【新华社】我国科学家发现“吃”硫化氢和甲烷的最深海底生命群落

Core Findings - The research led by the Chinese Academy of Sciences has discovered the deepest known chemosynthetic life communities at a depth of 9,533 meters in the ocean, which do not rely on sunlight for energy [1] - The study revealed large-scale chemosynthetic life communities and methane reservoirs along a 2,500-kilometer stretch of ocean trench, primarily consisting of deep-sea tube worms and bivalve mollusks [1] - The methane in these environments is produced by microorganisms deep within sediment layers, indicating the existence of a previously unknown, active deep biosphere beneath the abyssal seafloor [1] Implications for Ecosystem and Carbon Cycle - The discovery challenges the traditional view that abyssal ecosystems are primarily sustained by organic particles and animal remains sinking from the ocean surface, providing a new perspective on the complex mechanisms of deep-sea carbon cycling [1] - The research suggests that chemosynthetic life may significantly influence the structure of abyssal ecosystems and global carbon cycles, indicating the presence of a "chemosynthetic life corridor" in deep ocean trenches worldwide [2] - This study is part of the "Global Abyss Exploration Program," an international research initiative led by the Chinese Academy of Sciences aimed at uncovering the mysteries of the Earth's deep ocean [2]