Occurrence of Attributes in Original Text
The text related to the cultural heritage 'Natural and Cultural Heritage of the Ohrid region' has mentioned 'Lake' in the following places:
| Occurrence Sentence | Text Source |
|---|---|
| International lake in North Macedonia and Albania | WIKI |
| Lake OhridLake Ohrid as seen from Ohrid, North MacedoniaLake OhridTopographic map with Lake Ohrid on the leftLocationNorth Macedoniaxe2x80x93Albania borderCoordinates41xc2xb002xe2x80xb214xe2x80xb3N 20xc2xb043xe2x80xb208xe2x80xb3Exefxbbxbf / xefxbbxbf41.03722xc2xb0N 20.71889xc2xb0Exefxbbxbf / 41.03722; 20.71889Coordinates: 41xc2xb002xe2x80xb214xe2x80xb3N 20xc2xb043xe2x80xb208xe2x80xb3Exefxbbxbf / xefxbbxbf41.03722xc2xb0N 20.71889xc2xb0Exefxbbxbf / 41.03722; 20.71889Lake typeAncient lake, Tectonic LakePrimary inflowsSateska River, Biljana's springs, underground link with Lake PrespaPrimary outflowsBlack Drin RiverCatchment area2,600xc2xa0km2 (1,000xc2xa0sqxc2xa0mi)Basinxc2xa0countriesNorth Macedonia, AlbaniaMax. | WIKI |
| Lake Ohrid (Macedonian: xd0x9exd1x85xd1x80xd0xb8xd0xb4xd1x81xd0xbaxd0xbe xd0x95xd0xb7xd0xb5xd1x80xd0xbe Ohridsko Ezero [xcbx88xc9x94xridzkxc9x94 xcbx88xc9x9bzxc9x9brxc9x94], Albanian: Liqeni i Ohrit [lixcbx88cxc9x9bni i xcbx88xc9x94hrit], Liqeni i Pogradecit;[2][3][4][5][6][7][8]) is a lake which straddles the mountainous border between the southwestern part of North Macedonia and eastern Albania. | WIKI |
| North Macedonia's side of Lake Ohrid was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1979, with the site being extended to also include the cultural and historic area of Ohrid in 1980. | WIKI |
| [11] Albaniaxe2x80x99s side of Lake Ohrid was also designated UNESCO world heritage status in 2019. | WIKI |
| In Albania, the coastal portion of the lake holds Managed Nature Reserve status. | WIKI |
| The lake is otherwise densely surrounded by settlements in the form of villages and resorts in both basin countries. | WIKI |
| Contents 1 Geography 2 Origin 3 Hydrology 4 Physical and geochemical properties 5 Wetland habitats 6 Fauna 6.1 Birds 7 Socio-economy 8 World Heritage Site 9 Science and research 10 Human influence 11 Declaration on the Protection of the Lake Ohrid Ecosystem 12 Namesakes 13 See also 14 References 15 External links | WIKI |
| Lake Ohrid is one of the oldest in the world, and the deepest in the Balkans, with a maximum depth of 288 m (940xc2xa0ft) and a mean depth of 155xc2xa0m (508xc2xa0ft). | WIKI |
| Reconstruction of Bronze Age stilt houses on Lake Ohrid, near Pexc5xa1tani, North Macedonia | WIKI |
| The Ohrid and Prespa Lakes are the two largest in a north-south chain of tectonic basins (grabens) including the Korca basin, and Lake Ioannina in NW Greece, known as the Dessaret group. | WIKI |
| The transition from compressional to extensional tectonics in the central Balkan Mts occurred around 6 million years ago, with the oldest lake sediments being Pliocene, possibly 3-5 million years old. | WIKI |
| Lake Ohrid is being infilled at its north end by its modest main tributaries, but is preserved by its great depth, by continuing tectonic subsidence, and by the main inflows being by underground karstic channels from Lake Prespa carrying minimal sediment. | WIKI |
| The graben system is still tectonically active and Lake Ohrid sits in a seismogenic landscape, with many visible traces including fresh fault scarps, displaced sediment and soil sequences, stepped hillsides, and a hydrothermal field near Kosel. | WIKI |
| The lake drains an area of around 2600xc2xa0kmxc2xb2 and is fed primarily by underground springs on the eastern shore (about 50% of total inflow), with roughly 25% shares from rivers and direct precipitation. | WIKI |
| Over 20% of the lake's water comes from nearby Lake Prespa, about 10xc2xa0km (6.2xc2xa0mi) to the southeast and at 150 m higher altitude than Lake Ohrid. | WIKI |
| The water leaves Lake Prespa trickling through underground watercourses in the karstic landscape, where it is joined by mountain range precipitation and eventually emerges in numerous springs along the eastern shore and below the water surface of Lake Ohrid. | WIKI |
| The water leaves Lake Ohrid by evaporation (~40%) and through its only outlet, the Black Drin River, which flows in a northerly direction into Albania and thus to the Adriatic Sea. | WIKI |
| The relatively dry, Mediterranean climate and the small drainage basin of 2600xc2xa0kmxc2xb2 (catchment/lake surface ratio of ~7) of Lake Ohrid results in a long hydraulic residence time scale of ~70 yr.[17][18][19] | WIKI |
| The water at the surface of Lake Ohrid moves predominantly in a counter-clockwise direction along the shore, as a result of wind forcing and the Earth rotation, similar to the Ekman-phenomenon known from oceans. | WIKI |
| However, in an average winter only the top 150xe2x80x93200 meters of the lake are mixed, whereas the water below is stably stratified by salinity. | WIKI |
