Tropical coastal ecosystems such as mangrove forests, coral reefs and sea grass meadows are some of the highly productive habitats on Earth. They play a vital role in the lives of coastal population as a source of food, energy and income. These ecosystems protect the coasts from erosion and against storms and storm surges, and act as sinks for climatically relevant trace gases.

According to the available projections, the number of people inhabiting the world's coasts and living off the sea will be more than two thirds of the population of the world as a whole. The resulting pressure on coastal ecosystems and their resources will be more severe in the tropics, where the impact of climate change will further exacerbate the effects.

The Centre for Tropical Marine Ecology aims at establishing the scientific data base that is necessary to develop concepts for the sustainable use of tropical coastal ecosystems. Its research addresses issues related to the structure and function of tropical coastal ecosystems and their resources, and their resilience to human interventions. The projects are conducted in close cooperation with partners in the tropics, where the ZMT supports capacity and infrastructure building in the field of coastal zone management.

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Established in 1991 by the Society for the Promotion of Scientific Research in the City of Bremen as an Institute at the University of Bremen

Member of the Center for Marine Environmental Sciences (MARUM) and the Consortium of German Marine Research (KDM)

Funded by the State of Bremen and Federal Agencies

55 staff members (35 scientists)