Since 1969, we continuously investigate the development and annual variability of sublitoral soft-bottom macrozoobenthic communities at four representative permanent stations in the German Bight. This is integrated into the ecological long-term series of the AWI and is supplemented by periodic large-scale mapping of the benthos.

The main factors influencing the development of the benthic communities are biological interactions, climate, food supply (eutrophication) and the disturbance regime. The most frequent disturbances are sediment relocations during strong storms or by bottom trawling, while extremely cold winters and occasionally also oxygen deficiencies are important disturbance events working on a much larger scale.