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Cycle 6 (2017 Deadline)
Conservation, restoration and current status of aquatic biodiversity in Southern Iraq
PI: Nadia Al-Mudaffar, nadia.fawzi.nf@gmail.com, University of Basrah Marine Science Centre
U.S. Partner: Brian Helmuth, Northeastern University Marine Science Center
Project Dates: August 2018 - May 2021
Project Overview
Shrinking water reserves in Iraq have led to multiple challenges, including environmental changes, threatened biodiversity, and proliferation of invasive aquatic plants. This PEER project documented and cataloged patterns of biodiversity in the aquatic environments of Southern Iraq and enabled scientists at the University of Basrah Marine Science Centre (UBMSC) to adopt new tools for forecasting the effects of extremely rapid environmental change on the region’s biodiversity. Building on a previously established partnership with Northeastern University’s Marine Science Center (NUMSC), this project involved four primary goals: (1) creation of methods for surveying patterns of aquatic diversity in Southern Iraq; (2) collection of genetic samples to be cataloged with the Ocean Genome Legacy Center; (3) training of Iraqi scientists through short courses offered at NUMSC; and (4) training in modern physiological methods for measuring environmental stress in aquatic species.
Final Summary of Project Activities
The first phase of the project sought to catalog and map patterns of biodiversity, making comparisons against baselines obtained from the literature to detect any major changes in the aquatic ecosystems. Much of the historic information was contained in manuscripts in the UB library, and PEER support allowed the researchers to digitize and translate these manuscripts. In the second phase, the PEER team built on established methods for forecasting the effects of environmental change on biodiversity to predict which species in the region are at greatest risk. As part of the project, UB faculty have been approached by the Iraqi Prime Minister and the Ministry of Health and the Environment to help develop a biodiversity plan after the designation of the Basra Marshes as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
In October 2018, Mr. Jihad Alzewar (senior graduate student) and Dr. Abdulamer Jassim (University of Basrah faculty) visited Northeastern for two weeks to take part in a training course, including a series of workshops, while eight other members of the Basra-based team participated online. Training topics focused on sample collection and processing of genetic material; techniques of environmental monitoring; and physiological approaches for measuring stress in key aquatic species. In most cases the equipment used was similar or identical to that purchased by the project and shipped to Iraq. The team was also provided with reference management software and an extensive PDF library of scientific literature not available in Iraq.
In March 2019, the Iraqi team deployed an Onset weather station in Shaat Al-Arab and began experiments of physiological stress using heartbeat and oxygen sensors. They also conducted field surveys of biodiversity in the mud flats at the intersection of Shaat Al-Arab and the Arabian Gulf. The U.S. partners collaborated by providing advice on instrument set up, experimental design, and provision of literature. Growing civil unrest in Iraq unfortunately prevented the U.S. team from traveling there for additional collaboration, but they continued to provide assistance remotely in analyzing and publishing results of the field work.
Although the project could not be fully implemented due to the security challenges in Iraq, there were some policy impacts. In the summer of 2018, the Shatt al-Arab faced a severe shortage of freshwater input into the river, creating a wedge of salt water advancing northwards from the Persian Gulf. This created a severe shortage of potable water, leading to about 18,000 water-related illnesses and public riots and disturbances demanding fresh, clean water. The project team was asked to prepare a report on the advantage of constructing a barrage on the Shatt Al-Arab to stop the advancement of salt water. They held four workshops on the impact of the saltwater wedge on the Shatt al-Arab river, inviting university departments, local NGOs, and government agencies to provide input and created an environment impact assessment study. The report, submitted to local governments and national ministries, recommended a temporary barrage until an agreement is reached on the best solution to the salinization issue, illustrating how the PEER project can reduce some of the large gap in environmental knowledge about the river itself.
Publications
J. Caviglia-Harris, K. Hodges, B. Helmuth, E. Bennett, K. Galvin, M. Krebs, K. Lips. M. Lowman, L Schulte-Moore, and T. Schuur. 2021. The six dimensions of collective leadership that advance sustainability objectives: Rethinking what it means to be an academic leader. Ecology and Society 26(3):9. https://doi.org/10.5751/ES-12396-260309
Malik Hassan Ali, Nadia Al-Mudaffar Fawzi, Hanaa Hussein Mohamed, Brian Helmuth, and Amanda M. Dwyer. 2021. Winners and losers: Post conflict biodiversity in the stressed ecosystem of Khor Al-Zubair, Iraq. Pakistan Journal of Marine Sciences 30(2): 76-95. https://www.pakjmsuok.com/index.php/pjms/article/view/98
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