Eutrophication has markedly compromised lakes' ecological integrity and aesthetic appeal, thereby stimulating an intensified emphasis on lake management and ecological rehabilitation efforts. Implementation eutrophication management strategies is expected to induce shifts in the plankton community structure. Monitoring these changes is instrumental in assessing the efficacy of ecological restoration efforts. We conducted a seasonal investigation of the plankton community structure across the restored, lotus-dominated, and unrestored areas of Lake Xuanwu in Nanjing over four distinct seasons. Additionally, we analyzed the correlation between plankton community structure and various environmental parameters. Our findings revealed a diverse phytoplankton community comprising 85 species across 8 phyla, with Chlorophyta and Bacillariophyta predominating. The zooplankton community consisted of 48 species within 3 phyla. A comparative analysis showed higher abundance (6.43-396.37 ind./L, 1.36×10-1.18×10 cells/L) and biomass (0.07-2.10 mg/L, 0.45-21.73 mg/L) of phytoplankton and zooplankton in the unrestored basin compared to the restored basin (3.20-57.53 ind./L, 1.27×10-3.23×10 cells/L, 0.04-0.35 mg/L, 0.45-9.20 mg/L) suggesting that restoration efforts, particularly the reintroduction of submerged vegetation, have a significant impact on both the abundance and the community composition of phytoplankton and zooplankton. Seasonal variations were evident, with plankton abundance and biomass peaking in the summer and autumn and reaching their nadir in winter, indicative of dynamic shifts in the plankton community structure throughout the year. Furthermore, the number of phytoplankton species and the biodiversity index in the restored basin were higher than those in the unrestored basin. Redundancy analysis indicated that Cyanophyta and Xanthophyta exhibited positive correlations with pH, water temperature, and nitrite, while they were highly negatively correlated with transparency and dissolved oxygen. Additionally, zooplankton displayed a positive association with water temperature and a negative association with total nitrogen and dissolved oxygen. These insights offer valuable guidance for the ecological management and conservation of shallow urban lakes.