Evaluate the current status of fish species in the Tigris River between Al-Qurna and Al-Azayer cities in Southeastern Iraq
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The Tigris River suffers from many problems in water quality due to human interference, climate change, and different discharges. This study aimed to investigate changes in fish assemblage composition and population structure in the Tigris River southeast of Iraq from August 2022 to July 2023. A total of 4343 individuals and 25 species were collected, including four marine species. The total count of native species was 12, exhibiting variation from eight species in June to eleven in August, November, December, February, April, and May. Alien species emerged during nine of the study months, ranging from five species in April to eleven species in June and July. Marine species were present in varying numbers, ranging from two species in December to four species in September, October, January, April, May, and June. Significant differences were found in the number of species among the study stations during different months. The fish species were categorized into three groups: common, seasonal, and occasional species, representing percentages of 72, 24, and 4%, respectively. Among them, Oreochromis aureus, Carassius gibelio, and Panaliza abu constituted 18.35, 16.97, and 10.82% of the total, contributing to 46.143% of the overall species count according to the dominance index (D3). Based on the results, factors such as dissolved oxygen, turbidity, and water salinity had the most positive effect on fish population and biodiversity, and nitrate, phosphate, and total dissolved solids had the most negative effect. In conclusion, the fish assemblage of the Tigris River was relatively similar to that of the downstream Euphrates River, but varied in terms of species number, with the appearance of marine species in this study.
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