Paleolimnological investigations in humid and arid zones of the Soviet Union

There are many lake basins in the Soviet Union, both in the humid and the arid regions, including lowland and alpine, and shallow and deep-water lakes. Lithological, geochemical, radiological and paleobiological methods have been utilized in studying the history of these lakes. Lake Zaisan in Kazakhstan is described as an example of lake development in the arid zone, whilst the lake systems of the Pribaltica, where human influence on the environment is clearly recorded, exemplifies the humid zone.