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A total of 4754 snails were collected from four sites (Qandil, Kawergosk, Khabat, and Sufaia) on Greater Zab River, Kurdistan Region, Iraq, identified morphologically and the distribution results made up of 2764 (58.14%) of Physella acuta, 919 (19.33%) of Radix auricularia, 416 (8.75%) of Radix euphratica, 180 (3.79%) of Radix sp., 255 (5.36) of Melanopsis praemorsa and 220 (4.63%) of Gyraulus huwaizahensis. Statistical analysis of species distribution showed significant (p

Active sediments along a 90 km section of Greater Zab River (GZR) in Kurdistan Region/ Iraq were analyzed for their major, trace, and rare earth elements contents to investigate their provenance, weathering at the source area, and tectonic setting. The enrichment of sediments with transition elements (Co, Cr, and Ni), the bivariate (Zr/Sc vs Th/Sc, K2O vs Rb, and Al2O3/TiO2 vs SiO2adj) plots, and elemental ratios (Th/Sc, Th/Co, Th/Cr, La/Sc, and Eu/Eu*) suggest the GZR sediments are derived from basic igneous rocks. However, the Al2O3/TiO2 ratio, bivariate TiO2 vs Zr, and chondrite-normalized patterns (enriched with LREE and small negative Eu anomalies) suggest some contribution of intermediate and felsic rock sources of the upper continental crust. The weathering indices (CIA and PIA) and the A-CN-K ternary diagram indicate a weak degree of weathering for the source materials. Th/U and Rb/Sr ratios of the stream sediments also suggest a low degree of weathering. Low CIA reflects limited or the near absence of chemical alteration and thus indicates arid and/or cool conditions. The Index of Compositional Variability (ICV) indicates very low compositional maturity. Tectonic discrimination diagrams log (K2O/Na2O) vs SiO2/Al2O3 ratios, log (K2O/Na2O) vs SiO2, and La-Th-Sc ternary diagram indicate the studied sediments plot in the oceanic and continental island arc. These tectonic settings are consistent with the northeastern tectonically active uplands closely associated with the subduction zone of the colliding Arabian and Iranian Plates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

During April 2017 to the end of September 2017, a total of 34 Glyptothorax kurdistanicus were captured from Greater Zab River near Aski-Kalak Town, south east of Erbil City and some watersheds of Sharbazher area northeast of Sulaimani City, Kurdistan Region, Iraq. The study revealed the existence of five species of helminthes including two species of metacercaria of trematodes (Clinostomum complanatum, Diplostomum spathaceum), one species of cestode (Ligula intestinalis), one species of nematode (Procamallanus viviparous), and one species of acanthocephalan (Pomphoryhnchus spindletrucatus). Glyptothorax kurdistanicus in the present study is considered as a new host for all recorded parasitic helminthes in Iraq. Full description, prevalence and mean intensity of infection of these parasites were demonstrated in the present study.

This research analyzes the minimum daily flows of each month for 25 years from Eski kalak and Dokan gauge stations on Greater Zab river and Lesser Zab river respectively to predict their low flows using two Stochastic Models; (ARIMA) model (Autoregressive Integrated Moving Average) and (Thomas-Fiering) model. A comparison is conducted for the results of both methods utilizing the Mean Average Error (MAE) and Root Mean Square Error (RMSE) of predicted data from both models to verify their performance and reliability. The results showed that the ARIMA model has given more appropriate forecasts and harmonic direction comparing to the same historical time series than those given by (Thomas-Fiering) model. Minitab version 14 package is utilized to assess the statistical side of the research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]