Marsh Bulletin

Echis carinatus (Schneider 1801) specimens were surveyed in four localities
representing different habitats. Specimens were collected monthly for the period
of September 2018 to August 2019 by several methods. A total of (43) specimen
were collected during nine months (February to October). The highest number of
snakes were recorded during July, which amounted to nine samples. The species
preferred semi-desert habitats, places of sandy soil with many irrigational
channels covered by dense vegetation, and grains cultivation farms that use huge
quantities of water. It avoids agricultural areas with dense human activity. Species
morphometric and meristic characteristics were measured. The female ratio
exceeds males

Zonation patterns of nine fish species belong to five origins, two native species Planiliza abu; Silurus
triostegus, three marine species (Tenualosa ilisha,Bathygopius fuscus ; Thyressa whitheadi) ,two exotic
species (Coptodon Zillii,Carassius auratus), one ornamental species (Pocilia latipinna ) and one invader
species Hemiculter leuciscuius, were studied in East Hammer tidal marsh in three stations ( Al-Sada ,AlMansoury ; Al-Burkha ), during four seasons from autumn 2018 to summer2019. Patterns were different
according to the species needs. Native species P.abu tend to migrate to the intertidal zone during the
primary productivity bloom, native predators S.triostegus deployed seasonal patterns nearby the
intertidal zone ambushing small prey. Marine anadromus T.ilish migrate to the tidal zone of East
Hammer for spawning, While another two species, T.whitheadi and B.fuscus depend on the marsh as a
feeding ground. Exotic species C.zillii and C.auratus made a shuttle migration between tidal and
intertidal drive-by food performance. Ornamental species P. latipinna and invader species H.leciscuius
both made a noticeable seasonal migration between subtidal and intertidal zones, affected water
temperatures and food availability. Most of these species express seasonal migration to the intertidal
zones from subtidal and tidal zones and visa versa. Significant factors affect zonation patterns, including
food availability, protection from predators, spawning site, and avoiding seasonal temperature
fluctuations.

The groundwater contains many salts present because of the ability of the water to
dissolve the salts, and the quantity and quality of dissolved salts determines the suitability
of the water for irrigation and various uses. Five different locations and during three
periods, depended on rain season, premoonson period, moonson period, and post
moonson spread from August 2018 to April 2019 for sampling and performing laboratory
analyzes, according to (APHA, 2005). Groundwater wells were evaluated based on three
factors first, which is the rate of sodium adsorption (SAR), with the highest average rate
of 14.35 (meq / l) recorded in well 3 and the lowest rate of 7.23 (meq / l) in well 7, and
the water was classified using (SAR) as acceptable for irrigation purposes as it was within
The first and second level. Secondly, the percentage of sodium ion (Na %) recorded the
highest rate of 49.94 % in well 2 and the lowest rate of 45.17 % in well 7 and water was
classified using (Na %) as acceptable for irrigation purposes within the third level. Third,
the permeability index (PI) recorded the highest rate of 51.59 (meq / l) in well 8 and the
lowest rate of 46.44(meq / l) in well4, Based on the permeability index, irrigation water
is classified as acceptable and within ClassII, the results showed that all groundwater
wells within the study area are suitable for irrigation purposes.

The measurement of concentrations and accumulation of five heavy elements (lead, zinc, nickel,
chromium, and cobalt) were performed in water, sediment, and two types of aquatic
plants Pharagmits australis and Ceratophyllum demersum. The samples were collected during the
Autumn 2017 from the Euphrates River from the borders of the entry of the Euphrates River to the
city of Samawah until the exit of the river from the darraji side. The study showed that the
concentration of elements in plants was higher than in sediments, and their concentration in
sediments is higher than in the water. Their accumulation in Phragmites australis was higher than
in the Ceratophyllum demersum. Through this study, it was found that these two types of plants
could be used as a vital guide to the accumulation of heavy elements, as well as the concentration
of heavy elements. The study samples were acceptable compared to global limits. The study
showed that both plants could be used to remove this type of pollutant in the aquatic environment
and could therefore be used for phytoremediation for this purpose.

Samples of core sediments from five stations were collected at Al- Chibayish marsh in ThiQar province, Southern Iraq, at a depth of 50 cm. These samples were taken one time in August 2018
to determine the concentration of aliphatic hydrocarbon compounds using capillary Gas
chromatographic. Also, calculate some of the indices to know the origin and source of aliphatic (nalkanes) hydrocarbon compounds. The highest values of total aliphatic compounds (n-alkanes) were
recorded in the first station (128.20) μg/g dry weight on the depth (35-40) cm, while the lowest values
found in the fifth station (4.05) μg/g dry weight on the depth (35-40) cm and the carbon chain length
of n-alkanes in sediments samples were recorded from C15-C30. Several indices were calculated to
determine the sources of n-alkanes compounds in the station, such as CPI index and Pri/Phy values.
The source of n-alkanes hydrocarbons was biogenic and anthropogenic. In contrast, the ratio (
pri/C17) (Phy /C18) indicates different bacterial activity in the five study area's depth. The present
study aims to evaluate the sediments' pollution by determining aliphatic hydrocarbon compounds in
core sediments at Al- Chibayish marsh and know the origin and distribution of hydrocarbons in
sediment samples to depths of 50 cm.

This study represents the concentrations of 16 PAHs in six commercial fish species (Cyprinus
carpio , Oreochromis aureus , Planiliza abu , Pampus argenteus , Epinephelus coioides ,
Otolithes ruber) , which were collected from Shatt Al-Arab river and Iraqi marine water from
August 2018 to May 2019. The analysis of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs) in fish
muscles was determined using Gas chromatography (GC). The total concentration of PAHs in
fish ranged from (2.791) ng/g dry weight in E.coioides during summer to (42.953) ng/g dry
weight in C.carpio muscles during autumn. The results were showed that the origin of PAHs in
fish is Pyrogenic and a little bit of it is Petrogenic. C. carpio showed a high ability to accumulate
PAHs compounds in muscles compared with other fish. There was a different ability of fish to
accumulate PAHs compounds from the surrounded environments.