness and significance, as well as the increasing scale of anthropogenic impacts, we have to recognize the urgent problem of its protection. However, for a long time, the Vasyugan swamps were not even included in the preliminary lists of objects that need to be given the status of specially protected.
The situation got off the ground in 2006. The administration of the Tomsk region has created a complex reserve "Vasyugansky". Currently, it is planned to give it the status of a UNESCO World Natural Heritage Site. The Vasyugansky reserve implies a ban on hunting and logging. Although this will put a significant part of the local population out of work, many of whom are professional hunters, the administration of the reserve hopes to recruit former hunters as rangers to combat poaching.
Possible Solutions
The creation of a specially protected natural area in the interfluve of the Ob and Irtysh is of scientific interest from the point of view of monitoring and studying natural processes in the largest swampy region of the world. The purpose of their organization is to preserve the complex of swamp systems of the Great Vasyugan swamp and maintain the ecological balance in the region. This corresponds not only to the general goals of the conservation of biological diversity, the reasonable use of natural resources (vegetable, oil), but also to maintaining the balance of the ecosystems of the adjacent territories.
Opinions of scientists
According to scientists, the design of a large protected area - an ecological reserve - within the Vasyugan bog system will be very promising. It should be a single array, the basis of which can be the spaces of watershed swamps.
Within this zone, it is expedient to establish a series of scientific polygons similar to biospheric ones., since the allocation of only one specially protected area, even a very large area and quite representative in terms of the characteristics of the bog process and the structure of the bog landscapes of the region, would be a half-measure that does not guarantee the safety of this entire territory as an ecologically valuable landscape system.
Educational institutions in Russia that conduct research in the field of environmental problems.
Environmental pollution in our country, see the review.
What is the policy of states aimed at solving global problems of the biosphere? Find out more at the link.
Territory development
The development of the western part of the Great Vasyugan Swamp by the oil industry cannot serve as a factor contributing to the reduction of the boundaries of the ecological reserve. These areas are of interest for organizing a system for tracking the course of natural processes under conditions of anthropogenic impact, and in practice - for monitoring the exploitation of oil fields. As a first step in environmental and practical actions, it is necessary to form a state interregional complex reserve of federal significance.
A separate item in the Vasyugan swamp protection program should be the program for reforming the Russian rocket and space industry, which provides for the abandonment of the use of heptyl and nitrogen tetroxide as rocket fuel and oxidizer, as well as the transfer of the main rocket launch pad from Baikonur to the Vostochny cosmodrome under construction in the Amur Region.From the foregoing, it becomes quite clear that the Vasyugan swamp massif is not only unique natural phenomenon of Western Siberia, but also acts as such for Russia and the world. The geo-ecological functions it performs are irreplaceable and irreplaceable, therefore the only way to preserve this natural heritage can be the creation of a biosphere reserve within its boundaries. Given the high cost of implementing such a project, its solution is possible at least in stages: at the first stage, these are various kinds of economic restrictions, at the second stage, the creation of the Vasyugan reserve is possible, and, finally, its transformation into a biosphere reserve.
In the early to mid-20th century, large-scale drainage of swamps began around the world: vast territories were drained in Europe, Asia, North and South America for the needs of civilization. While in Russia, most of the swamps continued to grow under the cover of dense Siberian forests.
The debate over which swamp is the largest in the world continues to this day. An old Russian proverb immediately comes to mind: "Every devil praises his swamp." In fact, this is what happens: every scientist, every researcher tries to convince the others that it is his swamps that are the largest. But the thing is that it is rather difficult to measure the exact dimensions of the swamp: it is almost impossible to determine exactly where it begins and where it ends. But anyway, Big Vasyugan very similar to the same swamp, especially since it continues to grow.
The largest swamp massif on our planet is located in Siberia between the Ob and Irtysh rivers. According to the latest data, the total area of the Vasyugan swamp is 53,000 km², the length from north to south is 322 km, from west to east - 575 km. 53,000 km² is a very large area, surpassing a good half of the countries of the world.
The formation of the Vasyugan swamp massif began approximately 10,000 years ago, probably from the water reserves left after the Ice Age. But most of the swamp area was acquired relatively recently: 75% of the territories were swamped over the past 5 centuries. In other words, the Siberian swamps are growing in volume and this is good news, especially considering the environmental situation in the world.
Those who consider swamps to be a vile, fetid, disgusting place will be greatly disappointed when they see Big Vasyuganskoye. Wherever you look - around the water, water and lush vegetation. This is a real paradise for animals and plants, all conditions here contribute to their development and prosperity. In addition, for thousands of kilometers there is not a single settlement of a person who, voluntarily or inadvertently, could harm nature.
The swamp massif is the main source of fresh water in its region. Most of the Siberian rivers originate here, feeding on the incalculable water reserves of the Great Vasyugan. More than 800 thousand lakes of various sizes are located on the territory of the massif.
