## 5 Conclusions  
* High-resolution SAR data as recorded by TerraSAR-X enables identification of essential geometric surface structures and habitats of the Wadden Sea ecosystem and their dynamics. * Independence of SAR sensors from daylight and weather and a high repetition rate (11 days for TerraSAR-X) offer high temporal availability of data and allow to record long-term developments, short-term (e.g., seasonal) developments, and also event effects (e.g., storms, human intervention). * Even in the spotlight modes providing highest spatial resolution, the footprint of one acquisition covers about the area of a tidal basin. This allows one to determine the status, size, and distribution of the intertidal macrostructures and habitats of a whole sub-unit of the Wadden Sea ecosystem. * Visual interpretation of TerraSAR-X data combined with context information such as ground truth, monitoring results, or data on environmental conditions, both integrated in a GIS, proved to be a technically unsophisticated access to the information contained in the SAR data. As a first analysis approach, it can also provide basics for the further development of automatable classification methods. * High-resolution SAR sensors can contribute relevant data for remote sensing the Wadden Sea. For future Wadden Sea monitoring or long-term ecological research, the combination or fusion of appropriate sensor data (e.g., SAR, multi-spectral data) is promising to significantly expand the interpretation options of advanced satellite-borne remote sensing techniques and to develop automated classification methods. * In this study, the integration of diverse spatial data (such as large-scale remote sensing data and local sampling data) in a GIS has emerged as an essential component assisting the visual analysis. Beyond that, in a broader context, GIS allow to merge classification results and thus to compose a multifarious overall picture (respectively data base) of the Wadden Sea ecosystem which can support the inter-disciplinary analysis of complex relationships and processes. * The overview of the geomorphic and biogenic structural elements and habitats of the Wadden Sea ecosystem, their spatial arrangement and dynamics, seen from the perspective of satellite remote sensing using both optical and SAR sensors should be used to contribute to a holistic approach to monitor and further explore the eco-morphological evolution of the tidal system of the Wadden Sea and related tidal systems worldwide. [PERSON] and [PERSON] conceived and designed the basic project, managed the funding acquisition (WIMO) and provided resources. [PERSON] refined the project, conducted the research and investigation, performed the data collection and analysis and synthesized the data in the GIS. [PERSON] wrote the paper, which was commented on by [PERSON] and reviewed by [PERSON] and [PERSON]. Validation of the data in the field were carried out by [PERSON] and [PERSON]. [PERSON] was involved as external mentor and contributed to the financing. This research was carried out as part of the project \"Scientific Monitoring Concepts for the German Bight\" (WIMO) funded by the Lower Saxony Ministry for the Environment, Energy and Climate Change and the Lower Saxony Ministry for Research and Culture (grant numbers VWZN2564., VWZN2869, VWZN2881). The APC was funded by DLR-MF. The Ministries are highly acknowledged for the funding. We thank DLR for providing the TerraSAR-X data via project COA1075. We are grateful to [PERSON] und [PERSON] (DLR) for their support in acquiring data, which had to be in sync with field campaigns, and also to the colleagues from the DLR Forschungsstelle Maritime Sicherheit, Bremen for the workplace, help and fruitful discussions. We also thank the Institute for Advanced Study (HWK) in Delmenhorst, especially [PERSON] and [PERSON] for the WIMO overall project management and the function of HWK as platform for discussions and workshops.