DeepZoo: A cost-effective and modular sampler for ecological studies in the deep ocean

Weston J, Machado C, Kelly B et al. introduce DeepZoo, a compact, autonomous, and comparatively low-cost deep-ocean sampler designed to collect dispersive zooplankton and benthopelagic juveniles near the seafloor. Costing about US$15,500, the 6.4 kg-in-water system can operate at any ocean depth for up to 24 hours, filtering water through selectable mesh nets. Field tests at the East Pacific Rise hydrothermal vents and Argentina’s Mar del Plata Submarine Canyon included 12 deployments between 878 and 3780 m using landers, HOV Alvin, and ROV SuBastian. DeepZoo recovered organisms from 20 taxonomic groups, suitable for morphological and molecular analyses, making it a valuable tool for deep-sea biodiversity and connectivity studies.

Chemosynthesis affects benthopelagic trophic coupling and biodiversity in a deep-sea cold seep off Argentina (Southwestern Atlantic Ocean)

Bravo ME, Tassone AA, Principi S et al. describe the newly proposed Salado Pockmark Field, a methane-seep-associated area covering more than 400 km² in the SW Atlantic. Their study shows that an active pockmark can reshape deep-sea benthic communities and food-web structure. Compared with a nearby control site, the active pockmark had lower organism densities but higher species evenness, with polychaetes and agglutinated foraminifera dominating while peracarid crustaceans were largely absent. Isotopic analyses revealed broader trophic niches, lighter δ¹³C and δ¹⁵N values, and weaker benthic–pelagic coupling, suggesting mixed chemosynthetic and photosynthetic energy inputs. The findings highlight pockmarks as important biogeochemical and biodiversity hotspots.

Widespread Association of Ciliates Colonizing Gills of Shrimps Inhabiting Vents and Seeps Across the Pacific Ocean

Hey L, Chen C, Xu T et al. reveal previously overlooked associations between ciliates and deep-sea shrimps in chemosynthesis-based ecosystems. Using scanning electron microscopy and 18S rDNA barcoding, the study examined ciliate epibionts on alvinocaridid and thorid shrimps. The authors identified a widespread, genetically distinct chonotrichian ciliate lineage colonizing alvinocaridid gills, extending this group’s known range from freshwater and coastal habitats to depths of 3388 m. Ciliate populations showed geographic divergence across the Pacific but were not structured by host species, suggesting a facultative association. Thorid shrimps hosted rarer, more diverse ciliates, including lineages related to parasites, sometimes associated with blackened gills.

Nitrate/nitrite-driven methane oxidation enhanced N2O production in marine cold seeps

Sui W, Deng L, Wu B et al. show that methane filtering in cold seeps changes during ecosystem development. In an early-stage, polychaete-dominated seep in the South China Sea, nitrate/nitrite-coupled methane oxidation contributed 36%–73% of total methane oxidation. In mature seep sediments, this pathway dropped to about 1%, while sulfate-coupled methane oxidation dominated. Omics analyses identified methane-oxidizing bacteria, including Methyloprofundus and QPIN01, as likely mediators in early sediments. However, these microbes lack the nosZ gene for nitrous oxide reduction, leading to increased N₂O production that may offset about 41% of methane oxidation’s climate benefit.

Bridging energy, geology, and biosphere: a coupled experimental system for deep-sea methane dynamics and cold seep evolution

Yuan W, Feng J, Wang J et al. present a pilot-scale, cross-disciplinary experimental system for simulating the marine methane lifecycle in deep-sea cold seep settings. The modular platform links methane extraction and leakage, subsurface methane migration, hydrate behavior, and biogeochemical transformation, helping overcome the fragmented view created by separate geological, engineering, and ecological approaches. Validation experiments reproduced key processes, including simultaneous high- and low-temperature zones during depressurization, secondary hydrate formation caused by overlying water intrusion, and distinct resistivity signals linked to methane leakage. Overall, the work provides a scalable methodological framework for connecting laboratory simulations with future field-scale studies of methane dynamics, energy development, and cold seep ecosystem evolution.

Call for Abstracts: Marine Sensing Technologies Conference

Researchers, engineers, data scientists, and industry innovators are invited to submit abstracts for the Marine Sensing Technologies Conference, a forum dedicated to advancing marine sensing and digital ocean science. The conference will showcase breakthroughs in in situ and remote sensing, autonomous marine robotics, deep-sea observation systems, eco-environmental monitoring, marine methane sensing, and digital ocean modelling.

Submissions addressing sensor calibration and validation, large-scale data integration, and robust technology deployment in extreme or remote marine environments are especially welcome. Join leading experts from academia and industry to share new methods, technologies, and applications shaping the future of ocean observation.

Youth Power – Academia-Industry Integration Forum

A Key Session at the 14th Asia-Pacific Marine Biotechnology Conference (APMBC 2026)

How do we turn ocean discovery into a sustainable blue economy? This forum brings together young scientists and industry pioneers under one shared mission — exploring the frontiers of marine biotechnology and biomanufacturing.

What to expect:

Keynote & invited talks from leading experts on marine genetic resources, antimicrobial peptides, all-female turbot production, and deep-sea microbial discovery

Industry insights on microalgae cultivation, product-oriented innovation, and proof-of-concept translation from lab to market

A cross-sector dialogue featuring academic and industry panelists breaking down the barriers between research and real-world application.

APMBC 2026 calls for registration

The 14th Asia-Pacific Marine Biotechnology Conference will be held from September 9-12, 2026, in Yantai, Shandong Province, China. Under the theme "Marine BioTech for Sustainable Human-Ocean Harmony," APMBC 2026 aims to establish itself as the premier marine biotechnology platform in the Asia-Pacific region, driving innovation, fostering international collaboration, and advancing the sustainable blue economy.

The conference will bring together leading scientists, industry experts, innovators, and policymakers to advance marine biotechnology and the sustainable blue economy. Registration is now open.