The coastal zone of the North Sea is highly dynamic. It is subject to changes induced by natural processes typically occurring in this environment and by influences of human settlement. Documentation and analysis of these changes will greatly improve the understanding of the system. Based on the knowledge about the current state, adequate strategies for solving problems in coastal preservation, port infrastructure and power industry can be developed.

The project is a background study in the coastal region of the Jade Bay aiming to collect basic data of natural sciences and cultural studies for a coastal database of Lower Saxony. This interdisciplinary research project collects and combines data from geosphere, biosphere and anthroposphere. The following institutes are involved in the project: Institute for Chemistry and Biology of the Marine Environment (ICBM), Lower Saxony Insitute for Historical Coastal Research (NiHK), Senckenberg Marine Science (SaM), Lower Saxony Water Management, Coastal Defence and Nature Conservation Agency (NLWKN), Wadden Sea National Park of Lower Saxony (NLPV).

The project has started in autumn 2008 and is planned to take three years. Existing data will be evaluated and data gaps will be closed by specific investigations. The project will further focus on combining and integrating scattered data using a central scientific data and information management. Subproject 1:
Geologic, geophysical, cultural-historical and benthic-ecological development of the Jade Bay