Marsh Bulletin

Aquatic ecosystems are under increasing pressure from direct and indirect human activities,
their areas and conditions continue to deteriorate, so many of them require treatment to
maintain main functions and associated ecosystem services. Good water quality paramount to
supporting the life of the organism. This study aimed to assess the trophic state of some water
bodies. Eastern Hammar marsh, Al-Chebiyesh marsh, and Euphrates River. Carlson\\'s index
used CTSI which collects three variables that affect the level of trophic status in the water body
(chlorophyll a, total phosphorus, and water transparency) Sampling was carried out from six
stations two stations for each water body during period extended from November 2020 to
October 2021. Water temperature, depth, turbidity, light penetration, Chl-a, and total
phosphorus are the indicators monitored. The classification of stations varied according to
TSIchl-a, TSISD and TSITP. The trophic status index CTSI values compared with Carlson and
Simpson (1996) and shown The Eastern Hammar and Al-Chebiyesh were classified as
Mesotrophic with values (46.1-45.9) respectively and the Euphrates classified as Oligotrophic
with value (37.1).

This research involved measuring the concentration of chloride in the water of the Ami River,
selected sites, in water produced from plant liquidation, and in the water used in residential
areas in GIDA Gorakhpur. The results illustrate that the highest chloride concentration was
found in the water of River Ami in different seasons (rainy, winter, and summer). In the Year
2020-2021, the recorded chloride concentrations in the rainy season (325 mg/l), winter (275
mg/l), and summer (350 mg/l). In the year 2021-2022, the rainy season (375 mg/l), winter (325
mg/l), and summer (400 mg /l) were recorded in the year 2021-2022. The level of chloride in
the water of the Ami River was consistent with the BIS standard specification.

The terrestrial gastropod Monacha obstructa was bred under laboratory conditions, and during
the experiment, snails were fed three types of vegetable crops: lettuce, radish, and celery. The
prepared food for the snails was weighed and the remainder was weighed to estimate consumption
ratios, where there were significant differences between the quantities of food consumed, as radish
had the highest consumption, followed by lettuce and celery, which had the lowest consumption
rate. In addition, it was found through the experiment that there was a significant difference
between the weights of the snails that fed on these crops, as the snails fed on lettuce had the highest
weight ratios, followed by celery and radish with the lowest weight ratios for the snails’ weight.
There was also a noticeable decline in snail feeding during the summer months, as the snails closed
the shell with sclerotic mucus and entered the stillness phase.

Although the Tigris, Euphrates, and Shatt Al-Arab rivers are important parts of Iraq,
pollution has a series effect on these rivers. The aim of this study is to determine the
origins and sources of Total Petroleum hydrocarbons in sediment samples collected
from 15 stations in 2022. The concentration of the total petroleum hydrocarbons was
determined using a spectrofluorometer. The study found that Station 12, located at Shatt
Al-Arab rivers, had the highest concentration at 28.76 μg/g dry weight, while Station 1
had the lowest concentration at 3.41 μg/g dry weight. There are several facilities that
may contribute to the rise in total petroleum hydrocarbons, which may be attributed to
the emissions of power stations and oil fields, such as West Qurna, Majnoon, Siba, and
Rumaila. In addition to the pollution of fishing boats, which use oil as fuel, sewage
pipes also dump their waste.

The current review study examined the fish assemblage and abundance in the Shatt Al-Arab
River from 1989 to 2019. Five studies were used to gather data on the fish species present in the
river during this period. A total of 88 fish species were recorded, belonging to 74 genera and 33
families. Most of the species were bony fish, with only three species being cartilaginous fish. The
studies documented a combination of native, marine, and exotic fish species. Different studies had
varying numbers of fish species recorded. Study 1 included 33 fish species, Study 2 had 25 species,
Study 3 documented 40 species, Study 4 captured 58 species, and Study 5 recorded 44 species.
The most abundant species varied between the studies, with notable species including Nematalosa
nasus, Gambusia speciosa, Planiliza abu, Acanthobrama marmid, Aphaniops dispar, Carassius
auratus, Tenualosa ilisha, Planiliza subviridis, and Planiliza klunzingeri. The diversity and
richness of fish species also varied between the studies. The diversity index ranged from 1.19 to
3.06, with Study 1 having the highest diversity. The richness index ranged from 2.50 to 4.37, with
Study 1 having the highest richness. The study concluded that the fish composition in the Shatt
Al-Arab River had significantly changed over the years due to factors such as the introduction of
exotic species, increased organic waste disposal, oil pollution, salinity intrusion, and changes in
River inflow.

Monitoring birds and their diversity is considered a significant tool in environmental
conservation practices. Most bird monitoring and surveys, both globally and in Iraq,
have primarily focused on major wetland areas such as marshlands, beaches, lakes, and
rivers. This study specifically concentrated on monitoring waterbirds in one of Iraq's
largest marshlands, the East Hammar marsh. A total of fifty-seven waterbird species
were recorded in two vital sites within this region, encompassing seven orders and
twelve families during all monitoring periods. The Sadah and Burgah sites hosted 46
and 56 waterbird species, respectively. In the present study, five species were identified
as significant conservation priorities in the East Hammar marshland and have been redlisted by the IUCN. The highest number of waterbird species (51) was documented in
March 2023 at the Burgah site, while the lowest number (27) was observed in May
2023 at the same site. The maximum number of individuals (1399) was recorded in
February 2023 at the Burgah site, with the lowest count (314) at the Sadah site. In
general, the diversity indices at both sites clearly indicated a high biodiversity index,
with the distribution of numbers among the recorded species being relatively even,
except in some months.

Brachionus plicatilis was cultured for ten days in the Marine Biology
Department/Marine Science Center Basra at a temperature of 21 °C and with different salinity
concentrations of 2, 4, and 10 ppt, and were fed with organic matter (cow waste) at a
concentration of 3 g /l with continuous ventilation and lighting. The highest density was
recorded at a salinity (10 ppt) (211,000 individuals/l), and the lowest density at a salinity (2
ppt) (30000 individuals / l). The growth rate( K )ranged from 1.03 - 1.22, and the reproductive
rate ranged from 0.96 - 1.15 days for the same saline concentrations above (while the lowest
value for doubling time D was 0.56 and the highest was 0.66 at 10 and 2ppt salinity
concentrations, respectively. These are considered euryhaline rotifers, and the statistical
analysis results showed significant differences between treatments at a significant level (P≤
0.05). The importance of this study lies in understanding the effect of salt on population density
and determining the best salt concentration for the growth of the aforementioned rotifers.