The chemical budget of Lake Baikal: A review

Abstract

Over the past 30 yr several different estimates for the water and chemical budget of Lake Baikal have been produced. These publications are of variable quality and sometimes contradictory. However, a review of the studies indicates that it is possible to construct satisfactory estimates for a complete chemical budget of the lake. The absence of comparable methods for the collection of suspended particulate matter has resulted in uncertain values for the suspended-sediment budget. Data on the chemical composition of riverine suspended particulate matter are also nonexistent. As a result, none of the existing budget estimates for individual chemical elements includes this important term.