Seasonal and spatial microbial dynamics in four spanish freshwater reservoirs subjected to hydric stress

This project aims to study the distribution and abundance patterns of the ecologically most relevant freshwater microbes along four different spanish reservoirs located in the same region. These four reservoirs, Tous, Loriguilla, Amadorio and Benageber have a meso to oligotrophic status and are subjected to important changes in their water levels due to the variable drought and rare storm events taking place in the semi-arid southeastern Mediterranean spanish region. We have obtained samples from these four reservoirs during two seasons, summer - low water levels / winter - high water levels in three parts of the reservoir (dam, tail and flow exit). The analyzed reservoirs are dimictic. Three depths were taken in the dam during summer season, corresponding to the epilimnion, DCM and hypolimnion, whilst only epilimnion and hypolimnion samples were taken during winter.