DISTRIBUTION AND COMPOSITION OF ZOOPLANKTON IN EUPHRATES RIVER NEAR AL-MUS AIB POWER STATION

Abstract

Quantity and quality composition of Cladocera were studied throughout a period from July 2002 to March 2003. Three sites in Euphrates near Al-Mussaib power station were selected (S1, S2 and S3). The present study recorded 38 taxa of Cladocera, belonged to 15 genera , some of these were dominant as Alona , Ceriodaphnia and Daphnia. The species of Alona guttata, Chydorus gibbus and Scapholeberis kingi occurred at all sites throughout the study period . The highest mean values of bio-diversity (2.94) were recorded at S1 below the thermal effluent compared with other two sites. The present study showed variation in the composition of the community due to the effluent of Al-Mussaib power station in Euphrates river.