| Both in terms of nutrient concentration (4.5 xcexbcg Lxe2x88x921 of phosphorus), as well as biological parameters Lake Ohrid qualifies as oligotrophic. | WIKI |
| Lake Ohrid lacks an annual deep water exchange which in other lakes can bring complete overturn; plunging rivers are also absent. | WIKI |
| Previously extensive wetland habitats in the vicinity of Lake Ohrid have been lost due to conversion into agricultural or urban land. | WIKI |
| Nowadays, the last remaining significant coastline wetland at Lake Ohrid is Studenchishte Marsh,[23] which is located on the eastern shore near the city of Ohrid. | WIKI |
| Despite degradation from a variety of sources such as large-scale disposal of construction waste, major land conversion, disruption of water connections to Lake Ohrid, beach urbanization and loss of reed belts,[23] Studenchishte Marsh is still an important buffer to prevent lake eutrophication[25] and a key habitat for biodiversity, including relict plants and endemic species. | WIKI |
| [29] A Strategic Environmental Assessment also concluded that no measure except non-implementation could reduce the direct negative impact on Studenchishte and the indirect negative impact on Lake Ohrid if the proposed construction was to take place at the wetland. | WIKI |
| [30] Plans to drain the area have subsequently been reversed and the Macedonian government announced in 2018 that it would move forward with proclamation of Studenchishte Marsh as a protected area and its designation together with Lake Ohrid as a Wetland of International Importance under the Ramsar Convention. | WIKI |
| Ohrid sponge (Ochridaspongia rotunda) is endemic to Lake Ohrid | WIKI |
| Measured by its surface area of 358xc2xa0kmxc2xb2, Ohrid is probably the most biodiverse lake on Earth. | WIKI |
| Similar to Lake Baikal or Lake Tanganyika, Lake Ohrid harbors endemic species covering the whole food-chain, from phytoplankton and sessile algae (20 species; e.g., Cyclotella fottii), over plant species (2 species; e.g., Chara ohridana), zooplankton (5 species; e.g., Cyclops ochridanus), cyprinid fish (8 species; e.g., Pachychilon pictus), to predatory fish (two trout species; the Ohrid trout complex Salmo letnica, and "Belvica" Salmo ohridanus) and finally its diverse endemic bottom fauna (176 species; e.g. | WIKI |
| There were recorded 68 species of freshwater snails from the Lake Ohrid basin. | WIKI |
| [34] 73.5% (50 species) of the total freshwater gastropod fauna appear to be endemic to the Lake Ohrid basin. | WIKI |
| [34] Whereas the endemic species list cited above is based on morphological and ecological characteristics, some recent applications of molecular genetic techniques underline the difference of the fauna from common European taxa, as well as the old age of the lake. | WIKI |
| Quite remarkably, exotic species do not seem to be a major issue in Lake Ohrid, although they have been recorded in small populations for several decades or exist in nearby rivers or lakes. | WIKI |
| The reason lies very probably in the ideal adaptation of the endemic species to the specific conditions in the lake, such as low nutrient availability, good living conditions in greater depth thanks to high water transparency and oxygen content, as well as subaquatic spring inflows supplying cool and oxygen-rich water. | WIKI |
| [35] In total, seven introduced fish species are known from the lake. | WIKI |
| Despite the exceptionally high level of endemism in Lake Ohrid (for example, a third of the 21 native fish species and almost 80% of its 72 mollusc species are endemic), a significant number of non-endemic species are found in Lake Ohrid. | WIKI |
| The North Macedonian part of the lake has been designated an Important Bird Area (IBA) by BirdLife International because it supports populations of common coots and pygmy cormorants (Microcarbo pygmaeus). | WIKI |
| [41] The Albanian part of the lake has been designated a separate but corresponding IBA for the same reason, with additional bird species being common goldeneyes, red-crested pochards (Netta rufina) and black-necked grebes. | WIKI |
| Lake Ohrid and the small village of Lin, near Pogradec in Albania | WIKI |
| There are three cities on the lake's shores: Ohrid and Struga on the Macedonian side; Pogradec in Albania. | WIKI |
| The catchment area of the lake has a population of around 170,000 people, with 131,000 people living directly at the lake shore (43,000 in Albania and 88,000 in North Macedonia). | WIKI |
| The population in the catchment has increased by 100,000 people in the last half century, putting the lake's fragile ecosystem under pressure. | WIKI |
| The historic monuments, as well as the pristine lake environment make the area around Lake Ohrid a prime site for tourism. | WIKI |
| In the 1980s, more than 200,000 national and international tourists went on a pilgrimage to the Macedonian lake side every year. | WIKI |
| [17][21] Historically, Lake Ohrid was close to a main highway of the Roman Empire, the Via Egnatia, from Durres on the coast of Albania to Thessalonika and Constantinople (Istanbul), but now is a communications backwater. | WIKI |
