PALEOGEOGRAPHIC SCENARIO OF THE LATE CRETACEOUS - CENOZOIC FOR THE CENTRAL PART OF THE BAIKAL REGION

The publication presents a review of alterations of stagnant elements of the Baikal region that occurred during formation and development of the Baikal rift from the Late Cretaceous. Nowadays the natural complex contains the elements varying in age and genesis as they developed during three large stages. In the course of the regional evolution, peneplains altered into uplifted platoes, alpine-type and goltsy mountain ranges; humid quasi-tropics and sub-tropics developed into arid zones with the Mediterranean-type climate and moderate and nival zones which were subjected to recurrent mountain-and-valley glaciations. Water basins became ultra-deep and hosted water species populations which are unique in terms of the biodiversity and endemic features. The main stages of environmental alterations were separated by phases of tectonic movement and tectonic inversions. The alterations' review is based on consecutive series of cartographic representations of the paleogeographic scenarios.