471
D. Kar, Wetlands and Lakes of the World,
DOI 10.1007/978-81-322-1023-8_22, © Springer India 2013
There are a large number of wetlands of different
kinds in Europe in different types of landscapes
and ecological conditions. These wetlands sustain
a rich diversity of biota. Further, it may be noted
here that there are large number of signifi cant
wetlands around the world which are not formed
as coastal deltas but as inland deltas or coastal
marshes along the large bodies of brackish and
freshwater systems. In fact, there are a number of
important inland deltas in SE Europe.
22.1 Coastal Marshes, Mud Flats
and Bays of Northern Europe
There are extensive salt marshes and mud fl ats
along the Atlantic Ocean and the North Sea
coastlines of Europe from the Mira Estuary in
Portugal to the Wadden Sea of the Netherlands,
Germany and Denmark. These marshes contrast
with the extensive salt marshes of North America.
22.2 Wetlands of Russia
In Russia, there are different kinds of wetlands in
different regions.
The Vasyugan Swamp (Russian, Васюганские
болота) is one of the largest swamps in the world
having an area of 53,000 km
2 (5,300,000 ha)
situated in western Siberia. The swamp
(Plate 22.1 ) is located in the Novosibirsk, Omsk
and Tomsk oblasts of Russia along the left bank of
the Ob River. The swamp is a major reservoir
of freshwater for the region and serves as a source
of several rivers.
The swamp is the habitat for a number of
endangered species which is a concern amongst
local environmentalists as the production of oil
and gas has become a major industry in the region.
22.2.1 Kulyagash
It is the biggest wetland in Tatarstan in Russian
Federation. It is situated in the interfl uvial region
of Belaya and Ik Rivers in Aktanyshsky District,
at the east of Tatarstan, near the border with
Bashkortostan. The area of the wetland is estimated as 22,000 ha. Kulyagash stretches from
west to east 17.5 km and from north to south
10 km. There are forests in many islands in the
swamp. The wetland was said to have been
formed by meandering Ik and Belaya rivers. The
swamp’s surface area covered with peat is
4,897 ha. The mean thickness of peat is 1.32 m
(the maximum is 4.5 m), while the total volume
of peat is 36,624,000 m
3
. Efforts are being made
to designate Kulyagash as a Ramsar site in
Russia. However, in 2001, the district government
proposed the creation of ‘Kulyagash reserve’. In
2004, Tatarstan ministry of ecology promised to
establish a reserve there. However, in 2008, it
was decided to fi ll the reservoir up to 68 m.
22
Wetlands of Europe
D. Kar, Wetlands and Lakes of the World,
DOI 10.1007/978-81-322-1023-8_22, © Springer India 2013
There are a large number of wetlands of different
kinds in Europe in different types of landscapes
and ecological conditions. These wetlands sustain
a rich diversity of biota. Further, it may be noted
here that there are large number of signifi cant
wetlands around the world which are not formed
as coastal deltas but as inland deltas or coastal
marshes along the large bodies of brackish and
freshwater systems. In fact, there are a number of
important inland deltas in SE Europe.
22.1 Coastal Marshes, Mud Flats
and Bays of Northern Europe
There are extensive salt marshes and mud fl ats
along the Atlantic Ocean and the North Sea
coastlines of Europe from the Mira Estuary in
Portugal to the Wadden Sea of the Netherlands,
Germany and Denmark. These marshes contrast
with the extensive salt marshes of North America.
22.2 Wetlands of Russia
In Russia, there are different kinds of wetlands in
different regions.
The Vasyugan Swamp (Russian, Васюганские
болота) is one of the largest swamps in the world
having an area of 53,000 km
2 (5,300,000 ha)
situated in western Siberia. The swamp
(Plate 22.1 ) is located in the Novosibirsk, Omsk
and Tomsk oblasts of Russia along the left bank of
the Ob River. The swamp is a major reservoir
of freshwater for the region and serves as a source
of several rivers.
The swamp is the habitat for a number of
endangered species which is a concern amongst
local environmentalists as the production of oil
and gas has become a major industry in the region.
22.2.1 Kulyagash
It is the biggest wetland in Tatarstan in Russian
Federation. It is situated in the interfl uvial region
of Belaya and Ik Rivers in Aktanyshsky District,
at the east of Tatarstan, near the border with
Bashkortostan. The area of the wetland is estimated as 22,000 ha. Kulyagash stretches from
west to east 17.5 km and from north to south
10 km. There are forests in many islands in the
swamp. The wetland was said to have been
formed by meandering Ik and Belaya rivers. The
swamp’s surface area covered with peat is
4,897 ha. The mean thickness of peat is 1.32 m
(the maximum is 4.5 m), while the total volume
of peat is 36,624,000 m
3
. Efforts are being made
to designate Kulyagash as a Ramsar site in
Russia. However, in 2001, the district government
proposed the creation of ‘Kulyagash reserve’. In
2004, Tatarstan ministry of ecology promised to
establish a reserve there. However, in 2008, it
was decided to fi ll the reservoir up to 68 m.
22
Wetlands of Europe