Status of aquatic macrophytes in Saffia nature reserve, South of Huwaiza Marsh, Iraq

Abstract EN

Aquatic macrophyte species in the Saffia Nature Reserve (SNR) were studied between December 2008 and November 2009 to find out the status of the communities, and also establish a database.

Monthly samples were taken for quantitative and qualitative analysis.

A total of 33 plant species were recorded twelve (belonging to nine families) were hydrophytes.

Phragmites australis appeared as the most dominant community in all the Reserve whereas Typha domingensis and Schoenoplectus litoralis were only found in certain areas as small patches.

Variations in the species components and a decrease in vegetation cover (as percentage) were observed.

During the last three months (September, October and November) of the study most hydrophytes (except for two species P.

australis and T.

domingensis) disappeared, instead salt tolerant species like Tamarix ramosissima became dominant as the SNR suffered from desertification due to reduce water inflows from the rivers Tigris and Al-Kargha.

Recently, the situation has worsen due to the closing of a crucial stream from Iran into the Reserve.

The disappearance of many important aquatic native species of Southern Iraq in the SNR is ongoing with enormous negative effects for biodiversity as a whole.