Field trip to Amudarya delta and the Large Aral Sea

September 8-16, 2003

Members of expedition during a visit to Mr Ubbiniyaz Ashirbekov (the second on the right) the head of Nukus branch of International Fund for Saving Aral

Sea

Main entrance to the central office of International Fund for Saving

Aral Sea in Nukus

Discussion in the central office of International Fund for Saving Aral Sea in Nukus

Members of expedition examine vicinities of Muynak with deputy major of this city

Sampling of benthos in Muynak water reservoirs(former it was a gulf of the Aral Sea)

Collecting of macrophytes in Muynak water reservoirs (former it was a gulf of the Aral Sea)

Sampling of plankton in Muynak water reservoirs (former it was a gulf of the

Aral Sea)

General view to Sudochye water reservoir (former it was a lake/gulf of Aral Sea)

Temporary chemical laboratory in hotel in Muynak

Road to the cliff of plateau Ustyurt, view from the dried up bottom of former Adzhibay gulf of the Aral Sea

South-West corner of the Large Aral Sea

Members of expedition at the edge of the plateau Ustyrt

Landslide terraces under the cliff of plateau Ustyurtand panorama of the Large Aral Sea (fragment 1)

Landslide terraces under the cliff of plateau Ustyurtand panorama of the Large Aral Sea (fragment 2)

Landslide terraces under the cliff of plateau Ustyurt (erosion) and panorama of the Large Aral Sea

Coast of the Large Aral Sea at cape Aktumsyk

Cliff of a plateau Ustyurt (fragment 1)

Cliff of plateau Ustyurt (fragment 2)

Cliff of plateau Ustyurt (fragment 3)

Cliff of plateau Ustyurt (fragment 4)

A new meteorological station “Aktumsyk”

Coast of the Large Aral Sea near the new meteostation “Aktumsyk”

Members of expedition at the beginning of road to the coast of the Large Aral Sea

Landslide of the cliff on the coast of the Large Aral Sea and road to the coast(fragment 3)

Landslide of cliff on the coast of the Large Aral Sea and road to the coast

(fragment 1)

Landslide of cliff on the coast of the Large Aral Sea and road to the coast (fragment 2)

Marks for measurement of the Large Aral Sea level

Mark of GEF Agency at the coast of the Large Aral Sea

Rocky coast of the Large Aral Sea and water sampling on shoals

Sampling of benthos in the Large Aral Sea

Sampling of plankton in the Large Aral Sea

Filamentous algae on shoals of the Large Aral Sea

Hyperhaline micro algae and bacteria on the coast of the Large Aral Sea

An argillo-arenaceous beach on the coast of the Large Aral Sea

Modern salt crust on the dried up bottom of the Large Aral Sea

Fossil salt crust at the coast of the Large Aral Sea (fragment 1)

Fossil salt crust at the coast of the Large Aral Sea (fragment 2)

Remnants of medieval saxaul on the former bottom of the Large Aral Sea (fragment 1)

Remnants of medieval saxaul on the former bottom of the Large Aral Sea

(fragment 2)

Saxaul on the cliff terrace near the modern coast of the Large Aral Sea

Vegetation on the former bottom under the cliff on the coast of the Large Aral Sea

Landslide of the cliff on the coast of the Large Aral Sea (fragment 1)

Landslide of the cliff on the coast of the Large Aral Sea (fragment 2)

Landslide of the cliff on the coast of the Large Aral Sea (fragment 3)

Landslide of the cliff on the coast of the Large Aral Sea (fragment 4)

Landslide of the cliff on the coast of the Large Aral Sea (fragment 5)

Landslide of the cliff on the the coast of the Large Aral Sea (fragment 6)

Clay formations on the former bottom of the Large Aral Sea

Fossil bivalve mollusc

A meal (water melon) on the coast of the Large Aral Sea

Coming back to Nukus from the Large Aral Sea

A new building of museum in Nukus

Visiting an ancient cemetery in vicinities of Nukus

Underground mausoleum in vicinities of Nukus

Fragment of decoration inside the underground mausoleum in vicinities of Nukus

An ancient cemetery in vicinities of Nukus

Ruins of ancient city in vicinities of Nukus