The impact of increase salinity on the aquatic plants assemblage in Shatt Al-Arab river, Iraq

Abstract EN

This study was carried out during the year 2018 to estimate the status of the aquatic plants in Shatt Al-Arab waterway southern Iraq.

Several scientific trips to different places along the Shatt Al-Arab, for collecting aquatic plants, were achieved.

Herbarium specimens were prepared and deposited in Basrah University Herbarium (BSRA).

An inventory of the aquatic plants historically recorded in the Shatt Al-Arab estuary were provided.

Forty two 42 species of aquatic plants and three riparian trees have been mentioned to occur in Shatt Al-Arab, but only 31 species were recorded in this study.

Fourteen aquatic plant species were severely deteriorated or disappeared from the Shatt Al-Arab.

Those species were four submerged species, namely Potamogetom berchteldii, P.

nodosus, P.

pucillus and Hydrilla verticillata, three floating species, Lemna gibba, Ludwigia repens and Salvinia natans, three emerged species Persicaria lapathifolia, Schenoplectus triquter and Verbenia officinalis were disappeared from the mainstream of Shatt Al-Arab.

Four species Persicaria salicifolia, Potamogeton crispus, P.

lucens and Vallisnerea spiralis were highly deteriorated.

Many common species became less abundance and threatened.