About MEER

The Mariana Trench Environment and Ecology Research (MEER) project is proposed and formulated in TS-21-2 cruise on R/V Tansuo-1 and Fendouzhe HOV (Human Occupied Vehicle), while sailing and diving in Mariana trench. The MEER project focuses on the fundamental scientific issues in hadal trenches, including but not limited to: the formation and evolution of the hadal trench systems on Earth; the origin and environmental adaptation of life in trenches; the investigation and protection on biodiversity and natural habitats.

Scientists from Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Institute of Deep-sea Science and Engineering，Chinese Academy of Sciences, BGI group, Zhejiang University and Hainan Tropical Ocean University on the TS-21-2 cruise jointly launched an initiative, called "Mariana Consensus", with recognition of the necessity to establish a standardized platform for sampling, processing and analysis, as well as a long-term preservation and sharing system for samples and data during the hadal trench investigation.

The hadal trenches are the least studied environment on the Earth surface, and it is also an indispensable connection of the co-evolution between life and Earth. So far, only about 50 people have reached a depth of 10,000 meters in HOV, including pilots, explorers and scientists. The high cost and limited sampling methods restrict the research work.