The Department of Ecology at the College of Science, University of Basrah, organized a workshop on the taxonomic study of *Aspergillus* section *Nigri* species and an evaluation of how various environmental factors affect their melanin production.

The workshop, presented by Ms. Shaimaa Saeed Rahim (a faculty member in the Department of Ecology), highlighted the significance of species belonging to this group and discussed their identification using both phenotypic and molecular methods.

The study involved measuring various environmental factors, examining biodiversity, and assessing the species' ability to produce melanin in different culture media. Recommendations included utilizing additional genes for species identification and investigating other produced secondary metabolites that hold importance across medical, agricultural, and environmental fields.