Flora and Fauna
The shores of the lake contain individual willow trees and riparian forests, mostly composed of various species of Populus. Plants include common reed (Phragmites australis), Lesser Indian Reed Mace (Typha angustata) and several species of cane – Schoenoplectus littoralis, Schoenoplectus lacustris and endemic Scirpus kasachstanicus. Under water grow two types of Myriophyllum – spiked (Myriophyllum spicatum) and whorled (Myriophyllum verticillatum); several kinds of Potamogeton – shining (Potamogeton lucens), perfoliate (Potamogeton perfoliatus), kinky (Potamogeton crispus), fennel (Potamogeton pectinatus) and Potamogeton macrocarpus; as well as Common Bladderwort (Utricularia vulgaris), Rigid Hornwort (Ceratophyllum demersum) and two species of Najas. Phytoplankton, the concentration of which was 1.127 g/L in 1985, is represented by numerous species of algae.
The lake used to have a rich fauna, but since 1970, biodiversity began to decline due to deterioration of water quality. Before then, there were abundant shellfish, crustaceans, chironomidae and oligochaeta, as well as zooplankton (concentration 1.87 g/L in 1985), especially in the western part. The lake hosted about 20 species of fish, 6 of which were native – Ili Schizothorax (Schizothorax pseudoksaiensis) and Balkhash Schizothorax (Schizothorax argentatus), minnow, Balkhash perch (Perca schrenkii), Nemachilus strauchi, Nemachilus labiatus and Balkhash minnow (Phoxinus poljakowi). Other fish species were alien – carp, spine, oriental bream (Abramis brama orientalis), Aral barbel (Barbus brachycephalus), Siberian dace, carp, tench, perch, catfish, Diptychus, Prussian carp and others. The fishery was focused on carp, perch, asp and bream.
Abundant and dense reeds in the southern part of the lake, especially in the delta of Ili River, served as a haven for birds and animals. Changes in the water level led to the degradation of the delta – since 1970, its area decreased from 3,046 to 1,876 km2, reducing wetlands and riparian forests which were inhabited by birds and animals. Land development, application of pesticides, overgrazing and deforestation also contributed to the decrease in biodiversity. Of the 342 species of vertebrate, 22 are endangered and are listed in the Red Book of Kazakhstan. Forests of the Ili delta were inhabited by the rare (now probably extinct) Caspian Tiger and its prey, wild boar. Around the 1940s, Canadian muskrat was brought to the Ili delta; it quickly acclimatized, feeding on Typha, and was trapped for fur, up to 1 million animals per year. However, recent changes in the water level destroyed its habitat, bringing the fur industry to a halt.
Balkhash is also the habitat of 120 types of bird, including cormorants, Marbled Teal, pheasants, golden eagle and great egret; 12 of those are endangered, including White Pelican, Dalmatian Pelican, spoonbill, whooper and erne.
Read more about this topic: Lake Balkhash
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