Crew members and scientific researchers retrieve China's first deep-sea in situ microbial culture system from the southwest Indian Ocean. The system provides a new platform for domestic deep-sea microbial ecology research. (Xinhua/Jin Liwang)

Crew members and researchers on board China's deep-sea research vessel Xiangyanghong 10 retrieved the country's first domestically-developed deep-sea in situ microbial culture system on May 11. The experimental platform had been operating on a seabed in the southwest Indian Ocean for nearly two months, according to a scientist on the vessel.

The deep-sea microbial culture system was arranged at intervals of 100 meters, with four deep-sea laboratory stations including a control room and a culturing room. All the stations were connected with ropes. The deepest station was at 3,200 meters below sea level.

The deep-sea laboratory provides a valuable platform for Chinese scientists, said Shao Zongze, a researcher at the Third Institute of Oceanography, State Oceanic Administration of China. It is particularly useful because the open environment of the laboratory cannot be simulated on land.