3 21 Mohammad, et al. Bull. Iraq nat. Hist. Mus. (2013)12 (3): 21-30 THE BIODIVERSITY OF BAHR AL-NAJAF DEPRESSION, AL-NAJAF AL-ASHRAF PROVINCE Mohammad K. Mohammad, Hassan H. Ali, Basim A. A. Ali and Afkar M. Hadi Iraq Natural History Research Center and Museum, University of Baghdad, Bab Al-Muadham, Baghdad, Iraq ABSTRACT The tentative list of the biodiversity (plants and vertebrates) of Bahr Al-Najaf depression is found to comprise 104 vertebrate species including 2 fishes, 14 reptiles, 73 resident and migratory birds and 15 mammals. The flora consists of 31 species, mainly of plants well adapted to desert conditions that dominate the area, besides few examples of water plants. The salinity was found, through chemical analysis of the lake water, to be of high value which reduces the diversity of aquatic animal and plant diversity. INTRODUCTION Bahr Al-Najaf is a wetland depression area located to the west and south-west of Holy Najaf City. It extends at north west-south east direction of an area about 360-750 Km2, of coordinates longitude 43˚ 40 - 44˚ 25 E and latitude 31˚ 40 - 32˚ 10 N and altitude elevation of about 11 m a. s. l. (Al-Atia, 2006, Benni and Al-Tawash, 2011). It is composed of a lake or marsh-like area with limited cultivated orchards beyond and surrounded by vast desert or semi desert areas. The area is classified as a part of the Arabian Desert and East Sahero- Arabian Xeric Shrub lands ecoregion (PA1303) (Bachmann et al., 2011). Historically, it was a part of very wide water surface joined with Arabian Gulf by water canals which served transportation between ancient Levant and Europe via Syria (Al-Hakeem, 2004). Although some researchers referred to the drying of Najaf sea (Bahr Al-Najaf) had occurred at 1915 (37), it is believed, according to (38) that the draught was started since 1887 when water authorities blocked Euphrates canals preventing feeding the depression. Since that the area was subjected to substantial changes both in its nature and forms of life that it supports. Studies on the biodiversity of the area rather few and fragmentary including that of Hatt (1959), Abul Faith (1970), Thalen (1979) and Al-Awadi (1997). The aim of this work is to provide a preliminary report on the present status of biodiversity issues of this unique area of Iraq. MATERIALS AND METHODS Data on the biodiversity of the area was retrieved either through direct collection of biological material, photographing, or through interviews with hunters and locals through visiting the area twice each season during the period from January to December 2012. The specific identification was possible following the available pertinent keys and field guides including those of Al-Hassan (2006) for plants, Coad (2010) for fishes, Khalaf (1959) for herpetofauna, Salim et al. (2006) for birds, and Harisson (1968, 1981) for mammals. 22 The Biodiversity of Bahr Al-Najaf Depression RESULTS AND DISCUSSION Field observations revealed that the studied area is distinct from the adjacent desert and semi desert areas. It includes cultivated orchards, salty lake, marshy area and semi desert strips ecosystems. This multiple system complex contributes to the enriching the biodiversity elements. The estimated area is varied according to authors and years, for example Al-Atia (2006) consider it as 750 Km2 while Benni and Al-Tawash (2011) reduced the number by more than one half into 360 Km2. This is may be related to the active evaporation during the six years period between the two studies. However, chemical analysis of the lake water clearly indicates that the water is should be classified as saline (Table 1), a situation which does not support living of many freshwater species of fishes and other animals, and perhaps because of pollution resulted from the natural drainage of Old Najaf City waste water into the lake due to the nature of topography of the area. This salinity may be due to the high rate of evaporation accompanied with unprecedented temperature levels and absence of continuous water resources feeding into the lake, while it is restricted now to the runoff of precipitation, which it is already low of mean about 97.1 mm annually for the period between 1975-2006 (Ali, 2008), accumulated in the neighboring valley. Moreover, the agricultural practices just adjacent to the lake depend mainly on the random well drilling which yields salty water drained finally with its contents of