Mesopotamian Journal of Marine Science

Date palm (Phoenix dactylifera L.) seeds were used as an adsorbent product to remove lead ions from aqueous solutions through the batch adsorption process. In this study, the optimum condition used to determine the adsorption of industrial wastewater were including pH, temperature, agitation speed and contact time. The results were evaluated by using seeds of two date palm cultivars (Hillawi and Zahdi) The results showed that, the highest removal ratio of lead ions from industrial wastewater samples achieved by Hillawi seeds was 0.598 mg/g, 79.81% at time 90 min., pH 6.5, agitation speed 50 rpm and Temp. 25°C. While Zahdi seeds had given the results of 0.349 mg/g, 43.65% at Time 90 min., pH 4.5, agitation speed 200 rpm and Temp.35°C. Surface morphology and functional surface groups were determined by using Scanning Electron Microscopy and Infrared Spectroscopy (FT-IR), respectively.

The present article includes a Palynomorphs analysis of the recent sediments of Harier area in the north of Basrah Governorate. Thirty six samples were analyzed; Pollen diagrams were drown depending on the percentage of some pollen, spores that indicate environmental and climatic changes. Five pollen zones were recorded which represent the climate of Late Holocene period. This study revealed new results of environmental and climatic changes during the late Holocene period in the marshes areas of southern Iraq, especially the study area. About 30 species and 14 Genera of pollen, 6 species of spores, 8 forms of fungi and Dinoflagellate were recorded.

Relative condition factor (Kn) and the relationship of length-weight (L-WR) of Tiger Tooth Croaker fish Otolithes ruber (Schneider, 1801) were determined from January to August 2017 in the Iraqi marine waters. L-WR data of the fishes (females and males) were calculated separately. The mean of (Kn) for females and males was 1.04 and 0.999, respectively. The value of (Kn) for the females was minimum in January (0.953) and May (0.969), whereas the maximum value was noticed in March (1.06 for females and 1.058 for males). The b value was recorded at 2.9747 for the males and 3.0546 for the females. The results of the statistical t-test showed no significant differences between females and males (t= -0.6021, 1.222, p≤ 0.05, respectively).

Fish assemblage composition in the Euphrates River southern Thi-Qar province was assessed from January to December 2018. Various fishing methods were used to collect the samples. A total of 3010 specimens of bony fishes were caught represented 17 species, 17 genera, ten families and six orders. The species included ten native fish species and seven exotic fish species. The Abu mullet Planiliza abu was the most abundant species formed 26.21% of the total caught, blue tilapia Oreochromis aureus 19.30%, Prussian carp Carassius gibelio 17.48% and Redbelly tilapia Coptidon zillii 13. 29% of the total number of species. The dominance index (D3) value of the highest abundance represented by three fish species that preside the study area forming 62.99%, there are P. abu, O. aureus and C. gibelio. The occurrence of fish species contained seven fish species formed 92.03% of the total species caught. Seasonal fish species comprised of three fish species included 6.51% and occasional fish species contained seven species represented 1.46% of the total number of species. The diversity index values appear as poor ranged from 1.59 in December to 2.07 in April. Richness index values pointed to disturbing status, varied from 1.21 in September to 2.00 in May. Evenness index tends to be balanced, fluctuated from 0.79 in June to 0.91 in February and July. The present study verified the prevalence of the small-sized tolerance fish species represented by one native and three exotic species, with rarely or absence of the keystone native fish species of fish communities predominating the south of Iraq.