Assessing the Risks of Invasions of Aquatic Invertebrates in the Shatt Al-Arab River

ISSN 2075�1117, Russian Journal of Biological Invasions, 2011, Vol. 2, Nos. 2–3, pp. 120–125. © Pleiades Publishing, Ltd., 2011.
Original Russian Text © M.D. Naser, M.O. Son, A.G. Yasser, 2011, published in Rossiiskii Zhurnal Biologicheskikh Invasii, 2011, No. 1, pp. 77–85.
120
INTRODUCTION
The Shatt Al�Arab water system located on the
border between Iraq and Iran is one of the key water�
bodies of West Asia. This name is used to designate the
general lower part of the large river systems, Tigris and
Euphrates, flowing together near the city of Qurna, as
well as discharging below the Karun River. Such con�
ventional geographic demarcation of this the largest
river basin in Southeast Asia, whose area is more than
1 million km2, is due to the particular historic impor�
tance of Tigris and Euphrates in world culture. In the
recent geologic past, the Tigris, Euphrates, and Karun
rivers flowed directly into the Persian Gulf, and the
Mesopotamian lowland formed later by the drifts of
these rivers was flooded with sea waters. At the present
time, between the channels of the Tigris and Euphrates
and the Persian Gulf, there is a channel of the Shatt
Al�Arab surrounded by large lakes and marshes and
having a delta and an additional connection to the bay
in the form of the Shatt Al�Basrah canal (Isaev and
Mikhailova, 2009).
The water resources of the Tigris and Euphrates are
in the center of constant geopolitical conflicts between
the countries located in this basin (Iraq, Iran, Turkey,
and Syria). All these countries have a scarcity of water
resources essential for domestic use, irrigation, and
production of electric energy. A sharp expansion of
commercial activity in Turkey and Syria led to appear�
ance in the 20th century of 19 hydraulic systems in the
Euphrates basin and of 43 systems in the Tigris basin.
Bringing them into service led to regular complete ces�
sations of water delivery to downstream sites of the
Euphrates (especially during the recent dry years). The
subsequent development of the situation led to an
increase in tension and damming of the river basin in
almost all of its sections (Al�Yamani, 2008; Climatic
Changes…, 2008). The artificial decrease in freshwater
discharge in combination with conditions of a tidal
estuary typical of the Shatt Al�Arab led to salinity fluc�
tuations from 5 to 14‰ throughout the section from
the Persian Gulf to the city of Qurna (Isaev and
Mikhailova, 2009). The smallest salinity fluctuations
(5–8‰) are observed in a tributary of the Shatt Al�
Arab—the Garmat Ali River. Such hydrological
changes together with changes taking place as a result
of prolonged military operations and the regime of
navigation in Basra (the biggest sea port of the Persian
Gulf) increase the risk of invasion of alien species,
making Shatt Al�Arab an important invasion gateway
(Panov et al., 2010) in the Middle East for brackish�
water species. In the 2000s, an intensive study of bio�
logical invasions in inland waters of Iraq revealed the
appearance here of many new alien species (Clark
et al., 2006; Jaweir et al., 2006; Salman et al., 2006;
Mutlak and Al�Faisal, 2009; Naser and Son, 2009;
Haase et al., 2010; Hashim, 2010).
Assessing the Risks of Invasions of Aquatic Invertebrates
in the Shatt Al�Arab River
M. D. Nasera, M. O. Sonb, and A. G. Yassera
a Marine Science Center, Department of Marine Biology, University of Basra, Basra, Iraq
e�mail: bio_mur�n@yahoo.com
b Kovalevsky Institute of Biology of the Southern Seas (Odessa Branch), National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine,
Odessa, 65125 Ukraine
e�mail: michail.son@gmail.com
Abstract—The Shatt Al�Arab is an important invasion gateway in West Asia. Protocols of the ALARM project
were used for estimation of risk assessment of aquatic invasions. There are five global alien species with high
invasiveness which are widespread among the region (Eriocheir sinensis, Macrobrachium nipponense, Palae�
mon elegans, Balanus amphitrite, and Potamorpyrgus antipodarum). Identification and analysis of invasion
pathways within the region show a predominantly secondary natural spread of alien species and also the
importance of navigation and canals for recent expansion of alien species. Five assessment units (Harir
region, Abu Al�Khaseeb, Al�Sindibad, Qurna, and Garmat Ali) have extremely high and one (Shatt Al�Bas�
rah) has high biological contamination and risk of biological pollution. Alien species increase similarity of
macrozoonbenthic communities (biotic homogenization). Among key drivers of biological invasions in this
region, a special place is occupied by geopolitical conflict and competition for natural resources which form
a unique man�made hydrological regime in the Mesopotamian rivers.
