Ricerche ecologiche in laghi d’alta quota del bacino padano

There is a long tradition of limnological studies in high altitude lakes of the Po river basin, in particular in Pallanza at the CNR-ISE (formerly Istituto Italiano di Idrobiologia) and at the Department of Environmental Sciences (formerly Institute of Ecology) of the Parma University, where Alpine and Northern Apennine lakes were studied since early 1950. Along with studies of regional limnology which allowed to define the main physiographic, hydrochemical, and biological characteristics of hundreds of lakes, long-term ecological research (e.g., in the Paione lakes in the Central Alps and in the lakes Santo Parmense and Scuro Parmense in the Northern Apennines) have also been conducted to evaluate the evolution of lake ecosystems in relation to human impacts. More in detail, the effects of depositions of atmospheric pollutants, climate change, and different management practices on lake water quality and community composition have been analysed. The relatively simple food web structure of high altitude lakes, compared to large lakes at lower altitudes, constitutes an opportunity for analyzing ecological processes and community structure and dynamics. It is also worth to mention the high value of many high mountain lakes for conservation of natural resources and biodiversity in the Po river basin.