A master thesis titled  study of the abundance of benthic diatoms and impact of temperature and salinity on their survival in Shatt Al- Arab Estuary was defended at college of science, Department of Ecology on (July 15, 2021) for the postgraduate Candidate Rehab Nasser Younus. The aim of the thesis is to investigate the ability of diatoms to re-establish their community after a severe environmental stress such as desiccation and salinity fluctuation.