Kronotskoe Lake (Kamchatka Peninsula) — a unique laboratory of evolution: hydrological studies on the reservoir and the main features of its hydrological regime

Lake Kronotskoe is the largest freshwater body in Kamchatka. It is a unique natural laboratory of evolution: the largest in the world sympatric flock of salmonids has been described here. Complex ecosystem researches, including hydrological surveys, are conducted on the lake since 2010. Thermodynamic and oxygen regime of this dimictic water body are described, preceded by history of researches and review of scientific literature. Data on morphometry of the lake, its water level fluctuations, ice phenomena, spatio-temporal variability of water temperature and dissolved oxygen content, wind and convective mixing are provided. Specific features of the lake, important for salmonids, as a large cold water mass, high oxygen saturation, and spatial heterogeneity of the surface temperature are discussed.