Aral Sea - Where the fourth largest lake in the world had gone? During the last 50 years the single water body of Aral Sea was subdivided into several small lakes. Lake level was lowered by more than 25 m, its area was reduced dramatically. Lake desiccation is accompanied by changes in chemical (water) mineralization, physical (hydrodynamics), and also biological lake characteristics. The major cause of described changes is long-term overusing of the water of both tributaries for irrigaton purposes.
Aral Sea - Socio-economic problems of Aral Sea Region (How ended commanding to a wind and rain). Ones the world´s fourth largest lake was meant to be sacrified in the name of former Soviet economy. Area of most of the Central Asia is depended on agriculture, which is depended on massive irrigation from the main tributaries of Aral Sea. Water hence became after 1991 the source of political conflicts between water rich and energy poor upstream countries and water poor and natural resources rich downstream countries.
Aral Sea - All appearances of Aral Sea lake. The lake level fall of Aral Sea during the last fifty years was not the only dramatic low-stand in its history. In last two thousand years four major regressions have been recognized. During one of these regressions (at -0-400 AD) lake level was probably lower than in the last decade. This knowledge has opened the theme of the rate of anthropogenic and natural influences to the lake level fall. Despite that people has influenced the area for several thousand years the leading factor causing Aral Sea desiccation was probably climate. People has "only" reacted to the climatic worsening and caused acceleration of the natural processes.
The effect of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) inoculation and organic slow release fertilizer (OSRF) on photosynthesis, root phosphatase activity, nutrient acquisition, and growth of Ipomoea carnea N. von Jacquin ssp. fistulosa (K. Von Martinus ex J. Choisy) D. Austin (bush morning glory) was determined in a greenhouse study. The AMF treatments consisted of a commercial isolate of Glomus intraradices and a non-colonized (NonAMF) control. The OSRF was applied at 10, 30, and 100 % of the manufacturer's recommended rate. AMF plants had a higher net photosynthetic rate (PN), higher leaf elemental N, P, and K, and generally greater growth than NonAMF plants. Total colonization levels of AMF plants ranged from 27 % (100 % OSRF) to 79 % (30 % OSRF). Root acid phosphatase (ACP) and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activities were generally higher in AMF than non-AMF plants. When compared to NonAMF at 100 % OSRF, AMF plants at 30 % OSRF had higher or comparable ACP and ALP activity, higher leaf elemental P, N, Fe, Cu, and Zn, and a greater PN (at the end of the experiment), leading to generally greater growth parameters with the lower fertility in AMF plants. We suggest that AMF increased nutrient acquisition from an organic fertilizer source by enhancing ACP and ALP activity thus facilitating P acquisition, increasing photosynthesis, and improving plant growth. and L. Amaya-Carpio ... [et al.].