A Master's Thesis in the College of Science Investigates Environmental Factors and Shrimp Growth and Cultivation

A Master's thesis in the Department of Ecology at the College of Science, University of Basra, investigated the impact of environmental factors on the acclimatization, growth, and cultivation of the shrimp *Metapenaeus affinis* (H. Milne Edwards, 1837) in laboratory settings.

The thesis, submitted by student Wafaa Abdul Hamid Abdul Razzaq, aimed to demonstrate the effect of environmental factors, particularly temperature, salinity, dissolved oxygen, and pH, on the acclimatization, growth, and survival of *Metapenaeus affinis* (H. Milne Edwards, 1837) under laboratory conditions, and to identify the optimal conditions for its cultivation.

The thesis included collecting samples from the Al-Musahab area, southeast of the Al-Hammar Marsh. The results showed seasonal variations in environmental factors.

The study recommended adjusting the environmental conditions to optimize the cultivation of *M. affinis* by providing aeration, gradual acclimatization, and using balanced diets to improve growth, survival, and metabolic efficiency.