Rijeka Tagliamento, najveća alpska rijeka koja se ulijeva u sjeverni Jadran, iznimna je po mnogim osobinama. Ukupne dužine od 172 km, Tagliamento spaja alpski i mediteranski biom. Unatoč utjecaju čovjeka, zahvaljujući očuvanoj prirodnoj dinamici, njezini mnogobrojni prepleteni kanali zadržali su jedinstveni režim poplavljivanja i isušivanja prostrane poplavne ravni koja na pojedinim mjestima doseže i 2 km širine. Posebnost poplavne ravni rijeke Tagliamento čine mnogobrojni riječni otoci (652) koji imaju značajan utjecaj na biološku raznolikost, doprinoseći oblikovanju heterogenosti staništa. Gotovo iskonska morfologija i prirodna dinamika čine Tagliamento neprocjenjivim referentnim riječnim ekosustavom za provođenje hidrobioloških istraživanja u svrhu razumijevanja prirodnih funkcionalnih procesa, kao i primjene programa zaštite i upravljanja velikim rijekama..; The Tagliamento River, the largest Alpine river flowing into the Northern Adriatic, has many exceptional characteristics. With its total length of 172 km, the Tagliamento connects the Alpine and Mediterranean biomes. Regardless of human influence and due to the preserved natural dynamics, its numerous braided channels have maintained a unique regime of flooding and draining of the spacious floodplain whose width occasionally reaches 2 km. A distinctive characteristic of the Tagliamento floodplain are numerous river islands (652), which have a significant impact on the biodiversity and contribute to the formation of heterogeneous habitats. A nearly pristine morphology and natural dynamics make the Tagliamento an invaluable reference river ecosystem for conducting hydrobiological research to gain a better understanding of functional processes in the nature, as well as of implementation of protection programmes and management of large rivers.