Document Type : Original Article

Author

• Azhar N. Makki, Dunya A. Al-Abbawy, Mujtaba A.T. Ankush, Naeem S. Hammadi, Azhar A. A. AL-Saboonchi

Abstract

This study introduces a novel index for assessing the trophic status of aquatic environments, leveraging the zooplankton community as a bioindicator. The assessment was conducted across three distinct regions: the southern sections of the Eastern Al-Hammar, Al-Chebiyesh Marshes and the Euphrates River, over a period from November 2020 to October 2021. Employing Carlson's methodology as a foundation, the research aimed to validate the efficacy of zooplankton abundance as a metric for trophic state evaluation. Through systematic sampling of zooplankton across selected sites, data on individual counts per liter and biomass (wet weight in mg/L), alongside the biomass-to-individual ratio, were subjected to linear regression analysis against Carlson’s trophic status indices. This process facilitated the derivation of formulae capable of deducing the trophic state from zooplankton metrics. Findings revealed that the trophic status, as indicated by the Zooplankton-based Trophic State Index (TSIZOO), predominantly classified the aquatic environments within the mesotrophic category, with values ranging between 43.37 and 43.39. The biomass-to-individual ratio of zooplankton further suggested a Meso-eutrophic classification, marked by a value of 46.3. This study underscores the utility of zooplankton communities as reliable indicators for the trophic classification of water bodies, providing a nuanced understanding of aquatic ecosystem health.

Keywords

• Trophic State
• Zooplankton
• Water Bodies
• TSIZOO
• Bioindicator