Comparing the fish diversity status in Sawa Lake with three different water habitats, southern Iraq

Abstract

This study includes an ecological assessment of the fish assemblage of Sawa Lake. The results were compared with
studies of Shatt al-Arab River, Al-Hammar Marsh, and Al- Huwayzah Marsh (Al-Saffia Reserve) to clarify the status of fish
assemblage environment in this area using (Richness, Diversity, Evenness, Similarity and Integrated Biological Index IBI).
Six metrics were chosen to calculate the (IBI) depending on the following major categories. The first (species richness) is
represented by the total number of native species, two species were obtained. The second major category covered three
metrics the first is represented by the percentage of Planiliza abu individuals accounted for 71.4%. The second metrics
represented by the percentage of tolerant species which is represented 100%, while not recording any percentage of
individuals that are considered sensitive native species (metric three). The third major category checks two metrics which
are collected the percentage of individuals that are considered omnivores and carnivores which constituted 71.4% and
28.6% respectively. The results of the present study showed that the environmental assessment of Sawa Lake was weak
assessment, with a value of the Integrated Biological Index 28.9 and this value is lower compared with other results in Shatt al-Arab River, Al-Hammar Marsh, and Al-Saffia Reserve. The values of richness index (D), diversity (H) and Evenness (J) were (0.22), (0.59) and (0.86) respectively in Sawa Lake.