WNAM REPORT: Chinese scientists are mapping the deepest marine ecosystem, uncovering the secrets of life on the ocean floor.
In a recent statement, Chinese authorities revealed that a group of scientists has made significant discoveries about the mechanisms by which life thrives in the Mariana Trench, the deepest part of the world’s oceans. According to three articles published in the scientific journal Cell, researchers have identified new adaptive strategies and resource potentials of microorganisms, crustaceans, and fish living under extreme conditions, using samples collected by China’s deep-sea exploration vessel, Fengduzhe (Borba).
The Mariana Trench, which plunges nearly 11,000 meters deep, is a perpetually dark and cold abyss with a pressure 1,100 times that of sea level. Once thought to be a “lifeless zone,” the trench has revealed itself to be an unexpectedly rich ecosystem. On November 10, 2020, a Chinese research vessel reached the trench’s depths, discovering an array of life forms thriving in this harsh environment.
The research team has mapped over 7,500 representative genomes of prokaryotic microorganisms at the species level, with about 90 percent of these species being previously unknown. The diversity of these microorganisms is comparable to the variety of marine microbes known worldwide. In addition, scientists discovered that the genome of an amphipod, a shrimp-like invertebrate, is more than four times the size of the human genome.
Furthermore, studies of 11 species of deep-sea fish from the Mariana Trench revealed that the accumulation of fatty acids helps these fish cope with the extreme pressures of their environment.
The groundbreaking research by Chinese scientists has generated significant interest within the global scientific community. Leading institutions from various countries have expressed a desire to collaborate and contribute to this ongoing study.
The findings from the Mariana Trench offer valuable insights into how life can adapt to extreme environmental conditions, which could have broader implications for fields like biotechnology, medicine, and the search for life on other planets. The ability of organisms to thrive in such extreme conditions raises important questions about the limits of life and the potential for life to exist in other harsh environments, such as on Mars or the icy moons of Jupiter and Saturn.
This project also underscores China’s growing role in global scientific research, particularly in the field of deep-sea exploration. The development of advanced underwater technology, such as the Fengduzhe deep-sea vessel, has positioned China as a leader in marine biology and oceanographic studies, contributing to our understanding of the planet’s most mysterious and remote ecosystems.
