The Critical Changes in Composition of Diatoms Community in East Hammar Marsh, Southern Iraq

Diatoms have dominance in most Iraqi aquatic environments, such as in the Al-Hammar Marsh in southern Iraq, thus they are reflecting the quality of water and environmental factors prevailing in their places of residence. The East Hammar marsh in southern Iraq has experienced substantial environmenta...

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Main Authors: Maitham A. Al-Shaheen, Dunya A. Al-Abbawy, Sarah S. Al-Ahmady
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: University of Basrah 2025-06-01
Series:Maǧallaẗ al-baṣraẗ al-ʻulūm al-zirāʻiyyaẗ
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Online Access:https://www.bjas.bajas.edu.iq/index.php/bjas/article/view/2514
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author Maitham A. Al-Shaheen
Dunya A. Al-Abbawy
Sarah S. Al-Ahmady
author_facet Maitham A. Al-Shaheen
Dunya A. Al-Abbawy
Sarah S. Al-Ahmady
author_sort Maitham A. Al-Shaheen
collection DOAJ
description Diatoms have dominance in most Iraqi aquatic environments, such as in the Al-Hammar Marsh in southern Iraq, thus they are reflecting the quality of water and environmental factors prevailing in their places of residence. The East Hammar marsh in southern Iraq has experienced substantial environmental changes especially the high temperature and salinity during the last decades. Water quality has deteriorated which has impacted the living species that reside there, the most important of which are diatoms.  During August 2018 to April 2019, qualitative and quantitative characteristics of the planktonic and epiphytic diatoms were studied in the East Hammar marsh at three sites, Al-Sadda, Al-Salal, and Al-Burka. During this investigation, 69 taxa belonging to 37 genera were identified and documented. Diatom assemblages contained 30% of brackish water forms, 21 % of marine-brackish water species, 16 % of fresh species, 10% of marine water species, and the remaining 23% had varied ecological preferences ranging from fresh to marine forms. Marine-brackish water species predominate during the summer, whereas freshwater species predominate during the winter.
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issn 1814-5868
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language English
publishDate 2025-06-01
publisher University of Basrah
record_format Article
series Maǧallaẗ al-baṣraẗ al-ʻulūm al-zirāʻiyyaẗ
spelling doaj-art-326bb8d5b2ad4ba0b1ff31172d4f26de2025-08-20T03:31:10ZengUniversity of BasrahMaǧallaẗ al-baṣraẗ al-ʻulūm al-zirāʻiyyaẗ1814-58682520-08602025-06-01381The Critical Changes in Composition of Diatoms Community in East Hammar Marsh, Southern IraqMaitham A. Al-Shaheen0Dunya A. Al-Abbawy 1Sarah S. Al-AhmadyDepartment of Ecology, College of Science, University of Basrah, IraqDepartment of Ecology, College of Science, University of Basrah, IraqDiatoms have dominance in most Iraqi aquatic environments, such as in the Al-Hammar Marsh in southern Iraq, thus they are reflecting the quality of water and environmental factors prevailing in their places of residence. The East Hammar marsh in southern Iraq has experienced substantial environmental changes especially the high temperature and salinity during the last decades. Water quality has deteriorated which has impacted the living species that reside there, the most important of which are diatoms.  During August 2018 to April 2019, qualitative and quantitative characteristics of the planktonic and epiphytic diatoms were studied in the East Hammar marsh at three sites, Al-Sadda, Al-Salal, and Al-Burka. During this investigation, 69 taxa belonging to 37 genera were identified and documented. Diatom assemblages contained 30% of brackish water forms, 21 % of marine-brackish water species, 16 % of fresh species, 10% of marine water species, and the remaining 23% had varied ecological preferences ranging from fresh to marine forms. Marine-brackish water species predominate during the summer, whereas freshwater species predominate during the winter. https://www.bjas.bajas.edu.iq/index.php/bjas/article/view/2514BacillariophytaEnvironmental influenceEpiphyte PlanktonMarshland
spellingShingle Maitham A. Al-Shaheen
Dunya A. Al-Abbawy
Sarah S. Al-Ahmady
The Critical Changes in Composition of Diatoms Community in East Hammar Marsh, Southern Iraq
Maǧallaẗ al-baṣraẗ al-ʻulūm al-zirāʻiyyaẗ
Bacillariophyta
Environmental influence
Epiphyte Plankton
Marshland
title The Critical Changes in Composition of Diatoms Community in East Hammar Marsh, Southern Iraq
title_full The Critical Changes in Composition of Diatoms Community in East Hammar Marsh, Southern Iraq
title_fullStr The Critical Changes in Composition of Diatoms Community in East Hammar Marsh, Southern Iraq
title_full_unstemmed The Critical Changes in Composition of Diatoms Community in East Hammar Marsh, Southern Iraq
title_short The Critical Changes in Composition of Diatoms Community in East Hammar Marsh, Southern Iraq
title_sort critical changes in composition of diatoms community in east hammar marsh southern iraq
topic Bacillariophyta
Environmental influence
Epiphyte Plankton
Marshland
url https://www.bjas.bajas.edu.iq/index.php/bjas/article/view/2514
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