Impact of Al-Rasheed Power Plant Effluents on Phytoplankton Biodiversity in Tigris River, Southern Baghdad

Abstract

Abstract The objective of the current study was to evaluate the effects of Al-Rasheed Power Plant(RPP) effluents on biodiversity of phytoplankton. Samples were collected monthly from January to December 2012, at four sites that were selected on the Tigris River at Baghdad Province. Site 1 was located at the up of RPP, sites 3,4 were located at the down of RPP, while site 2 was located near RPP. The results shown that the total number of the phytoplankton range from 51.7 - 9146.89 cell * 103/L, which was recorded at site1 and 3, respectively, with average range from1486.68-2053.27 which was recorded at site 1and 4, respectively. According to the relative abundance index all species where rare, except Cyclotella sp. were less abundant species. The Species richness, Shannon Winner and uniformity index values were ranging from 3.71-21.12, 0.3-3.28 bit/Ind. and 0.13 -0.71 at site 2 and 3 respectively, whereas the average value for same index was from 12.42-15.15 at 2 and 1 site; 1.93- 2.34bit/Ind. at 2 and 3 site, and 0.52-0.62 at 2and 4 site, respectively. Generally the result showed a negative effect of thermal effluent on biodiversity and phytoplankton community. Also, the water of Tigris River was considered a poor diversity and polluted especially at site 2.