Birds of prey (Raptors) are top predator avian species that many migrate annually through Mesopotamian marshes in southern Iraq toward their wintering grounds in Arabia and Africa, while others are breeding residents; however, information on their current status is scarce. From January 2016 to April 2019, a total of 20 field expeditions were conducted in the geographical zone of the Mesopotamian marshes, wetlands of international importance. The survey covered the Central Marshes, Al-Hammar and Hawizeh Marsh. One of the objectives of the field surveys is to list the raptors species that wintering and/or migrating through the Mesopotamian marshes and to understand their current spatial and temporal distribution. In the present study, a total of 32 species of diurnal raptors are recorded through intensive field observations, reviewing literature records, and personal communications of unpublished data. Moreover, eight species listed by the International Union for Conservation of Nature IUCN Red List are recorded which highlight the ecological importance of the Mesopotamian marshes as a major stopover site for globally threatened raptors. Besides species persecution, observed threats such as habitat destruction, climate change, and pollution were severely influencing birds of prey communities in the Mesopotamian marshes which warrant further conservation actions.
Abstract
Sovereign wealth funds are an important tool for achieving economic stability and avoiding the local economy from external shocks, including the shocks of international oil prices. The spread of these funds is the result of large current account surpluses in many Asian and oil-exporting economies. These surpluses are due to higher commodity prices Has led to a rapid accumulation of foreign assets in central banks. Many countries with rent economies face the problem of their dependence on non-renewable natural resources, especially the oil countries, including Iraq. Oil revenues are more than 97% of oil exports, so they suffer from structural imbal
... Show MoreThe reservoir units of Mishrif Formation in Majnoon oil field were studied by using available wireline logs (gamma ray, porosity and resistivity) and facies that derived from core and cutting samples for three wells including Mj-1, Mj-15, and Mj-20. The reservoir properties were determined and interpreted by using IP software. The results showed that unit D have the best reservoir properties due to high effective porosity, low water saturation and very low volume of shale. Furthermore, a large part of this unit was deposited in shoal environment. The other reservoir units are then graded in reservoir properties including units B, A, F & E respectively, except unit C, which is considered as a cap unit, because it consists of rest
... Show MoreThe Middle Cenomanian-Early Turonian Mishrif Formation includes important carbonate reservoirs in Iraq and some other surrounding countries due to their high reservoir quality and wide geological extension. The 2D models of this study for facies, effective porosity and water saturation indicate the vertical and lateral heterogeneity of the Mishrif Formation reservoir properties in the Majnoon oil field. Construction of 2D reservoir model of the Mishrif Formation to explain the distribution of facies and petrophysical properties (effective porosity and water saturation) by using RockWorks software. The increase of effective porosity is attributed to the presence of shoal facies.The high water saturation is attributed to the existence of rest
... Show MoreThe study of Shiranish Formation rocks in southern part of Iraq at Ansab area well (KH-6)
were carried out. The formation is tongued with tayarat formation, which bounded from top
and bottom, the upper tongue at thickness 49m. and tongued at depth (476-525m.) the lower
tongue at thickness 4m. tongued at (541-537m.).
The rocks of this formation were divided into three sedimentary microfacies:
1- Dolomitized formininferal Wackestone facies.
2- Dolomitized formininferal Mudstone facies.
3- Dolostone facies.
34 slides were investigated depending on mineralogical, compositional and biological
processes and compared diagenesis which reflect open marine shelf at lower part of formation
(F.Z.2) (S.M.F.8), but at the
In the Rumaila oilfields in southern Iraq, the Zubair Formation was deposited in a shallow environment as three main facies, delta plain, backshore, and delta front depositional conditions indicating a transition from delta front and delta plain to a highstand level due to the finning upward mode. The facies of the Zubair clasts show well-sorted quartz arenite sandstone, poorly sorted quartz arenite sandstone, clayey sandstone that has not been properly sorted, sandy shale, and shale lithofacies. The minor lithofacies were identified using well-logging methods (gamma ray, spontaneous potential and sonic logs) and petrography. The Zubair clasts are of transition environment that appears to be transported from freshwater and deposited
... Show MoreHuwaiza marsh is considered the largest marsh in the southern part of Iraq. It is located between 31° and 31.75° latitude and extends over the Iraqi-Iranian border; but the largest part lies in Iraq. It is located to the east of Tigris River in Messan and Basra governorates.
In this research, the variation of some water quality parameters at different locations of Huwaiza marsh were studied to find out its efficacy in the treatment of the contamination coming from the wastewater outfall of Kahlaa brokendown sewage treatment plant which lies on the Kahlaa River. This rive is the main feeder of Huwaiza marsh. Ten water quality sampling locations were chosen in this marsh. The water samples were taken during 2009 for three months; Janu
The materials of soil were affected by multi reasons; such as human activities, floods, tidal waves, ... etc. The change of the soil contents could be measured through different indexes; such as electric conductivities, salinity, concentration of the heavy elements, and concentration of essential elements ... etc. The land cover is affected by natural influences, like tidal energy, which plays a negative role in the salinization of land adjacent to the coasts, causing a problem for soils in all its details represented in changing of the dissolved elements in soil. One of the most important natural factors that cause soil salinity is human activity in all its forms, and one of the most important causes of salinity is the phenomenon o
... Show MoreThe tourism activity is one of the pillars on which the economy of any country is based , the importance of the tourism sector is reflected in its potential to become an effective development alternative in many countries, especially Iraq ,this has a direct impact on the national economy as an important source in attracting hard currency and eliminating unemployment. Adding the Iraqi Marshlands to the list of effects makes it contribute to diversification of sources of income and stimulating rest of the economic sectors, the potentials and qualifications possessed by Iraq in the field of tourism and monuments have a significant impact on the state budget if they were exploited optimally. The research aims at identifying the contr
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