Unraveling the Secrets of Lake Ohrid, Europe’s Oldest Lake

Abstract

Lake Ohrid is located on the border of Albania and North Macedonia. It is believed to be the oldest and most biodiverse lake in Europe. Several hundred meters of sediments have built-up on the lake bottom since its formation. These sediments are a record of what happened both within the lake and in its environment in the past. Therefore, Lake Ohrid is a unique place to learn more about Earth’s history. Drilling down into the lake bottom to get samples of sediment layers allowed us to unravel the secrets of the lake’s history. The sediments revealed that the lake formed between 1.9 and 1.4 million years ago. They showed past environmental and climate changes in the Mediterranean region. Tiny fossils showed the evolution of the lake’s biodiversity in the past, which benefitted from the lake’s long and stable existence. The stability of Lake Ohrid’s ecosystem is now threatened by increasing human impacts. Protecting this unique place is needed.