| There is a minor road around the lake, with border crossings between Albania and North Macedonia. | WIKI |
| The Macedonian side of Lake Ohrid was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO at the 3rd Session of the World Heritage Committee in 1979[44] and holds that status under Criterion VII as a superlative natural phenomenon related to its refuge function for relict and world-unique freshwater species, and its rich bird life. | WIKI |
| [45] The lake became part of a mixed Natural and Cultural World Heritage Site in 1980 when the city of Ohrid in Macedonia was also designated with UNESCO status for its architectural, artistic and religious values. | WIKI |
| In May 2019, the UNESCO World Heritage Centre expanded the World Heritage Site to the Albanian side of the lake. | WIKI |
| [45] In addition, draft Decision 43 COM 7B.36 was released[47] recommending for the Ohrid region, including Lake Ohrid, to be placed on the List of World Heritage in Danger during the 43rd Session of the World Heritage Committee in Baku, Azerbaijan. | WIKI |
| [48] In its analysis and conclusions, the World Heritage Centre observed threats to Lake Ohrid from "decreased water levels, uncontrolled discharge, water pollution due to inadequate wastewater treatment systems leading to evident eutrophication at the mouths of intake rivers, heavy pressures from tourism, and extensive uncontrolled urban development and inappropriate exploitation of the coastal zones." | WIKI |
| Due to its size, accessibility and species richness, Lake Ohrid is extremely well-suited to the function of a natural laboratory. | WIKI |
| The lake coast at St. Naum Monastery, with Galixc4x8dica Mountain in the background. | WIKI |
| [33] More data is required to determine whether these current fishing levels are sustainable[32] and illegal fishing, particularly on the Albanian side of the lake,[33] remains a problem. | WIKI |
| While most of the endemic fish species are non-migratory, the European eel spawns in the distant Sargasso Sea while its offspring return to the lake. | WIKI |
| Unfortunately, as in many European lakes, it is very unlikely today that eels can reach Lake Ohrid naturally and return to the Sargasso Sea, as a result of several hydropower dams on the Black Drin and the Drin River, both in North Macedonia and Albania. | WIKI |
| As a result, eel found in Lake Ohrid are stocked populations. | WIKI |
| Pogradec along Lake Ohrid | WIKI |
| Given the population growth over the past 50 years, a particular concern is the potential eutrophication of currently oligotrophic Lake Ohrid from increased pollution. | WIKI |
| On the other hand, higher nutrient levels have reduced the water transparency, as well as the oxygen availability in the deep water and at the lake bottom, two properties which are requisite for the endemic flora and fauna. | WIKI |
| Still, the lake is in a comparably good state at the moment. | WIKI |
| However it may take more than a decade to see the effects of today's pollution level in the lake, because of its long water residence time. | WIKI |
| Declaration on the Protection of the Lake Ohrid Ecosystem[edit] | WIKI |
| On May 3, 2018, the Society of Wetland Scientists released the Declaration on the Protection of the Lake Ohrid Ecosystem, which was passed unanimously by 45 attending members at its 13th annual Europe meeting. | WIKI |
| [58] Urging Macedonian authorities to substantially enhance protection of Lake Ohrid, the declaration outlines the unique significance of the interconnected Ohrid-Prespa lake system both for its biodiversity and relevance to research on climate and evolution, and recommends measures for future management including revitalization and enlargement of wetland areas, pollution control and a re-orientation of tourism policy. | WIKI |
| [59] It further describes the "critical importance" of the last intact marsh on the Lake Ohrid shore, Studenchishte Marsh, in terms of its species composition and ecosystem services such as water quality improvement, carbon storage and flood retention among others. | WIKI |
| Lake Ohrid is also the namesake of Ohrid Lacus, a hydrocarbon lake on the Saturnian moon Titan. | WIKI |
| The Lake Ohrid region, a mixed World Heritage property covering c. 94,729 ha, was first inscribed for its nature conservation values in 1979 and for its cultural heritage values a year later. | UNESCO |
| These inscriptions related to the part of the lake located in North Macedonia. | UNESCO |
| The property was extended to include the rest of Lake Ohrid, located in Albania, in 2019. | UNESCO |
| Lake Ohrid is a superlative natural phenomenon, providing refuge for numerous endemic and relict freshwater species of flora and fauna dating from the tertiary period. | UNESCO |
| As a deep and ancient lake of tectonic origin, Lake Ohrid has existed continuously for approximately two to three million years. | UNESCO |
