<<?php

$array = array('a' => 'b');

$a['a'] = 'abcdef';
$a['b'] = 123456;
$a['c'] = array('1234', '5678');
$a['d'] = &$array;
$b['e'] = 123456;

$x = array_merge($a, $b);
          
var_dump($x); 
          
$array['a'] = 'c';
        
var_dump($x); 
             
?>