What is it about?
The purpose of this study was to assess how the Tharthar Canal, which acts as an outlet canal that feeds back from the Tharthar Lake, affects the composition and diversity of cladocerans in the Tigris River. The study showed that the high density of cladocerans in Thartar Canal increased cladoceran density in Tigris River water.
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Why is it important?
Cladocera are a predominately aquatic group of microcrustaceans about 0.2 to 4 mm in length, commonly known as “water fleas.”. It’s considered one of the most important freshwater biological indicators for a wide range of environmental variables. They show strong responses to several environmental factors (e.g., trophic state, water depth, temperature) and are very sensitive to changes in water pH. River channel confluences are sites of significant hydraulic and morphological change within fluvial networks. The local and downstream effects of confluences can profoundly affect the physical water parameters and aquatic animal structures.
Perspectives
In riverine ecology, confluences are very important because the streams can provide additional nutrients and kinetic energy and offer sources to juxtapose unique ecosystems because they come from different hydrological regimes, thus being considered biodiversity areas. Environmental conditions and hydrological regimes were the most important factors that effected cladoceran density. The high value of total cladoceran density in Tharthar water increased the density of the Tigris River below the confluence zone.
Dr Osama S. Majeed
Ministry of Education, Baghdad, Iraq
Read the Original
This page is a summary of: Effect of Tharthar Canal water on composition and diversity of cladocera in Tigris river northern of Baghdad, Iraq, January 2023, American Institute of Physics,
DOI: 10.1063/5.0161533.
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