| Its oligotrophic waters conserve over 200 species of plants and animals unique to the lake, including algae, turbellarian flatworms, snails, crustaceans and 17 endemic species of fish including two species of trout, as well as a rich birdlife. | UNESCO |
| Situated on the shores of Lake Ohrid, the town of Ohrid is one of the oldest human settlements in Europe. | UNESCO |
| On the Lin Peninsula, in the west of the Lake, the Early Christian Lin church, founded in the mid-6th century, is related to the basilicas of Ohrid town in terms of its architectural form and decorative floor mosaics, and possibly also through liturgical links. | UNESCO |
| Although the town of Struga is located along the northern shores of Lake Ohrid, town life is concentrated along the banks of the Crn Drim River, which flows out of the lake. | UNESCO |
| The existence of Struga is connected with several fishermen settlements on wooden piles situated along the lake shore. | UNESCO |
| Similar pre-historic pile dwelling sites have also been identified in the western margins of the Lake. | UNESCO |
| The concentration of the archaeological remains and urban structures within the old urban centre of Ohrid, in the Lin Peninsula, and along the coast of Lake Ohrid as well as the surrounding areas creates an exceptional harmonious ensemble, which is one of the key features that make this region truly unique. | UNESCO |
| The development of ecclesiastical life along the shores of the lake, along with its own religious architecture, frescoes and icons, testifies to the significance of this region as a religious and cultural centre over the centuries. | UNESCO |
| The similarities between the mosaics of Lin church in the west of the Lake with those of the early basilicas of Ohrid to the east, reflect a single cultural tradition. | UNESCO |
| Criterion (iv):xc2xa0The Lake Ohrid region boasts the most ancient Slavonic monastery and the first Slavonic University in the Balkans xe2x80x93 the Ohrid literary school that spread writing, education and culture throughout the old Slavonic world. | UNESCO |
| The old town centre of Ohrid is a uniquely preserved, authentic ancient urban entity, adjusted to its coastal lake position and terrain, which is characterised by exceptional sacred and profane architecture. | UNESCO |
| Criterion (vii):xc2xa0The distinctive nature conservation values of Lake Ohrid, with a history dating from pre-glacial times, represent a superlative natural phenomenon. | UNESCO |
| As a result of its geographic isolation and uninterrupted biological activity, Lake Ohrid provides a unique refuge for numerous endemic and relict freshwater species of flora and fauna. | UNESCO |
| The natural birdlife of the Lake also contributes significantly to its conservation value. | UNESCO |
| The highly endemic biodiversity and natural beauty of the Lake are particularly vulnerable to changes in water quality, and there is alarming evidence of a growth in nutrients threatening the oligotrophic ecology of the Lake. | UNESCO |
| The overall coherence of the property, and particularly the relationship between urban buildings and the landscape setting of the Lake, is vulnerable to the lack of adequate protection and control of new development. | UNESCO |
| At the western side of the Lake, the support the buffer zone offers to the Lin peninsula and the landscape setting of the Lake is likely to be ineffective as a result of a lack of adequate protection and development control. | UNESCO |
| The States Parties have also signed several agreements for management and protection of the Lake, for instance the 2003 Law on Protection of Transboundary Lakes. | UNESCO |
| The Institute for Hydrobiology in Ohrid is responsible for the continuous monitoring of the Lake Ohrid ecosystem, the research and care for Lake Ohridxe2x80x99s flora and fauna, as well as the management of the fish hatchery, also to enrich the Lakexe2x80x99s fish stocks. | UNESCO |
| Whilst transboundary management mechanisms are set up on paper, these need to be actively and fully operational, on an ongoing basis, in order to ensure the transboundary cooperation required to secure the long-term future for Lake Ohrid. | UNESCO |
| Effective integration and implementation of planning processes at various levels, cross-sectorial cooperation, community participation and transboundary conservation are all preconditions for the successful long-term management of Lake Ohrid. | UNESCO |
| These include the urgent need to protect the water quality of the Lake and therefore maintain its oligotrophic ecological function; to tackle tourism and associated legal and illegal development and the impacts of development on habitats and species throughout the property, including on the lake shores. | UNESCO |
| There is also evidence of climate change impacting the property, such as through the warming of the lake, which requires international attention as such issues cannot be tackled at the local level. | UNESCO |