Aim of the research is to diagnose and prognose ecologically relevant effects of pollution using ecological and physiological biomarkers in crustaceans. Field studies combined with laboratory experiments are carried out on epibenthic and relatively sedentary crustaceans as e.g. Norway lobster and amphipods. Changes in population structure, behaviour, fertility, recruitment, blood and nerve physiology, energy reserves and kinetics and body load of trace metals (mainly manganese, copper and iron) related to stress from toxic compounds and hypoxia are investigated.