An expedition conducted by the Russian Institute of Oceanology has revealed significant geographical and ecological changes related to the drop in water levels along the Dagestan coast of the Caspian Sea.
According to sea-news.az the consequences of the declining sea levels are already clearly observed in all coastal areas. Some areas that were previously underwater, including the bottom of the dried-up strait between the Agrakhan Peninsula and the former Chechen Island, have become covered with grass and turned green. In contrast, a sharp desertification process is taking place in relatively elevated areas — many plant species are disappearing, and sand dunes are shifting under the influence of the wind.
During the expedition, it was also determined that following the recent powerful floods, erosion processes at the river mouths have sharply intensified. As a result of the washing away of riverbanks, a huge amount of solid sediment has accumulated in the coastal zone of the sea.
The head of the expedition, Marina Krylenko, drew attention to the complexity of the processes in the sea:
“The reasons behind the decline in sea levels remain one of the most debated topics in science. Meanwhile, the sudden rise of the Caspian level at the end of the 20th century is an even greater mystery. Therefore, it is currently impossible to predict exactly when a new wave of rise will begin in the sea — this process could become active at any moment.”
