One eighth of the bird species in the world is considered globally threatened; the avifauna of Iraq comprises 409 species and is considered as the major indicator of the health of Iraq’s biological resources. The Iraqi geography falls into five main regions among which is the desert and semi-desert areas which cover much of the country area. Al-Najaf desert is still one of the poorly known regions from the biodiversity point of view. Birds of conservation concern are detected in Al-Najaf desert during 31 field trips to 20 sites conducted from August 2018 to April 2020, (citing literature records, and personal interviews with locals).The factors caused the bird numbers to decline in Al-Najaf desert include hunting and trapping, logging, invasive species, and climate change.
Nine birds are found threatened with 3 EN and 6 VU comprising Saker Falcon Falco cherrug Gray, 1834 (Falconidae, Falconiformes), Red-footed Falcon Falco vespertinus Linnaeus, 1766 (Falconidae, Falconiformes), Steppe Eagle Aquila nipalensis Hodgson, 1833 (Accipitridae, Accipitriformes), Egyptian Vulture Neophron percnopterus (Linnaeus, 1758) (Accipitridae, Accipitriformes), Greater Spotted Eagle Aquila clanga (Pallas, 1811) (Accipitridae, Accipitriformes), Marbled Teal Marmaronetta angustirostris (Ménétrés, 1832) (Anatidae, Anseriformes), Macqueen's Bustard Chlamydotis macqueeni (Gray, 1834) (Otididae, Otidiformes), Turtle Dove Streptopelia turtur (Linnaeus, 1758) (Columbidae, Columbiformes), and Southern Grey Shrike Lanius meridionalis aucheri Bonaparte, 1853 (Laniidae, Passeriformes). It is concluded that Al-Najaf desert is a region of top priority area for biodiversity conservation as it hosts large number of threatened bird species.
This work deals with the study of the morphodynamics, history of development of landforms and the origin of the Ga’ara depression. The depression is a suboval erosional topographic feature extending in E-Wdirection and located about 50 km north of Rutba Town, at the Western Desert of Iraq. The area is characterized by fresh and clean surfaces, scarcity of vegetation, abundance of rills, intense drainage and immature soil. These clues indicate that the erosion in the study area is effective. Four types of erosion features are recognized in this area namely sheet, rill, badland and wind erosion. The extent of the wind erosion depends on its position in relation to the prevailing wind direction. Water, wind and gravity are the main agents of
... Show MoreThe Umm Er Radhuma unconfined aquifer Hydrogeochemistry in the Saudi – Iraq border desert was studied to identify the main hydrogeochemical processes and rock-water interaction. The measurements were done using standard APHA procedures. The results indicated that Na+ and Cl- are the dominant ions in the groundwater. The average contribution of cations in the aquifer is Na+ + K+ ( 26 %), Ca2+ (14 %), and Mg2+ (10%) ; whereas anions contribution is Cl- (24 %) , SO42- (20 %), and HCO3- (6 %). The results reflect that the examined water is hard water of neutral to slightly alkaline, slightly brackish, with m
... Show MoreThe core interval at the K.H5\6 and K.H5\8 Wells in the West of Rutba provinces reveals a significant succession across the Late Cretaceous–Early Paleocene transition. The sampled interval encompasses a series of carbonates belonging to Digma Formation of Latest Cretaceous age, which underlies the Akashat Formtion of Danian age. Fifty-five species belonging to thirty-five genera were recognized. Based on the distribution of these species, eight biozones were distinguished, three biozones are recorded from the K.H 5\6 studied section and two biozones are documented from the K.H 5\8 studied section which refers to Late Maastrichtian age of Digma Formation. Five biozones are recorded from Akashat Formation in the K.H 5\6 studied section and
... Show MoreAge and paleoenvironment of part of the Damlouk Member, Ratga Formation from a surface section in the Iraqi Western Desert are investigated. Twenty-nine species of Larger Benthic Foraminifera (LBF) belonging to 13 genera are recognized from the studied section. The LBF assemblage is dominated by the following groups, Nummulites, Alveolina, Rotalia, and Lockhartia. Two species of corals with fragments of bryozoan, red algae and mollusca had also been identified.
The palaeontological investigation aimed at identification of LBF assemblages to evaluate their abundance and distribution with respect to sedimentary environment and to determine its age. Based on the recognized Larger Benthic F
... Show MoreThe reduction to pole of the aeromagnetic map of the western desert of Iraq has been used to outline the main basement structural features. Three selected magnetic anomalies are used to determine the depths of their magnetic sources. The estimated depths are obtained by using slope half slope method and have been corrected through the application of a published nomogram. These depths are compared with previous published depth values which provide a new look at the basement of the western desert in addition to the thickness map of the Paleozoic formations. The results shed light on the important of the great depths of the basement structures and in turn the sedimentary cover to be considered for future hydrocarbon exploration
The purpose of this article is to identify and evaluate the importance of birds of the genus Merops (European Bee-eater -Merops apiaster and Blue-cheeked Bee-eater -Merops persicus) in Uzbekistan, as well as to develop recommendations aimed at solving some problems associated with its conservation. As a result of the study, in the aspect of biocenotic relations, the natural significance of these species was revealed. The economic value is determined and analyzed in beekeeping farms. From the study of the remains of food contained in the stomachs, throats and nests of M.apiaster, a preliminary list of the main species of the food spectrum has been compiled. Based on the bioacoustic repellent "Korshun-8"
... Show MoreDespite the vast areas occupied by deserts in the world, it is still far from the civilized development and development of the other regions, so they became semi-neglected areas that extend to the hand of urbanization only in specific places and for special purposes, due to the harsh natural conditions surrounding it and to the accuracy The ecological balance in it became the greatest enemy of human beings in the desert areas is the same person who paved the way for increased intervention in the exploitation of natural resources and increase the demand for them to drain seriously affect the impact and still on the environmental and climatic conditions and thus living for the inhabitants of these Areas. The main potential for deve
... Show MoreThe current study aims to assess zooplankton diversity in Bahr Al-Najaf depression using diversity index, specimens were collected from five sites at Bahr Al-Najaf depression, Iraq during April 2017 to March 2018.
Forty-eight taxa of zooplankton were identified including 26 taxa to Copepoda, 17 taxa belonged to Rotifers and 5 taxa to Cladocera: Copepoda was the most dominant group (54.2%); Rotifera comprised (35.4%); Cladocera comprised (10.4%).
Relative abundance index of zooplankton showed Copepodite and nauplii of Harpacticoid, Hexarthra mira, Daphnia sp., Harpacticoid sp., and Copepodite and nauplii of Cyclops were more abundant. According to the constancy index
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