China deploys deep-sea microbial in situ enrichment system in the western Pacific for the first time
China's Oceanic Expedition 45, which is conducting a survey of seamount biodiversity and environment in the Western Pacific Ocean, successfully deployed an in-situ enrichment system for deep-sea microorganisms on August 2, according to the website of the State Oceanic Administration. This is the first time that China has deployed the system in the Western Pacific seamount region.
The picture shows a team member deploying an in-situ enrichment system for deep-sea microorganisms. The system, jointly developed by the Third Institute of Oceanography of the State Oceanic Administration (SOA) and Hangzhou Diansci-Tech University, consists of 16 incubators, in-situ environmental monitoring sensors, acoustic releasers, buoyancy materials and gravity anchors. The maximum working water depth of the system design is 6000 meters, which can be deployed to the interface of seawater and sediment for long-term in-situ culture of deep-sea microorganisms. After the experiment is completed, it can realize automatic release, equipment floating and pollution-free recovery of enriched samples through underwater acoustic remote control. At the same time, the system can automatically monitor and store environmental parameters such as temperature, salinity, depth, dissolved oxygen and pH value in the in-situ environment.
It is reported that the deep-sea microbial in-situ enrichment system, planned to work in the seabed for more than 1 year, will carry out the response of microbial populations in deep-sea sediments to common Marine microplastics, as well as the deep-sea near-bottom seawater Marine ammonia nitrogen, iron and sulfur metabolism of microorganisms in situ enrichment of 8 types of experiments, and obtain the corresponding resources. This system is the first time in the western Pacific Ocean seamount for deep-sea microbial in-situ enrichment culture, will help to direct the acquisition of deep-sea microorganisms with specific functions, for the deep-sea microbial functional research and new resources to provide an irreplaceable submarine experiment platform.