The effect of some environmental variables on the abundance and distribution of aquatic macrophytes in Al-Hawizeh marsh, Iraq

Aquatic macrophyte communities in Al-Hawizeh marsh, Iraq, exhibit significant seasonal variations in abundance and distribution, with emerging plants dominating vegetation cover and biomass. The study, conducted from December 2017 to November 2018, found that emergent species like Phragmites australis reached the highest annual vegetation cover (85.5%) and biomass (844.02 gm dry weight/m²), while free-floating plants such as Salvinia polyrrhiza showed lower but notable values (66.67% cover). Environmental factors, including water temperature (11.3–31.4°C), dissolved oxygen (1.88–10.5 mg/L), pH (7.2–8.4), and electrical conductivity (2257–6859 μ.S/cm), correlated with these patterns, revealing the highest vegetation cover during summer months. The research highlights the marsh's dynamic ecosystem, where environmental variables play a crucial role in shaping macrophyte communities.

Al-Thahaibawi, B. M. H., Al-Abbawy, D. A. H., Al-Mayaly, I. K. A., & Younis, K. H. (2021). The effect of some environmental variables on the abundance and distribution of aquatic macrophytes in Al-Hawizeh marsh, Iraq. IOP Conference Series: Earth and Environmental Science, 722(1), 12001. https://doi.org/10.1088/1755-1315/722/1/012001