The site Lake of Braies lies in the Eastern Alps at 1489 m a.s.l. and is the fourth largest natural lake of the province of Bolzano. The lake attracts many visitors during summer because of its scenic charm. The lake is oligotrophic and was formed by damming. The watershed is almost entirely composed of limestone and its soil is covered by rocks (32%), pasture (25%), forest (16%), shrubs (14%) and pioneer vegetation (12%). The lake is fed primarily by snowmelt water that reaches the lake mainly through underground springs. The outlet is also mostly underground. The annual level fluctuations are of 3- 4 m. The first studies date back to the end of the 19th century when Damian published a paper including a bathymetric map and notes on geology and hydrography. During the first half of the 20th century various authors have conducted studies on the plankton. In 1967 a study was conducted by Engelen on the limnological characteristics of the lake including the physical-chemical properties of water and sediment. Since 1979, the lake is being limnologically surveyed, at non-regular intervals throughout the year, by the Environmental Agency of the province of Bolzano in order to monitor its conditions and its development over time. This programme comprises basic limnology including physical and chemical profiles and qualitative and quantitative phyto- and zooplankton analyses. Because of its high naturalistic value, the lake is part of the European network monitoring programme since 2008 and is subjected to the survey of its various biological elements according to the European WFD directive: in addition to phytoplankton, macrophytes, benthic fauna and fish are as well analyzed and evaluated at predetermined minimum intervals. The Biological Laboratory, in charge of surveying the lake, is equipped with the necessary instruments and is located at a distance of 108 km from the lake.

The site Lake of Anterselva lies in the Eastern Alps at 1640 m a.s.l. and is for extension the third among the natural lakes of the province of Bolzano. Because of his natural charm it is ever since visited by tourists. The lake, surrounded by conifers, is of barrier origin and has presently an oligotrophic state. Its watershed is composed of acid rocks (75 %) and morenes (23 %) and is covered by shreds (41 %), pioneer vegetation (42 %) and pasture (7%). The literature on Lake Anterselva is extremely poor of physical, chemical and biological data. The only sufficiently sound research was conducted towards the end of the 19th century by Damian, who published a bathymetric map with notes on geology and hydrography. Since 1979 the lake is being limnologically surveyed by the Environmental Agency of the Province of Bolzano, at non-regular intervals throughout the year, in order to monitor its conditions and its development over time. This programme comprises basic limnology including physical and chemical profiles and qualitative and quantitative phyto- and zooplankton analyses. Because of its high naturalistic value, the lake is part of the European network monitoring programme since 2008 and is subjected to the monitoring of its various biological elements according to the European WFD directive: in addition to phytoplankton also macrophytes, benthic fauna and fish are analyzed and evaluated at predetermined minimum intervals. Being located in an area of rock-glaciers, the long-term data of chemistry, physics and plankton of this lake may be useful to identify the effects of climate change (in particular the melting of permafrost). The Biological Laboratory, in charge of surveying the lake, is equipped with the needed instruments and is located at a distance of 109 km from the lake.

The long-term research themes common to all these environments concern above all the study of the chemism of water, of planktonic communities, of the seasonal succession of populations, of plant and animal diversity, of the effects of polluting substances, of the impact of climate change.