DOI: 10.1134/S2075111711020081
Keywords: invasive alien species, biological pollution, Iraq, Shatt Al�Arab.

RUSSIAN JOURNAL OF BIOLOGICAL INVASIONS Vol. 2 Nos. 2–3 2011
ASSESSING THE RISKS OF INVASIONS OF AQUATIC INVERTEBRATES 121
Damming of the flow of the Tigris and Euphrates,
causing its limnification (transformation of the chan�
nel into a cascade of reservoirs) and expansion of alien
species, in particular, of zebra mussels, over the cas�
cades of reservoirs (Bobat, 2004; Innal and Erk’akan,
2010), and intensification of the rates of invasion of
alien species in waters of Iraq (Robbins et al., 2006;
Heiler et al., 2010; Zare et al., 2010) additionally
increase the importance of Shatt Al�Arab as a poten�
tial hot spot with respect to biological invasions on the
scale of West Asia.
In this paper, we analyze the risks of biological pol�
lution using tested procedures in inland waters of
Europe (Panov et al., 2009, 2010).
MATERIALS AND METHODS
For the assessment of risks of biological pollution,
the scheme of assessment of the ALARM project elab�
orated for inland waters of Europe was used (Panov
et al., 2009, 2010).
The following indicators were used:
Species�specific biological pollution risk
(SBPR)—indicator for assessment of potential inva�
siveness of the species.
Integrated biological pollution risk (IBPR)–indi�
cator for assessment of the potential impact of alien
species in an assessment unit and the ecological status
of the waterbody.
Site�specific biological contamination index
(SBCI)—indicator for assessment of biological con�
tamination (Arba iauscas et al., 2008) of stations
within the assessment unit and the influence of the
presence of alien species on α�biodiversity.
Methods of calculation of some indicators are con�
sidered in detail in corresponding publications
(Arba iauscas et al., 2008; Panov et al., 2009, 2010).
In addition, for communities of macrozoobenthos,
biotic homogenization was assessed—change in simi�
larity of species composition between individual habi�
tats as a combined result of dispersal of alien and dis�
appearance of native species. As a rule, alien species at
c
^
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ˆ
the beginning decrease similarity between neighboring
habitats and increase similarity between distant ones
(especially between habitats which are donors and recip�
ients of the alien species), but a common regularity is a
global increase in similarity of biota and, correspond�
ingly, a decrease in β�biodiversity (MacKinney, 2004).
Biotic homogenization was assessed by us from the effect
of homogenization by alien species (Sørexotic/Sørnative).
This indicator is a ratio of the Sørensen (Sør) indices,
i.e., similarity of species composition according to
the “presence�absence” matrix calculated separately
for exotic and native species, and is used for assess�
ment of the impact of the presence of alien species on
β�biodiversity (McKinney, 2004). The value of this
index points to biotic homogenization—a decrease
in ß diversity (Sørexotic/Sørnative > 1) or differentiation
(Sørexotic/Sørnative < 1) and an increase in ß diversity by
the very fact of the presence of alien species.