salt into the lake and subsequently increasing salinity level. Our results are in agreement with Al-Aboodi (2008) who mentioned that the water type of the Bahr Al Najaf area is of marine origin preserved in semi-confined basin. Table 1: Chemical analysis for some parameters of a water sample from the lake of Bahr Al- Najaf. Parameter Lab. Analysis pH 8.4 TDS (gm/L) 18.8 Salt (%) 3.23 C (%) 0.03 K (%) 0.20 Ca (%) 0.65 Sand (%) 0,48 Flora: it is found that the plants comprise 25 species belong to15 families (Table 2). Table 2: A systematic list of plants recorded in this study from Bahr Al-Najaf. Family Amaranthaceae 1. Amarathus blitoides Family Capparidaceae 2. Capparis spinosa Family Ceratophyllaceae 3. Ceratophyllum demersum Family Chenopodiaceae 4. Chenopodium vulgaria 5. Haloxylon Salicornicum 6. Salsola cycloohylla 7. Suaeda fruticosa Family Convolvulaceae 8. Convolvulus arvensis Family Cucurbitaceae 9. Citrullus colocynthis Family Fabaceae 23 Mohammad, et al. 10. Albizia amara 11. Alhagi maurorum 12. Astagulus spionsus Family Gentaceae 13. Ephedra alata Family Graminae 14. Aeluropus lagopoides 15. Aeluropus littoralis 16. Cynodon dactylon 17. Imperata cylindrica 18. Phragmites communis Family Juncaceae 19. Juncus arabicus Family Plantaginaceae 20. Plantago boissier Family Polygonaceae 21. Rumex cyprius 22. Rumex dentatus Family Rutaceae 23. Peganum harmala Family Tamaricacaea 24. Tamarix aphylla Family Typhaceae 25. Typha domingensis Most of plants listed above are belonging to the Arabian sub- zone of the Saharo- Sindian phytogeografical zone (Zohary, 1973). Light intensity or scattering of plants is might be a result of successive dry years, livestock grazing, and extensive human activities. Some plants are aquatic. The increase of water salinity of the lake negatively affected the biodiversity either inside water or in the adjacent areas in contact with the lake. The exception was in some borders where few of fresh water seep into the depression causing partial improvement of plant diversity. Fauna: In regard to vertebrate fauna, results show presence of only two species of fishes; Liza abu of small size only and Black Bream Acanthopagrus perda. This is expected in view of poor water quality. Al-Awadi et al. (2010a) published a paper on parasites of 11 fish species collected in the area in 1995. This gives how the fish diversity was going decreased with a downward trend since that year. For the herpetofauna, 13 reptlian species were reported from the area including 6 snakes, 6 lizards and one turtle (Table 3). Except for the dice snake Natrix tessellata and the soft shelled turtle Rafetus euphraticus, the rest of species seem well adapted to xeric conditions which dominate the studied area now. However, continuous presence of N. tessellata and R. euphraticus in this saline water reflects high degree of tolerance to physiological as well as environmental pressure resulted from the ecological stress of poor water condition. This conclusion is in general agreement with Ahmadzadeh (2011) and Ioannidis and Mebert (2011) for the dice snake and Karami et al. (2006) and Ghaffari et al. (2008) for the soft shelled turtle. The birds comprise the largest faunistic group of Bahr Al-Najaf with 72 species many of them are migratory birds (Table 3). On comparison with the records of the Iraq Natural History Research Center and Museum/University of Baghdad for the last four decades the collective number of bird species showed decrease in the number of species especially the waterfowl 24 The Biodiversity of Bahr Al-Najaf Depression which dropped sharply from 69 species frequently reported with relatively high individual numbers according to the records of the museum into 35 species only with rather small numbers of individuals within the their populations. This result could be directly linked to the deterioration of the lake water quality. However, Al-Awadi (1997) and Al-Awadi et al. (2010b) listed 53 bird species, belonging to 21 families, in Bahr Al-Najaf depression stating that it attracts a large number of aquatic birds. The mammals comprise 15 species without any representative of water habitat dweller (Table 3). All of them are known to be animals of desert and semi desert areas. In general, the vertebrate fauna of Bahr Al-Najaf comprise 104 species. This is rather reflects the poor environmental conditions of the area, especially those linked to water habitat. It is