Measurements of lake physics (including e.g. water temperature, alkalinity, conductivity, oxygen and Secchi depth) are part of lake monitoring, which is usually carried out by monthly sampling at many regular lake sites (5 to 17 sites depending on the intensity of the measurements over the years). The integrated sample represents the whole water column of this polymictic shallow lake with a mean lake depth of 1.2m. The measurement satisfy the analytical standards of Ö-Norm in Austria. In case of water temperature, also depth profiles were measured during some sampling periods.

High resolution recording of water quality and water hydrology by two types of sensors monitoring the open lake and reed belt sites at Lake Neusiedl: Hydrolab-Multiparameter sensors measuring temperature, oxygen, pH, conductivity, turbidity and chlorophyll-a; PLSC_sensors for water level, water temperature and water conductivity. The on-line recording of these sensors measures at high time resolution of every three minutes. The two types of sensors are located as follows (in alphabetical order): Hydrolab-Multiparameter_Sensor - Neusiedlersee-Steg: N47°46.208’ & E016°45.129’ Hydrolab-Multiparameter_Sensor - Neusiedlersee-Ruster Poschn: N47°46.631’ & E016°45.187’ PLSC_Sensor - Neusiedlersee-Steg: N47°46.208’ & E016°45.129’ PLSC_Sensor - Bootshafen Biologische Station: N47°46.128’ & E016°45.976’

Measurements of chlorophyll-a are part of lake monitoring, which is usually carried out by monthly sampling at many regular lake sites (5 to 17 sites depending on the intensity of the measurements over the years). The integrated sample represents the whole water column of this polymictic shallow lake with a mean lake depth of 1.2m. The photometric measurement satisfies the analytical standards of Ö-Norm in Austria.

The monitoring of bird populations focused on wetland species. It included breeding bird surveys and bird migration (bird ringing) of species most common in the reed belt of Lake Neusiedl, and meadows surrounding the soda pans. Bird surveys of Biological Station Lake Neusiedl refer mainly to the INTERREG Project of “Vogelwarte 2” and were in close collaboration with the National Park “Neusiedlersee – Seewinkel” and “BirdLife Österreich”.

The meteorological sensors are located on the roof of the main building of the Biological Station (N 47,7691; E 16,7662; Position (elevation): 122 msl) in the close vicinity of Lake Neusiedl. The parameters that are on-line recoded every 15 minutes are as follows: Air humidity (%RH), Global radiation (W/m²), Air temperature (°C), Wind speed ([Average] (km/h), Wind direction (°), Rain yearly (mm), Precipitation (mm); time resolution: 15 minutes. There are also two traditional weather stations at the station and on the jetty, which are maintained by the Hydrolographic Service Burgenland and enable parameters such as temperature, humidity, precipitation and water level to be recorded. In addition to the Adcon weather station on the roof of the station, there are currently 3 other stations in operation in Seewinkel. These positions are: • Unterer Stinkersee (N 47,8018; E 16,7842) • Neudegg (N 47,7029; E 16,8098) • Östliche Fuchslochlacke (N 47,7907; E 16,8624)

3 sites with 10 ha altogether; follow the long-term changes on sand steppe gaps of juniper-poplar forest in order to study the effect of fire

