A field manipulation experiment was carried out at four geographically separated European beaches, investigating the response of meiofauna communities to increased intensity and frequency of rainfall as predicted by climate change models. The study specifically tested the following null-hypothesis: H0: Sandy beach meiofauna from different geographic areas respond in comparable ways to the same type, intensity and frequency of disturbance (i.e. increased fresh water input as a result of climate change). The experimental sites are located at Arina (Crete, Mediterranean Sea: microtidal beach), De Panne (Belgium, North Sea: macrotidal, dissipative beach), Hel (Poland, Baltic Sea: microtidal beach) and Sines (Portugal, Atlantic coast: macrotidal, dissipative beach).