In addition to being a home for animals and plants, swamps also perform at least one more important function. Peat, which is usually so rich in swamps, largely counteracts the greenhouse effect by absorbing and sequestering carbon atoms. At the same time, vegetation, which is very abundant here, saturates the atmosphere with oxygen. Taking into account the size of the Great Vasyugan swamp, we come to the conclusion that it is one of the most powerful opponents of the greenhouse effect on our planet.
However, not everything is as good as it could be. The fact is that under the Vasyugan swamps there are almost the largest peat reserves in the world and very significant oil deposits. And as it usually happens: where there is money for making money, a person also appears. A network of mining and processing plants has already been deployed in the swamps. In this regard, the administration of the Tomsk region created a complex reserve "Vasyugansky". But, more importantly, not so long ago, they seriously started talking about giving the Great Vasyugan Swamp the status of a UNESCO World Natural Heritage Site.
Vadim Andrianov / wikipedia.org
Vasyugan swamps are one of the largest on Earth. They are located between the Ob and Irtysh rivers, on the Vasyugan plain, within the borders of the Tomsk, Novosibirsk and Omsk regions.
Vasyugan swamps are a very interesting natural phenomenon, which is distinguished by a variety of landscapes. In 2007 they were included in the preliminary list of UNESCO heritage sites in Russia.
Vasyugan swamps are located in places where small-leaved forests pass into the southern taiga. Their area is approximately 53,000 sq. km, which exceeds the territory of some European countries. This is approximately two percent of the total area of all peat bogs on Earth.
Vasyugan swamps were formed about ten thousand years ago and since then their territory has been constantly growing. They stretch about 570 km from west to east and more than 300 km from north to south.
Especially rapidly swamping of the area has been occurring recently, for example, in the last five hundred years alone, the area occupied by swamps has increased by about 75%.
During the warm period of the year, the Vasyugan swamps are almost completely impassable for any equipment.
The movement of geological parties and cargo transportation to developing oil fields is carried out only in winter.
Flora and fauna of the Vasyugan swamps
The Great Vasyugan Swamp is home to many animals, some of which are rare. Of the mammals, elk, bear, sable, squirrel, otter, wolverine and others are found here. Until recently, reindeer could be found, but today, most likely, its population has completely disappeared. Of the birds, there are hazel grouse, black grouse, curlews, golden eagle, peregrine falcon, etc.
Medicinal herbs and berries grow here from plants, blueberries, cloudberries and cranberries are especially numerous.
Significance of swamps
Vasyugan swamps are of great ecological importance for the entire region, and also perform a number of biospheric functions. They represent a natural reserve for various marsh landscapes and the flora and fauna living in them.
The total water reserves are approximately 400 cubic kilometers, which makes them an important reservoir of fresh water. There are numerous small lakes here. In the Vasyugan swamps are the sources of the rivers Vasyugan, Tara, Om, Parabig, Chizhapka, Ui and some others.
The large Vasyugan swamp contains a significant amount of peat. Only its explored reserves exceed a billion tons. Peat on average lies at a depth of about 2.5 meters. Peat bogs sequester carbon, thereby reducing its content in the atmosphere and reducing the greenhouse effect. In addition, marsh vegetation produces oxygen.
Ecological problems
Although there are almost no settlements in the Vasyugan swamps and economic activity is minimal here, people still harm the unique and rather fragile ecosystem.
Among the environmental problems of the region, one can note deforestation, peat extraction, development of oil fields, poaching, etc. The development of local deposits is associated with a negative impact on soils of all-terrain vehicles, oil spills and other adverse factors.
A serious problem is created by the second stages of rockets falling here, which are launched from the Baikonur Cosmodrome. These steps pollute the area with heptyl, which has a strong toxic effect.
Until recently, almost no attempts were made to protect this unique natural landscape. Only in 2006, in the east of the Vasyugan swamps, the Vasyugansky complex reserve was created, the territory of which totals 5090 square meters. km.
In 2007 they were included in the preliminary list of heritage sites in Russia. It is understood that the nominated object will include the territory of the existing reserve. There is a question of giving at least part of the Vasyugan swamps the status of a reserve, which would practically exclude any economic activity here.
How to get there?
The Great Vasyugan Swamp is distinguished by its extreme inaccessibility. Some villages lying on the outskirts can still be reached by off-road vehicle, however, the further path will have to be overcome, most likely, only on foot.
A tracked all-terrain vehicle is possible, but its use is quite limited due to swamps. There is also an opportunity to view the swamps from the air - some Tomsk travel agencies organize helicopter tours.
Visiting the Vasyugan swamps is quite dangerous and requires some preparation and experience in moving through such places. There are numerous swamps here, a huge number of bears are found.