Hohe Tauern NP was established more than 40 years ago as one of the biggest protected areas in Central Europe to protect at long-term wide areas of the Austrian main-ridge of the Alps. The 1.856 square kilometre Hohe Tauern National Park is split into a 1.213 square kilometre core zone and a 643 square kilometre buffer zone and stretches over three provinces. Until the first and largest national park in Austria was actually created, the three provinces of Carinthia, Salzburg and Tyrol had to establish the corresponding legal framework. The Provincial Parliament of Carinthia passed the legislation to create the Hohe Tauern National Park in 1981. Salzburg followed with its national park legislation in 1984, followed by Tyrol in 1992. In this 40 years Hohe Tauern NP established the Nationalpark idea in its region working together with all stakeholders (land owners, tourism, majors, hunting organisations, governmental departments…). The International Union for the Conservation of Nature IUCN awarded Carinthia in 2001 and Salzburg and Tyrol in 2006 with the international recognition of a national park with its "Category II" listing. The distinction that the national park has with a core zone, where nature can develop without human influence and a buffer zone, where traditional cultivation could be continued was key for gaining this international recognition. Contractual agreements between landowners, hunters and the national park paved the way and were pioneering for many protected areas. Hohe Tauern NP contains 3 main zones: - core zone (km²): 1.078 - buffer zone (km²): 643 - special protected areas (km²): 135 About 845 km² of the area is nature zone, which remains untouched by humans (no land use based on IUCN criteria, i.e. no hunting, no grazing). The altitudinal belts from the valleys to the summits of the three-thousand-metre-tall mountains represent an exceptional biodiversity. This is home to many plants and wildlife species originating from the Central Asian tundra, the Arctic and even Southern Europe. The preservation of all significant Alpine ecosystems across large areas of the Hohe Tauern National Park has been unimpaired. More than one third of all plant species recorded in Austria can be found in the national park. For mammals, birds, reptiles and amphibians, this figure is at around 50%. Even those animals that were nearly extinct in almost all of Europe at the beginning of the 19th century are now provided a safe habitat in the Hohe Tauern National Park. This impressive biodiversity is a result of the different prevailing climatic, geological, geomorphological and hydrological conditions in the high mountains and the differing adaptation strategies of the plants and animals. The Tauern Window – a unique tectonic window in terms of shape and size – provides insight into the deepest tectonic layer of the Alps and is thus key for understanding the geological structure of the Alps. Rocks of differing ages, different origins and different chemical composition harbour a genuine hoard of up to 200 different minerals. Nature protection (ecosystems/Natura2000 habitats) and species conservation projects play a big role in the work and history of Hohe Tauern NP (e.g. bearded vulture, ibex, golden eagle, …). The NP and its work do not stop at the protected areas borders and for a lot of species it is important that the whole region is aware of its impacts on biodiversity. According to the altitude gradation of the Hohe Tauern National Park "high mountain habitat types" are typical. Based on the aerial photo interpretation of the National Park montane to alpine grassland and pastures dominate with a third. This also reflects the zoning with the outer zone in the sense of an Alpine cultural landscape zone with alpine pastures – and the transition to the high alpine core zone. The core zone is formed by the "eternal ice" of the glaciers around the highest mountains of Austria as well as scree slopes with and without pioneer vegetation dominate. CORINE Land Cover L3 (2018): 35 % bare rocks, 24 % natural grasslands, 20 % sparsely vegetated areas, 9 % coniferous forest, 7 % glaciers and perpetual snow, 2 % moors and heathland, 1 % pastures.

Measurements of lake chemistry are part of lake monitoring, which is usually carried out by monthly sampling at many regular lake sites (5 to 17 sites depending on the intensity of the measurements over the years). The integrated sample represents the whole water column of this polymictic shallow lake with a mean lake depth of 1.2m. The measurement satisfy the analytical standards of Ö-Norm in Austria.

The Gulf of Naples has an extension of ca 870 kmq and an average depth of 170 m. The coastal area, which is inhabited since pre-Roman age, is densely populated and small factories are actively growing. In the Gulf, polluted areas (Sarno river mouth, harbours) coexist with pristine areas, including some Protected Marine Areas. Research on marine organisms has started before since the beginning of 1800, but first ecological studies date back to the 70ies of the last century. The long-term monitoring station (LTER-MC, 40°49’N, 14°15’E) is located 2 nm off Naples city (depth ca 75 m) at the boundary between eutrophied coastal waters and oligotrophic Tyrrhenian waters. Larger areas of the Gulf have been sampled occasionally in several cruises. The MC data set represents one of the few plankton time series available in the Mediterranean Sea, and it is certainly one of the longest.

The site, located along the Tyrrhenian coast, north of Rome city, is a Special Protection Area (SPA) for migratory and nesting birds (Anatidae, Ardeidae). The wetland area is one of the last stretches of the Lazio wetlands which have been progressively reclaimed and cultivated during the last century. The flora and the fauna of the site is not only highly specialized but also highly endangered, with a relevant ecological value evidenced in previous studies. The site includes coastal dune habitats of European interest, as the annual vegetation of drift lines, the embryonic shifting dunes, the mobile dunes with Ammophila arenaria and the dune grasslands. There are also habitats related to wet and mud soils, as Mediterranean salt meadows and reed beds dominated by Phragmites australis.