Indicators based on macrobenthos samples (SBCI,
biotic homogenization) were calculated from the data
of the field season of 2009. Collections from 18 sta�
tions related to six assessment units (assessment unit
according to methodology of the ALARM project)
were analyzed:
(1) the most estuary channel site near the city of
Abu Al�Khaseeb: 1 (30°28′54.19″ N, 47°53′7.39″ E),
2 (30°28′30.32″ N, 47°53′54.17″ E), 3 (30°28′47.85″ N,
47°53′39.37″ E);
(2) the channel site near the city of Al�Sindibad: 1
(30°34′46.96″ N, 47°46′27.37″ E), 2 (30°34′35.49″ N,
47°46′46.74″ E), 3 (30°34′7.27″ N, 47°47′0.78″ E);
(3) Garmat Ali River: 1 (30°34′20.38″ N,
47°44′52.40″ E), 2 (30°34′24.24″ N, 47°44′57.41″ E),
3 (30°34′12.59″ N, 47°45′7.97″ E);
(4) Hareer Region near Al�Hammar marsh: 1
(30°35′17.46″ N, 47°43′14.57″ E), 2 (30°35′5.16″ N,
47°43′35.48″ E), 3 (30°35′20.83″ N, 47°43′24.06″ E);
(5) area of confluence of the Tigris and Euphrates
near the city of Qurna: 1 (30°53′39.14″ N,
47°30′49.75″ E), 2 (30°53′39.14″ N, 47°30′49.75″ E),
2 (30°55′41.08″ N, 47°29′2.70″ E); 3 (30°58′22.44″ N,
47°28′36.34″ E),
Table 1. Alien invertebrates of the Shatt Al�Arab basin
Species SBPR First registration in Iraq Distribution over assessment units
Eriocheir sinensis (H. Milne Edwards, 1853) 3 1980s [Hashim, 2010] All assessment units except Qurna
Macrobrachium nipponense (DeHaan, 1849) 3 2005 [Salman et al., 2006] All assessment units except Shatt Al�Basrah
Palaemon elegans Rathke, 1837 3 1968 [Holthuis, 1975] All assessment units except Shatt Al�Basrah
Physa acuta (Draparnaud, 1801) 2 20th century [Rabie, 1986]??? All assessment units
Potamopyrgus antipodarum (Gray, 1843) 3 2008 [Naser, Son, 2009] Garmat Ali River, Hareer Region, Qurna
Balanus amphitrite Darwin, 1854 3 1960s [Abdul�Sahib et al.,
2003]
All assessment units

122
RUSSIAN JOURNAL OF BIOLOGICAL INVASIONS Vol. 2 Nos. 2–3 2011
NASER et al.
(6) Shatt al Basrab canal: 1 (30°24′35.83″ N,
47°46′33.30″ E), 2 (30°24′54.17″ N, 47°46′24.62″ E),
3 (30°24′46.87″ N, 47°46′23.72″ E).
RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
In the region considered, six species of alien inver�
tebrates were found (Table 1).
The assessment of the index of risk of SBPR for
some of the species noted here was already per�
formed—E. sinensis and P. antipodarum are charac�
terized by a high risk level (SPBR = 3), and Ph. acuta
is characterized by a medium risk level (SPBR = 2)
(Panov et al., 2009). The species M. nipponense, P. ele�
gans, and B. amphitrite are widely dispersed invasive
species which formed stable invasive populations
(Grigorovich et al., 2003; Streftaris et al., 2005; De
Grave and Ghane, 2006; Salman et al., 2006; Alexan�
drov et al., 2007; Yakovleva and Yakovlev, 2010). In
addition, B. amphitrite forms epibioses on hydraulic
structures (Zevina et al., 2004), and M. nipponense and
P. elegans compete with local species of crustaceans.
These specific features of the species allow us to assign
to them, according to the procedure of calculation of
SBPR (Panov et al., 2009, 2010), the status of species
with a high risk level (SBPR = 3).
The results of the survey of 2009 (Table 2 and fig�
ure) demonstrated a level of biological contamination
(SBCI) and risk of biological pollution (IBPR) that
was high for the Shatt Al�Basrah canal and extremely
high for the remaining assessment units.
In the basin of Shatt Al�Arab, there are key driving
forces promoting dispersal of alien species—naviga�
tion, canals, aquaculture, change in natural hydrolog�
ical regime, etc.
