Ecological degradation of a fragile semi-arid wetland and the implications in its microbial community: The case study of Las Tablas de Daimiel National Park (Spain)

Las Tablas de Daimiel National Park (TDNP, Iberian Peninsula) is a semi-arid wetland of international significance for waterfowl and serves as a migratory route for various bird species. However, TDNP presents strong anthropization and fluctuating water levels, making it a highly fragile ecosystem. Water physico-chemical parameters and microbial diversity of the three domains (Bacteria-Archaea- Eukarya) were analysed in Zone A and Zone B of the wetland (a total of eight stations) during spring and summer, aiming to determine how seasonal changes influence the water quality, trophic status and ultimately, the microbial community composition. Additionally, Photosynthetically Active Radiation (PAR) was used to determine the trophic status instead of transparency using Secchi disk, setting the threshold to 20-40 μmol/sm