Das Projekt "BIOCOMBE - The impact of BIOdiversity changes in COastal Marine Benthic Ecosystems" wird vom Umweltbundesamt gefördert und von Leibniz-Institut für Ostseeforschung durchgeführt. BioCoMBE is an RTD project, funded under the 'Energy, Environment and Sustainable Development' Specific Programme of the Fifth RTD Framework Programme of the European Union. The objectives of this project are: 1) To assess the degree and impact of changes in diversity of dominant marine benthic species on coastal ecosystems, by describing the (changes in) distribution of Macoma balthica and Mytilus edulis, and the consequences for the functioning of the ecosystem. 2) To understand the functional aspects of high biodiversity in coastal benthic systems, by comparing 3 systems (Mediterranean, Atlantic, Baltic) with very different biodiversity but apparently similar productivity. 3) To integrate results and to disseminate the results to the managers of environmental (coastal) quality control and the public in large.