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Conference in Stade in 1997. 
Objectives 
TMAP pursues two objectives: 
- to monitor the state of the ecosystem and its changes on large spatio-temporal scales 
- to determine natural and anthropogenic causes of observed changes. 
On this basis, recommendations are made for political and administrative measures that will 
counter-act undesirable trends. 
Within its range of activities, TMAP provides contributions to the GOOS modules 1, 2, 3, 
and 4: 
- monitoring and prediction of the effects of climate changes on the coastal marine 
environment, e.g. of a possible sea level rise on changes in the Wadden Sea topography and 
coastline 
- monitoring of contaminants in living marine organisms and in sediment 
- monitoring of communities and natural resources in the Wadden Sea 
- the development of programmes for the identification and prediction of unusual 
occurrences and undesirable trends in the Wadden Sea. 
Present scientific knowledge 
Coastal ecosystems like the Wadden Sea form a transition zone between land and sea, and are 
thus subject to changes in both systems, which are taking place at different temporal and 
spatial scales. Slow, long-term changes on land are mostly superimposed by high short-term 
variability, whereas short-term variability in the oceans is attenuated by the large heat 
absorbing capacity of water and its steady circulation. 
In the amphibious coastal waters of the Wadden Sea, these contrasts meet and alternate with 
the tidal rhythm. Solar irradiation, precipitation and wind dominate the seasonal dynamics of 
the ecosystem, modulating long-term changes. Many shore and sea birds use the Wadden Sea 
as a resting place during migrations between their breeding and wintering grounds, while other 
species live here permanently. Millions of birds populate the Wadden Sea area throughout the 
year. Apart from physical factors, also the feeding pressure caused by such huge animal 
populations may act as a biological control in the ecosystem. Biological and physical factors 
showed a marked seasonal cycle which may be superimposed by episodic occurrences with 
meso-scale impacts. 
Observation and investigation methods 
TMAP compiles the results of a wide range of different monitoring programmes: 
- regional weather and climate data 
- hydrological and hydrographic data 
- topography of the Wadden Sea and foreshores 
- contaminant monitoring in sediments and biological matrices 
- nutrient monitoring in the water body 
- primary production and algal communities in the water body 
- benthic communities in the tidal flats and estuaries 
- stock sizes of blue mussels on the tidal flats exposed at low water 
- stock sizes of breeding and resting bird communities 
- areas covered by sea grass and macroalgae