Albufera of Valencia, a shallow lagoon originally covered by submerged vegetation, shifted from a clear to a turbid state loosing its macrophyte cover, as a result of an intense eutrophication process that started in the 60's.... more
Albufera of Valencia, a shallow lagoon originally covered by submerged vegetation, shifted from a clear to a turbid state loosing its macrophyte cover, as a result of an intense eutrophication process that started in the 60's. However, clear‐water phases take place in winter and are the result of the " flushing " during the emptying of the surrounding flooded rice fields. Sluice gates are opened and rice fields drain through the lake to the sea. Rice field water is of relatively good quality because in winter paddies are flooded without cultivation. However, the intensity of the event varies year to year depending on the hydrological regime. The aim of this work is to look at the different influence of flushing on phytoplankton, depending on its intensity and timing. Consequently phytoplankton biovolume drastically diminished in late winter 2010. However, in the year 2011, when flushing was less intense and not repeated, phytoplankton biovolume showed only a small decr...
