Core Insights - An international research team led by the Chinese Academy of Sciences has discovered the world's deepest and largest chemosynthetic ecosystem in the Northwest Pacific, specifically in the Kuril-Kamchatka Trench and Aleutian Trench, at a depth of 9,533 meters [1][2] - The research, published on July 30 in the journal "Nature," reveals a thriving chemosynthetic community that does not rely on sunlight for energy, instead utilizing chemical reactions from geological fluids [1][2] - This discovery challenges existing beliefs about the survival of life at extreme depths and provides new perspectives on the complex mechanisms of deep-sea carbon cycling [1][2] Ecosystem Characteristics - The chemosynthetic communities observed are primarily composed of deep-sea tube worms and bivalve mollusks, which sustain themselves on fluids rich in hydrogen sulfide and methane [1] - The study indicates that methane in these environments is produced by microbial activity deep within sediment layers, suggesting the existence of a vast and active deep biosphere beneath the abyssal seafloor [2] - This process may sequester significant amounts of organic carbon from the upper ocean, forming large methane reservoirs in the form of natural gas hydrates, thereby challenging traditional models of deep-sea carbon cycling [2] Implications for Research - The findings directly contest the traditional view that abyssal ecosystems primarily rely on organic particles and animal remains from the ocean surface [2] - The research suggests that chemosynthetic life may play a more crucial role in abyssal ecosystems than previously thought, significantly influencing their structure and function [2] - The study is part of the "Global Abyss Exploration Program," initiated by the Chinese Academy of Sciences, which aims to uncover the mysteries of the deep abyss using advanced submersible technology [2]

本报三亚电(记者董泽扬)由中国科学院深海科学与工程研究所领导的国际研究团队，在西北太平洋的千 叶—堪察加海沟和阿留申海沟发现了全球最深、分布规模最大的化能合成生态系统。在深度达到9533米 的深渊海底，存在着目前已知最深的化能合成生命群落和巨大甲烷储库。研究成果近日发表于国际期刊 《自然》。 研究利用"奋斗者"号载人潜水器，揭示了深渊中延绵蓬勃生长的化能合成群落。这些生命不依赖阳光获 取能量，而是利用地质流体中的化学反应获取新陈代谢所必需的能量。这一发现不仅挑战了关于生命在 极端深度生存能力的认知，更为理解深海碳循环的复杂机制提供了全新视角。 该研究对理解地球深部碳循环具有深远意义。通过气体同位素地球化学分析，研究发现这些环境中的甲 烷实际上是由沉积层深处的微生物活动产生的。这一结果表明，在深渊海底之下还存在着一个前所未知 的、庞大活跃、由产甲烷微生物主导的深部生物圈，不断将由沉降有机质分解而来的二氧化碳转化为甲 烷。因此，这一过程可能封存了大量的从上层海洋沉降的有机碳，并以天然气水合物等形式在深渊海底 形成规模巨大的甲烷储库，挑战了传统的深海碳循环模式。 这一发现也直接挑战了深渊生态系统主要依靠从海洋表层沉 ...

Core Insights - An international research team led by the Institute of Deep Sea Science and Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, discovered the deepest known chemosynthetic life community at a depth of 9,533 meters in the Northwest Pacific Ocean [3][4] - The research, published in the journal Nature, reveals that these life forms do not rely on sunlight for energy but instead utilize chemical reactions from geological fluids for metabolism [3][5] Group 1: Discovery of Chemosynthetic Life - The study marks the first direct observation of the largest and deepest chemosynthetic life community, spanning over 2,500 kilometers of ocean trench [4] - The communities are primarily composed of deep-sea tube worms and bivalve mollusks, which sustain life by utilizing fluids rich in hydrogen sulfide and methane [4] Group 2: Implications for Deep Sea Carbon Cycle - The research has significant implications for understanding the Earth's deep carbon cycle, revealing that methane in these environments is produced by microbial activity deep within sediment layers [5] - This finding suggests the existence of a previously unknown, large, and active deep biosphere that continuously converts buried carbon into methane, challenging traditional models of deep-sea carbon cycling [5] - The study indicates that chemosynthetic life may play a more crucial role in deep-sea ecosystems than previously thought, impacting the structure of these ecosystems [5] Group 3: Global Hadal Exploration Programme - This research is a key component of the Global Hadal Exploration Programme (GHEP), a ten-year international scientific initiative aimed at uncovering the mysteries of Earth's deep oceanic trenches using advanced deep-sea technology [5]

Group 1 - An international research team led by the Institute of Deep Sea Science and Engineering of the Chinese Academy of Sciences discovered the deepest known chemosynthetic life community at a depth of 9,533 meters in the Northwest Pacific Ocean [1][3] - The research utilized the "Fendouzhe" manned submersible to reveal thriving chemosynthetic communities in the abyssal zone, which do not rely on sunlight for energy but instead utilize chemical reactions from geological fluids [1][3] - This groundbreaking discovery challenges traditional understandings of life survival at extreme depths and provides new insights into the complex mechanisms of deep-sea carbon cycling [1][6] Group 2 - The abyssal zone, defined as depths between 6,000 meters and nearly 11,000 meters, is typically formed in subduction zones, and while the existence of chemosynthetic communities was long speculated, actual discoveries were rare [3] - This study is the first to directly observe the largest and deepest distribution of chemosynthetic life communities, primarily composed of deep-sea tube worms and bivalve mollusks, relying on fluids rich in hydrogen sulfide and methane [3][6] - The research indicates the presence of a previously unknown, large, and active deep biosphere that continuously converts buried carbon into methane, challenging traditional models of deep-sea carbon cycling and budget [6][8] Group 3 - The findings directly contest the traditional view that abyssal ecosystems primarily depend on organic particles and animal remains from the ocean surface, suggesting that chemosynthetic life plays a more significant role than previously thought [6] - This research is part of the Global Hadal Exploration Programme (GHEP), a ten-year international scientific initiative aimed at uncovering the mysteries of Earth's deep abyssal regions using advanced deep-sea technology [8]