of worthy to note the absence of amphibian representatives from the lake of Bahr Al-Najaf. Table 3: A systematic list of vertebrate fauna reported in this study from Bahr Al-Najaf. Class Pisces Family Mugilidae 1- Liza abu Family Sparidae 2- Acanthopagrus perda Class Reptilia Family Trionychidae 3- Rafetus euphraticus Family Agamidae 4- Uromastix microlepis Family Gekkonidae 5- Alsophylax tuberculatus 6- Stenodactylus affinis 7- S. doriae Family Lacertidae 8- Messalina brevirostris 9- Ophisops elegans Family Boidae 10- Eryx jaculus Family Colubridae 11- Malpolon moilensis 12- Natrix tessellata 13- Psammophis schokari 14- Platycepis ventromaculatus 15- Splaerosophis cliffordi Family Viperidae 16- Cerastes cerastes Class Aves Family Phalacrocoracidae 17- Phalacrocorax carbo* Family Ardeidae 18- Ardea cinerea* 19- Egretta garzetta 20- Ixobrychus minutes* 21- Nycticorax nycticorax Family Ciconiidae 22- Ciconia ciconia* 25 Mohammad, et al. Family Phoenicopteridae 23- Phoenicopterus ruber Family Anatidae 24- Aethya ferina* 25- Anas acuta* 26- A. clypeata* 27- A. crecca* 28- A. penelop*e 29- A. platyrhynchos* 30- A. strepera* 31- Marmaronetta angustriostris 32- Netta rufina* 33- Tadorna ferruginea* Family Accipitridae 34- Buteo rufinus* 35- Circus aeruginosus 36- Milvus migrans* 37- Neophron percnopterus Family Falconidae 38- Falco tinnunculus Family Phasianidae 39- Francolinus francolinus Family Rallidae 40- Fulica atra 41- Gallinula chloropus 42- Porphyrio porphyrio 43- Rallus aquaticus* Family Charadriidae 44- Charadrius alexandrines 45- Chettusia leucura 46- Hoplopterus indicus 47- H. spinosus Family Scolopacidae 48- Calidris alpine* 49- C. minuta* 50- Gallinago gallinago* 51- Lymnocryptes minimus* 52- Tringa tetanus* Family Recurvirostridae 53- Himantopus himantopus Family Laridae 54- Larus canus* 55- L. genei 56- L. ridibundus* 57- Sterna albifrons* 58- S. hirundo* Family Columbidae 59- Columba livia 60- Columba palumbus 61-Streptopelia decaocto 62- S. senegalensis 26 The Biodiversity of Bahr Al-Najaf Depression Family Tytonidae 63- Tyto alba Family Meropidae 64- Merops superciliosus* Family Coraciidae 65- Coracias benghalensis Family Upupidae 66- Upupa epops* Family Alaudidae 67- Ammomanes deserti 68- Galerida cristata Family Hirundinidae 69- Hirundo rustica* Family Motacillidae 70- Anthus spinoletta 71- Motacilla alba* Family Pycnonotidae 72- Pycnonotus leucogenys Family Laniidae 73- Lanius collurio* 74- L. nubicus* Family Hypocoliidae 75- Hypocolius ampelinus Family Turdidae 76- Oenanthe oenanthe* 77- Saxicola torquata* 78- Phoenicurus phoenicurus* Family Timaliidae 79- Turdoides caudatus Family Sylviidae 80- Hippolias pallid* 81- Prinia gracilis 82- Cisticola juncidis 83- Sylvia mystacea Family Corvidae 84- Corvus corone 85- C. frugilegus Family Sturnidae 86- Sturnus vulgaris* Family Ploceidae 87- Passer domesticus 88- P. hispaniolensis* 89- P. moabiticus Class Mammalia Family Emballonuridae 90- Taphozous nudiventris Family Vespertilionidae 91- Pipistrellus kuhlii Family Canidae 92- Canis aureus 93- C. lupus 27 Mohammad, et al. 94- Vulpes vulpes Family Mustelidae 95- Meles meles Family Viverridae 96- Herpestes auropunctatus Family Hyaenidae 97- Hyaena hyaena Family Felidae 98- Felis chaus Family Suidae 99- Sus scrofa Family Leporidae 100- Lepus capensis Family Hystricidae 101- Hystrix indica Family Muridae 102- Mus musculus 103- Nesokia indica 104- Rattus rattus ____________________________ *Migratory bird A wide range of invertebrates forms were noted in the area including insects, scorpions, centipedes, millipedes, spiders, ticks, mites, crustaceans, molluscans, and annelids will be studied later in a separate paper. 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Iraq nat. Hist. Mus. (2013)12 (3): 21-30 التنوع اإلحیائي لمنخفض بحر النجف، محافظة النجف األشرف علي وباسم عباس عبد علي محمد كاظم محمد وحسن حسین وأفكار مسلم ھادي جامعة بغداد، باب المعظم، بغداد، -مركز بحوث ومتحف التاریخ الطبیعي العراق الخالصة بحر النجف، باإلضافة إلى تتألف القائمة المؤقتة للتنوع اإلحیائي لمنخفض تتضمن نوعین من الفقریات ١٠٤العدید من أشكال الحیوانات الالفقریة، من من الطیور المقیمة او المھاجرة ، و ٧٣نوعا من الزواحف، ١٤من األسماك، نوعا متكیفة جیدا ٢٩تتكون المجموعة النباتیة من . نوعا من اللبائن ١٥ للظروف الصحراویة التي تغلب على المنطقة، إلى جانب أمثلة قلیلة من ئي لمیاه البحیرة إن الملوحة كانت بینت نتائج التحلیل الكیمیا. النباتات المائیة .عالیة مما یقلل من تنوع الحیوانات والنباتات المائیة