Marine coastal ecosystems, and in particular the sedentary benthic invertebrate communities that play a critical role in regulating coastal geochemical cycles, are compromised by human-induced stresses, including overfishing, habitat destruction, climate change and pollution. However, due to the complexity, remoteness and spatio-temporal variability of this environment, the relationships between tightly coupled biological, physical and geochemical processes are poorly understood. The combination in COBO of innovative in situ measurement instruments from different disciplines with tools for the controlled simulation of various disturbance types and numerical tools for the interpretation of new forms of in situ data will significantly advance our understanding of organism-sediment interactions under dynamic coastal conditions. Integrated observations of the natural environment at high spatial and temporal resolution enable a quantitative and mechanistic understanding of the fundamental processes governing the interaction between the biota and its chemical environment, enabling the informed management of human impacts on coastal ecosystems.