International Cooperation

The basic work of the Ministry of Science and Technology: investigation on typical lake environment in adjacent areas in northern China

    Comprehensive Scientific Investigation Project of Northern China and Its Adjacent Areas, a special project of the Ministry of Science and Technology, was officially started on April 16, 2008. The special project is undertaken by the Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resource Research, the Chinese Academy of Sciences, and our institute is responsible for the specific implementation of the ninth subject - Comprehensive Survey on Typical Lake Environment in Northern China and Its Adjacent Areas. The subject focuses on a comprehensive scientific investigation work on the economic, ecological environment, resources, river water, lake environment, etc. of northern China and its neighboring areas, including Mongolia, Russian Far East and Siberia; it is a further deepened study on several rounds of consultations and reciprocal visits of a number of research units in these areas since 2006; and, it is also a special work of a relatively comprehensive study on China’s border areas and bordering countries with China’s northern regions from several research directions. The year of 2008 is the first year of the subject implementation. From July to August, project team members have conducted communication on the subject-involved lake environment in Russian Far East and Siberia, with the related research institutes for first-hand information. Combined with regularity for water environment change of Gusinoye Lake and Baikal Lake in the non-freeze-up period, the team has carried out fixed-point study on source pollution in lakes. For the subject, both the two parties have established a good collaborative research model, have signed a practical co-operation agreement, and has clarified their rights and obligations under the guidance of the co-operation agreement; they have established 3 long-term monitoring points and a meteorological observation station; have carried out profile observation on the water quality of Baikal Lake and Gusinoye Lake; and, at the same time they have established a wide range of scientific contacts, have expanded the scope and content of cooperation, and has established a sound mechanism for collaborative research and exchange visits with the other party. The project team intends to carry out a survey on lakes in Russian high-latitude regions up to those along the Lena River in the Arctic Circle from July to August this year.