Abstract
The fish assemblage structure in Al-Huwaizah marsh, southern of Iraq was assessed. Fish samples collected monthly by different fishing means from period December 2017 to November 2018. A total of 28959 individual of fish belonging to 9 families and 19 species were collected, 11 of them of native species and 8 of alienspecies. The numerical dominance index value (D3) of the highest three abundant species comprised 74.26% of the total fish caught, included Planiliza abu (Al-Keshny) 38.2% ; Coptodon zilli (Tilapia red abdomen) 29.41% and Carassius auratus (Prussian carp) 6.65%. The total weight of fish caught 2,190,680 tan, highest weight 312,242kg achieved in July, while lowest weight 41,590 kg found in September. The weight dominance index value (D3) of the highest three species in weight recorded 1,409,973 tan of the total weight of fish caught included C. zilli(Tilapia red abdomen) 659,994 kg , S. triostegus (Jerry fresh water) 495,784 kg and O. aureus (Blue tilapia) 245,195kg.The annual rate value for diversity, richness and evenness indices amounted 1.88, 1.75 and 0.64, respectively. Some of physical and chemical properties were studied such as water temperature which ranged from 11.5°C in January to 31.02°C in August month, dissolved oxygen ranged from 2.24 mg/l in September to 9.9mg/l in February, salinity varied from 1.37‰ in November to 3.76‰ in September and pH which ranged from 7.4 in June to 8.15 in December.Jaccard Similarity Index (Ss%) was used to know the similarity degree between the monthly catch samples. Also associations between distribution of fish species and the environmental variables were quantified by using canonical correspondence analysis (CCA).
Highlights
Mesopotamian marshes in southern of Iraq are the biggest complex of wetlands in Iraq and one of the most important aquatic systems in the Middle East [1] and in southwest Asia with an area twice the size of the Everglades in Florida [2],covering an area of more than 15,000 km2 representing about 44% of inland freshwater and oligo-saline water bodies of Iraq[3].These marshes were characterized by thickets of aquatic vegetation, generally consisting of common reed, Phragmites australis and rushes, Typha domingensis [4] and constitute a natural shelters for many of the special birds, fish, buffalo and other aquatic life [5] and major source of inland fisheries (60%) in Iraq [6].They were the permanent habitat for millions of waterfowls and a flyway for migrating between Siberia and Africa [7].the marshes are important for economic, social and biodiversity values characterized by frequency of water flows, production of commercially important vegetation and fish, support endangered species and sustain freshwater and marine fish [8].These marshes were encountered various issues during the last three decades amongst them construction of new hydrological projects in upper parts of the Euphrates and Tigris Rivers and drainage activities in the 1990s desiccating the southern marshlands [3].Since mid-2003, great efforts were made to restore the marshlands.The Mesopotamian Marshlands (Al-Huwaizah marsh) were listed as a World Heritage Site (UNESCO), making them most unique wetlands in the world during the 40th session in the World Heritage Committee under cultural criteria (iii ) and (v) and natural criteria (ix) and (x) in Istanbul in 2016
The monthly variations in the mean values of these factors were shown in (Figure-2).Water temperature values were varied, where the lowest value 11.5°C recorded in January, while the highest value 31.02°C revealed in August, where mean and SD value was 22.8±7.23
Dissolved oxygen values ranged from 2.24 mg/l in September to 9.9 mg/l in February, mean and SD
Summary
Mesopotamian marshes in southern of Iraq are the biggest complex of wetlands in Iraq and one of the most important aquatic systems in the Middle East [1] and in southwest Asia with an area twice the size of the Everglades in Florida [2],covering an area of more than 15,000 km2 representing about 44% of inland freshwater and oligo-saline water bodies of Iraq[3].These marshes were characterized by thickets of aquatic vegetation, generally consisting of common reed, Phragmites australis and rushes, Typha domingensis [4] and constitute a natural shelters for many of the special birds, fish, buffalo and other aquatic life [5] and major source of inland fisheries (60%) in Iraq [6].They were the permanent habitat for millions of waterfowls and a flyway for migrating between Siberia and Africa [7].the marshes are important for economic, social and biodiversity values characterized by frequency of water flows, production of commercially important vegetation and fish, support endangered species and sustain freshwater and marine fish [8].These marshes were encountered various issues during the last three decades amongst them construction of new hydrological projects in upper parts of the Euphrates and Tigris Rivers and drainage activities in the 1990s desiccating the southern marshlands [3].Since mid-2003, great efforts were made to restore the marshlands.The Mesopotamian Marshlands (Al-Huwaizah marsh) were listed as a World Heritage Site (UNESCO), making them most unique wetlands in the world during the 40th session in the World Heritage Committee under cultural criteria (iii ) and (v) and natural criteria (ix) and (x) in Istanbul in 2016. Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Total
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