At the same time, in the basin of Shatt Al�Arab,
typical of both two new alien species of invertebrates
that penetrated into the basin over the considered 10�
year period—M. nipponense and P. antipodarum—
and of most other species is secondary expansion from
the adjoining waterbodies (sea bay, adjoining lakes and
marshes) or from regions connected with Southern
Iraq by migrations of waterfowl (Holthuis, 1975; Sal�
man et al., 2006; Naser and Son, 2009; Hashim,
2010). Thus, this river system is not so much a recipi�
ent of primary phenomena taking place directly from
donor regions as a site of accumulation of the most
aggressive alien species invading inland waters of
Southeast Asia (primarily because of navigation).
The Shatt Al�Arab is characterized by a very high
and uniform dispersal of alien species, which is
reflected in a considerable similarity of the complex of
alien species between stations and the effect of biotic
homogenization exerted by alien species on the fauna
of microinvertebrates (Table 2). All alien species
except Ph. acuta, belong to marine and euryhaline
species, which facilitates the success of their expan�
sion in an ecosystem subjected to artificial changes in
the hydrological regime–both owing to competitive
advantages with respect to native species and as a result
of formation of free ecological niches as a result of
degradation of the native community. A drastic
increase in the number of exotic and marine species
was recorded for the region also with respect to fish
(Hussain et al., 2009). On the whole, it corresponds to
a trend toward expansion of euryhaline species (espe�
cially, Ponto�Caspian relics) observed in regions well
studied with respect to biological invasions, such as
Western Europe and North America (Grigorovich
et al., 2008; Ellis and MacIsaac, 2009; Grabowski
et al., 2009; Piscart et al., in print), but is pronounced
in a much more drastic form. The Shatt Al�Arab is
subjected to a combined influence of the long ago
damming of the river flow, climatic changes intensify�
ing the consequences of this damming (droughts,
salinization of estuary waters), and additional inter�
ventions in the hydrological regime caused by climatic
changes. Such combination of factors was already
considered in scientific publications as a risk factor for
biological invasions (Rahel and Olden, 2008). Possi�
Table 2. Indicators of biological pollution and biotic homogenization for the Shatt Al�Arab basin
Assessment unit IBPR SBCI Average Sørnative between stations
Average Sørexotic
between stations Sørexotic/Sørnative
Abu Al�Khaseeb 4 4 93% 93% 1 (no effect)
Al�Sindibad 4 4 97% 93% 0.96 (biotic differentiation)
Garmat Ali River 4 4 85% 87% 1.02 (biotic homogenization)
Hareer Region 4 4 86% 77% 0.9 (biotic differentiation)
Qurna 4 4 93% 93% 1 (no effect)
Shatt Al�Basrah 3 3 100% 100% 1 (no effect)
All: – 3–1 63% 66% 1.04 (biotic homogenization)

RUSSIAN JOURNAL OF BIOLOGICAL INVASIONS Vol. 2 Nos. 2–3 2011
ASSESSING THE RISKS OF INVASIONS OF AQUATIC INVERTEBRATES 123
bly, the increase in the number of cases of transfer of
invertebrates between the Middle East and southern
regions of Europe is related to the influence of climatic
changes on migrations of waterfowl (owing to pheno�
logical changes and changes in the regime of freezing
of waterbodies) (Abatzopoulos et al., 2009; Naser and
Son, 2009; Haase et al., 2010).
CONCLUSIONS
Alien species in the Shatt Al�Arab basin are repre�
sented mainly by aggressive invaders with high inva�
siveness which form a high (in the Shatt Al�Basrah
canal) or an extremely high (in the remaining assess�
ment units distinguished in the considered region)
level of risk.
Alien species in relation to their high and uniform
dispersal considerably affect the α�biodiversity (bio�
logical contamination high in the Shatt Al�Basrah
canal and extremely high in the remaining assessment
units) and β�biodiversity (biotic homogenization of
the fauna of bottom invertebrate animals was
revealed).
Damming of the river flow, intensification of the
consequences of such damming by climatic changes,
and additional interventions in the hydrological
regime caused by climatic changes exert a negative
effect on the native fauna, which promotes invasion of
euryhaline alien species into the aquatic system from
adjoining regions.
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