Abstract
Primary productivity and chlorophyll-a were used in this study to monitor the restoration process of southern Iraqi marshes (Al-Hewaizeh, central marshes, and Al-Hammar). The phytoplankton primary productivity was based on oxygen light/dark bottle method. Two different depths samples were taken monthly from six studied marshes stations (two stations for each marsh) during November 2005 to October 2006, while chlorophyll-a samples taken from surface water. The phytoplankton primary productivity values ranged 9.38 – 249.79 mg C/m3.hr for all marshes, its values for surface water sample ranged 11.71 – 256.24 mg C/m3.hr, while for 1m depth ranged 9.38 – 142.5 mg C/m3.hr. Chlorophyll-a values ranged between (1.1 – 21.26) µg/l indicating high values of productivity in the studied marshes comparing with other aquatic Iraqi ecosystems. Also, dissolved oxygen and oxygen saturation rate were measured in this study.
Highlights
Phytoplankton are initially responsible for primary production in an aquatic community, it can constitute a high proportion of the annual primary productivity
Fresh water primary production of the world can best be calculated from the largest lakes (Lake Baikal and the Great Lakes), which account for 31% of the earth's surface fresh water
The results of this study showed that the dissolved oxygen values for the main marshes ranged 1.14 mg/l – 11.89 mg/l in central marshes during May 2006 and January 2006 respectively
Summary
Phytoplankton are initially responsible for primary production in an aquatic community, it can constitute a high proportion of the annual primary productivity. Other studies were done on phytoplankton primary productivity in other parts of Iraq besides the southern marshes and around area; in Arabian. For this study two stations (Um AlWarid (St. 1) and Um An-Niāj (St. 2)) were chosen in this marsh: Um Al-Wared marsh is located in the north west of Al-Hawizeh, just below Um El-Nia’aj open water body. In the central marshes two stations (Beginning of Al-Baghdadia (St. 3) and Middle of Al-Baghdadia (St. 4)) were chosen for present study These are freshwater lakes and clear and water depth reach to 1.5m. More than 80% of the Tigris discharge goes to this marsh, while the Euphrates River disappears in it and its discharges directly to the Shatt al-Arab In this marsh two stations (Al-Naggarah (St. 5) and Al-Burgah (St. 6)) had chosen. The dominant plants were similar to that in previous station but more abundance, as well as some filaments algae
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