Lifelong Learning Programme

This project has been funded with support from the European Commission.
This web site reflects the views only of the author, and the Commission cannot be held responsible for any use which may be made of the information contained therein.

Also available in: fr el ie it lt pt ro en fb yt

This project has been funded with support from the European Commission. This web site reflects the views only of the author, and the Commission cannot be held responsible for any use which may be made of the information contained therein.

Geographical Areas

Homepage > Learning Science through Nature > Geographical Areas

GEOGRAPHICAL AREAS

NAME OF THE LOCAL AREA
Musia (Širmukas) lake
COUNTRY
Lithuania
CITY
Senieji Trakai
THEMATIC AREA
Chemistry, Biology
DESCRIPTION OF THE LOCAL AREA
Širmukas lake is located about 1 km to the south of Trakai. It is part of Senieji Trakai eldership. Širmukas lake is included in the Natura 2000 network and project E-learning from Nature.
The lake covers 5,2 hectares of the area. The length of the coastline is approximately 1kilometer. The banks are not high, mostly overgrown with trees. It’s a part of the Neris Small Tributaries basin.
In this work we are going to explore chemical status of water surface of lake Širmukas, especially the concentration of dangerous materials. We are going to analyse the influence of a bypass constructions to the composition of Širmukas lake water.
What is more, we are going to analyse the influence of water composition to changes of flora and fauna of the lake. The aim of this work is to help protecting the biological diversity by preserving the habitats, wild animals and plants.
This work is important because Širmukas lake is one of the habitats that has to be protected. It is the reason why it is necessary to explore the quality of the water and identify the pollution sources.
The results of this research will be presented to community of our school and to the teachers of Trakai district.

PICTURES
Musia (Širmukas) lake Širmukas lake is located in Trakai district, digressed to the South of the city Trakai. It is owned Old Trakai eldership. Širmukas lake is included in project “Natura 2000” and “E-learning from Nature”. It’s area is 5,2ha. The length of the coastline approximately. The shares are not high, mostly overgrown with trees. It’s a part of Neris seuall tributaries basin.
Lake geographical description E Musia lake - a young endorheic lake, formed after the last Ice Age. A lake which has no significant outflow, either through rivers or underground diffusion. Any water within an endorheic basin leaves the system only through evaporation or seepage. It certainly by waterhole origin is of glacial origin. According to a more detailed classification of glacial lakes it is assigned to ice lump bed. According to the mineral composition it is fresh water lake. It is blind lake, as it does not have any confluents or watersheds. The maximum depth is 3 meters.
Flora of Musia lake •Ordinary local species of trees grow around the lake: birch, pine spruce. There are no woodland habitat or critically protected plant species in the area. Predominant undergrowth vegetation: ling bent, meadow grass, meadow foxtail, chicory, common couch, small sorrel, fireweed, field bindweed, orchard grass.
Fauna of Musia lake •The main problem could be water pollution and the impact on flora and fauna. The distance from the lake Musia and planned bypass of the town of Trakai would move away about 38 m (from the road edge 32 m, and from the connective road 22 m) from other options Bypass axis would move away for about 196 m (185 m from the railway bed pad). Would this influence the protected value - water beetles (Graphod/erus bilineatus)?
Water beetle (Graphoderus bilineatus) This is a predatory species, like all other water beetles. Adults emerge at the end of June from pupae at the base of tussocks of rushes. The larvae feed on other aquatic insects and their young, such as water boatmen. Adults can fly and they may spend winters away from water altogether, whereas the larvae prefer open water. The edges of the body are outlined with black. Size Body length: 2 – 40 mm. The body is oval with sharp edges. They lay eggs on the plant stems above the water. They like small and shallow lit ponds with shores overgrown with aquatic vegetation. The spangled water beetle is included 2003 in the Red Book of Lifthuanica an included in EB Nature\\\'s Species Recovery Programme. Since this spring was cold, water beetle was not noticed in studied water in April and early May. It seems there should be perfect conditions for water beetle to live. So the following actions were made: lake water has been investigated.