Ecological impacts of exotic and marine migratory species on the fish's composition assemblage in East Hammer marsh-south Iraq

Abstract EN

The fish assemblage of East Hammer marsh was studied seasonally from Autumn 2018 to Summer 2019 from three stations (Al-Sada, Al –Mansory, and Al-Burkha).

The marsh fish assemblage during the study period consisted mainly of non-native species, marine migratory species formed (43.4 % ) followed by tilapia species, other exotic and ornamental species included (34.7 % ) in the third rank was native freshwater while in the species (21.9% ).

The highest and lowest diversity values of Shannon and wiener (2.11) (1.20) was recorded in autumn and spring, respectively.

Brillouin diversity values fluctuated between the highest (2.09) in summer and the lowest (0.43) in winter margalef richness index scored the highest value1.95in spring, and lowest ( 1.1) in winter both at Al-Sada station evenness values of Pielou scored the lowest value(0.24) in spring and the highest(0.67) in autumn.

Jaccard Species similarity index attained the highest value (88.8 % ) in spring between Al-Mansory and Al-Burka stations and the lowest (58.3% ) between Al-Sada and Al- Burkha in spring Species dominance by Burger- Parker reached 90.0% in winter.

The lowest 0.29% in autumn kwak and Petersom individual dominance scored the highest value (93 ) in winter.

The lowest (58) in autumn, respectively, lamp intactness values reached 212.9 in 2019 nine species considered resident seven.

Five species were seasonal and rare, respectively.