Lake Baikal Food Web
Freshwater
Siberia, Russia
Description
Lake Baikal is the world's deepest and oldest lake, containing 20% of Earth's unfrozen surface freshwater. Over 80% of its species are endemic, including the Baikal seal, the only exclusively freshwater seal. The food web spans from the surface to depths exceeding 1,600 meters, with unique deep-water amphipods filling niches occupied by fish elsewhere.
Trophic Pyramid
Level 5
Decomposers
Deep-water bacteria
Amphipod scavengers
Freshwater fungi
3 species
Level 4
Tertiary Consumers
Baikal seal
Burbot
Taimen
3 species
Level 3
Secondary Consumers
Omul fish
Golomyanka
Baikal sculpin
3 species
Level 2
Primary Consumers
Epischura copepod
Baikal amphipods
Maackia mollusks
3 species
Level 1
Producers
Melosira diatoms
Elodea
Epiphytic algae
3 species
Apex Predators
Tertiary Consumers
Secondary Consumers
Primary Consumers
Producers
Key Interactions
- Epischura copepods filter-feed on diatoms and maintain water clarity
- Golomyanka are translucent deep-water fish comprising the largest fish biomass in the lake
- Baikal seals dive to 400 meters to feed on golomyanka and sculpin
- Endemic amphipods dominate deep-water decomposition and scavenging