Devastated by the combined impact of massive drainage works and upstream damming since the 1980's, Al-Hammar Marsh, Southern Iraq, has completely collapsed with 94 % of its land cover transformed into bare land and salt crusts by 2000. After a policy initiated to restore the Iraqi marshes again in 2003, the marsh recovered about half of its former area. As a part of the ecological recovery assessment of this newly inundated marsh, it is important to investigate the extend impact of desiccation after 3 years of inundation on water quality as the latter plays an important role in the restoration process of the marshes. Therefore, from a restoration point of view, major and trace element distribution and sourcing as well as seasonal variations were studied in the re-flooded marsh of Al-Hammar. First, the Canadian Council of Ministers of the Environment Water Quality Index [1] analyses applied revealed threatened or impaired water quality and conditions in the marsh that depart from natural or desirable levels. Second, multivariate statistical techniques such as Agglomerative Hierarchal Cluster Analyses (AHCA) that were used to analyze the data and identify the possible sources of water pollution in the marsh indicated that some elements such as Ca, SO4, Mg, TDS, Cl, Na, Co, and Ni are associated with natural sourcing while other elements such as Cd, Zn, Pb, and turbidity indicated a possible anthropogenic sourcing. Third, seasonal variations investigation displayed that the water quality is affected by natural seasonal processes such as evaporation and rainfall as well as biological activities. Dry season exhibited an increase in TDS, Ca, Mg, Na, Cl, SO4, and Cd due to the concentration by evaporation during the season compared to the dilution by rainfall during the wet season. In contrast, BOD and DO levels showed a considerable decrease in dry season owing to the poor water ability to hold oxygen at high temperature as a result of higher rate of microbial metabolism.
The Yamama Formation belongs to the late Berriasian-Aptian succession, which was deposited during the Lower Cretaceous period within the main shallow marine depositional environment.
Petrographic study and microfacies analysis enabled the recognition of six main microfacies for three association facies. These are the Semi-restricted, Shallow open marine and Shoal environments. The study succession represents deposition of three third order cycles, these cycles where deposited during successive episodes of relative sea level rises and still stand.
The presence of shoal association facies (oolitic packstone microfaces) between the Sulaiy and Yamama formations refer to continue the deposition during the same stage, and may s
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Yamama Formation is the most important and widespread Lower Cretaceous Formation in Iraq. Yamama Formation in the Luhais well-12 and Rifaee well-1 are composed of dolomitized in some places and foraminifera and algae bearing limestone, 19 genera and species of foraminifera, 10 genera and species of algae. Two biozones were distinguished Pseudochrysalidina arabica Range zone and Pseudocyclammina lituus Range zone. The age of the formation was determined as Berriasian – Valanginian according to these biozones of Foraminifera. In this study, bryozoa, Gastropoda and Pelecypoda are recorded but less than Foraminifera.
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The research studies the melody and rhythmic characteristics in the songs of the Baghdadi quartet, as it is a type of popular singing in Iraq, reviewing its origins, social purposes, special and public events in which it is performed. The methodological framework included the problem of the research, the need for it, its importance, its purpose, and the limits of the research which included the objective limit: the songs of the Baghdadi quartet, the spatial limit: the city of Baghdad and the temporal limit (1960-1980) and identifying the terms included in the research.
The theoretical framework consisted of three items: the first is the popular singing, the second is the Iraqi popular singing and the third is the Baghdadi quartet. It
The distributions of rivers, back swamps, delta, and ancient marine shore line of Southern Mesopotamia during Late Pleistocene – Holocene have been studied depending on the ostracoda and foraminifera assemblages as ecological indicators to determine the ecofacies and paleosalinities, which diagnose different depositional environments. The data are collected from 86 boreholes (including 12 deep boreholes), covering almost the entire Southern Mesopotamia.
Rates of sedimentation are calculated and corrected for compaction in this study, relative to previously measured C14 dating by some authors, for the marine and non- marine (Ur Flood) deposits.
Those rates of sedimentation found in this study are varies from a borehole to another,
Well log analysis of selected sections in southern Iraq revealed that primary porosity is the most effective parameters. Secondary porosity seems to be related mainly to dissolution and dolomatization. The Hartha Formation has good water saturation and low production except in the eastern and central part of the study area. Two reservoir units were recognized in Mj-2 whereas only one in Ga-1.
The values of velocity deviation in most wells show high positive deviation, this may indicate relatively high velocity in regard to porosity where pores are commonly not connected such as in interaparticle or moldic porosity. A positive deviation also may indicate low permeability. Negative deviation zone (Only in Ak-1) may represent caving or i
The liver of marsh harrier grossly appeared as large, bi-lobed organ divided into left and right lobes, which are approximately equal in size and not divided into secondary lobes. Histologically, the liver of marsh harrier was found to contain numerous lobules which are not well defined by the connective tissue of the septa except that surrounded the portal triads. The parenchyma of liver composed of irregular branching cords of hepatocytes organized in double rows alternating with tortures path sinusoids which are lined with flattened endothelial cells and large, irregular outlined kupffer cells. Hepatic cords arranged in a radial pattern around the central vein of the liver lobule while in a subscapsular region they run parallel to the ca
... Show MoreThe study conducted on the compositions of epiphytic diatoms on three taxa of aquatic plants were selected (Phragmites australis Trin ex stand , Ceratophyllum demersum L. and Typha domengensis Pers) in three sites within Al-Auda Marsh, from autumn 2013 to summer 2014 . The study was measured physical and chemical factors of all the study sites, such as: air temperature, power of hydrogen (pH), electrical conductivity (EC), salinity (S‰), total hardness(TH), dissolved oxygen (DO), and plant nutrient. The results showed that water of marsh was oxygenated and it was very hard. A total of 111 taxa of phytoplankton were identified, which belonged to 13 families and 26 genus (one family and two genus of centric diatoms, 12 families and 26 ge
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The presence of natural radioactivity in soil and other materials results in internal and external exposure in twelve samples at Al_Dura Heating generator at south of Baghdad using NaI(Ti) detector .Therefore, it is desirable to determine the concentration of naturally occurring radionuclide's238 U 232Th and 40 K,.. natural radioactivity and associated radiation hazard in some soil samples. The natural radioactivity due to the presence of 238 U 232Th and40 K in soil samples was measured by gamma spectrometry using NaI(Tl) scintillation well-shaped detector. In this context, soil samples were collected from thirty different locations of southern Al-Dura thermal Power Plant.Radium equivalent activities were calculatedfor the analyzed sampl
... Show MoreSome physical and chemical characteristics of Jurf Al- Sakar drinking water plant in Babylon governorate have been studied. Seven locations for this plant were selected. These were the drinking water treatment plant source on Euphrates River before entering the plant, precipitation, filtration and collection tanks, and also after leaving the plant at distances of one meter, 4 and 8 km. The samples were collected bimonthly from October, 2002 to August, 2003. Some results match with the national and international standard characters while the other characters (Turbidity, total hardness, calcium, nitrate, phosphate and the biological oxygen demand values) were not match. The present study showed that drinking water treatment plant is undrinka
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