The Abyssal Plain is considered the largest ecosystem on Earth and a major setting for vast amounts of biodiversity. The deep sea is full of life with a wide ranging number of species; however, we know very little about them. We can not begin to protect these organisms until we are able to characterize and understand their diversity. Using Environmental DNA (eDNA), the science party will be able to study the genetic make-up of a variety of species found in this environment. |