The biota of Lake Võrtsjärv is quite rich in species – 35 species of fish have been found here Lake Võrtsjärv is the second largest lake in Estonia. It has an area of about 270 km 2, a length of about 35 km and a width of 15 km in the north, an average depth of 2.8 m, and a maximum depth of 6.0 m. The catchment basin of Lake Võrtsjärv covers 3,380 km 2 [1]. Lake Võrtsjärv is a flow-through lake...

The flora and fauna of Lake Peipsi are rich in species Lake Peipsi is one of the largest lakes in Europe. The lake has an area of about 3,543 km 2, a length of about 135 km, a width of 48 km, an average depth of 8 m, and a maximum depth of 17.6 m [1]. The lake is divided into Lake Peipsi (Suurjärv), Lake Pihkva, and Lake Lämmijärv. The basin of Lake Peipsi covers 47,802 km 2 – it is larger than...

The Water Act defines a water protection zone on the shores of water bodies, while the Nature Conservation Act defines a building exclusion zone and a limited management zone Inland waters are a natural resource that are important as valuable habitats, animal routes, but also for recreation and the protection of the aquatic environment. In order to preserve the natural condition and diversity of...

EU Member States must work to ensure that all bodies of surface water are at least in good condition The pollution of surface water bodies with hazardous substances in Estonia occurs primarily in connection with pollution from oil shale production in Ida-Viru County since the 1930s. However, a more significant pollution load from agriculture (manure, fertilisers, pesticide residues) arose during...

Inland waters form very diverse habitats Inland water bodies vary in size, depth, amount and nature of solutes, water flow rate, the characteristics of the bottom, water temperature, and many other aspects. Their combinations form very different habitats inhabited by very different species. The number of species usually increases with the increase in the area or catchment basin of a water body, as...

The Estonian water network is dense, because the amount of precipitation exceeds evaporation here Watercourses There are thousands of watercourses in Estonia – according to the literature, more than 7,300 – with a total length of more than 31,000 km [1]. There are almost 3000 watercourses registered in the Estonian Nature Information System [2]. Most Estonian watercourses are short (94.3%), up to...

According to the water flow, inland water bodies are divided into watercourses and stagnant water bodies Inland waters include waters separated from the oceans: rivers, lakes, artificial water bodies, groundwater, continental ice, and glacier water [1]. People usually associate inland waters with activities such as fishing, hiking, quenching their thirst, and watering plants. However, the water...

The main reason for the loss of heritage communities was the abandonment of handicraft, and intensive agriculture Heritage meadows or semi-natural communities are also called heritage communities. Both names refer to a close connection with man and to the fact that we have inherited these communities from our ancestors. Semi-natural communities have emerged with the help of humans, as a result of...

Preserving heritage communities is one of the most important responsibilities of our nature conservation As heritage meadows have been created with the help of man, they also have great cultural-historical and aesthetic value. When humans no longer care for these communities, they will overgrow. Junipers, reeds, trees, or shrubs will take over the grasslands and all the great biodiversity is lost...

Most of the species on the Estonian Red List are associated with semi-natural communities Heritage meadows have an exceptionally high species diversity. They are an important habitat for nearly 700 plant species. 76 plant species have been found growing on 1 m 2 of the Laelatu wooded meadow [1] – it is one of the densest plant communities in the world in terms of species richness. Alvars with dry...