10,000 m under the sea: An overview of the HADES expedition to Kermadec Trench

The hadal zone of the world oceans (6000– 11,000 m) occupies <1% of the marine realm and is found almost exclusively in trenches but represents ~40% of the total ocean depth range. Jamison et al. (2010 & Jamison, 2015) have reviewed the current state of knowledge about the hydrology, physical characteristics, food supply, ecology and biodiversity of life in hadal trenches. This review concluded that, there appears to be a high level of endemism based on the few specimens collected from historical sampling efforts in the 1950s (Danish Galathea and Soviet Vitjaz expeditions), but because trenches are still largely unexplored there is a lot we do not know about the ecological structure and functioning of hadal environments. However, relatively recent advances in technology using remotely operated vehicles (ROV) and landers can help us explore hadal trenches in greater detail.