A Faculty Member from the College of Agriculture Chairs a Doctoral Dissertation Defence Committee at the University of Duhok.

Professor Dr Ahmed Bahjat Khalaf, Head of the Department of Soil Sciences and Water Resources at the College of Agriculture, University of Diyala, participated in the doctoral dissertation defence proceedings at the College of Agricultural Engineering Sciences, University of Duhok, serving as Chair of the Examination Committee. The dissertation was submitted by postgraduate researcher Glavizh Yaseen Salim under the title:

“Climate Reconstruction Using Annual Diameter Increment of Stem Analysis and Carbon Sequestration of Natural Pinus brutia Ten. of Some Locations of Duhok Governorate.”

The dissertation investigated the growth patterns of Turkish pine trees (Pinus brutia Ten.) and their relationship with climatic conditions, in addition to estimating their biomass and assessing their carbon sequestration potential. The research focused on naturally growing Turkish pine trees across three locations in Duhok Governorate, namely Zawita, Atrush, and Balakif, in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq. The study involved the collection of samples from a total of 150 trees distributed across the three locations.

The findings demonstrated that the growth and carbon sequestration capacity of Turkish pine trees are influenced by local climatic conditions, particularly precipitation levels and maximum temperatures. Furthermore, the site-specific equations developed in this research can be utilised to estimate biomass and carbon sequestration, support forest inventories and improve forest management practices, as well as facilitate investigations into the impacts of climate change on the forests of the Kurdistan Region of Iraq.

This academic participation reflects the College of Agriculture’s commitment to strengthening the academic presence of its faculty members at Iraqi universities, fostering scientific collaboration, and promoting the exchange of expertise among educational and research institutions, thereby enhancing the quality of postgraduate education and scientific research in agricultural disciplines.

This participation is aligned with Sustainable Development Goal 4 (Quality Education) through its contribution to enhancing the quality of higher education and scientific research, strengthening academic expertise, and supporting scientific supervision and examination activities within postgraduate programmes, thereby contributing to the development of specialised scientific and research capabilities.

The College reaffirms its continued commitment to supporting the academic and scientific engagement of its faculty members and strengthening its presence at academic events and Iraqi universities in ways that advance scientific research, higher education, and sustainable agricultural development.

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