The Fourth Benthos Biology Symposium was held in Wuhan from October 18 to 19, 2025. (Credit: IHB)

From October 18 to 19, 2025, the Fourth Benthos Biology Symposium was held in Wuhan, Hubei, jointly organized by the Benthos Biology Branch of the Chinese Society for Oceanology and Limnology (CSOL), and co-hosted by the Institute of Hydrobiology (IHB) of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, China University of Geosciences (Wuhan), and the Hubei Society of Oceanology and Limnology. Over 300 experts, scholars, and young researchers from across the country gathered in Wuhan to engage in in-depth discussions around the theme "Benthos in the Era of Digital Intelligence: Challenges and Opportunities." 

The opening ceremony featured addresses by senior representatives from the hosting institutions and academic leadership of the organizing society. The speakers jointly emphasized that benthos research is undergoing a profound transformation through empowerment by cutting-edge technologies such as artificial intelligence and big data. They highlighted the society's commitment to actively promoting interdisciplinary platforms to integrate traditional benthic ecology with digital intelligence technologies. This initiative is designed to support national strategic priorities in biodiversity conservation and high‑quality development. 

The symposium featured keynote addresses by leading experts covering a range of frontier topics in benthos research, from ecosystem assessment and deep-sea biodiversity to coastal carbon dynamics, species conservation, and freshwater ecosystem mechanisms. 

Eight parallel sessions facilitated in-depth discussions on core themes including benthic biodiversity under global change, conservation and restoration strategies, sustainable resource use and risk management, intelligent monitoring technologies, and plankton-benthos coupling processes. The event fostered a highly engaged academic atmosphere, with 110 oral presentations, 19 posters, and 128 submitted abstracts collectively showcasing the latest theoretical, technological, and practical advances in benthos biology within China. 

During the conference, the Benthos Biology Branch also convened the Fourth Working Meeting of its Second Committee. Discussions centered on youth talent development, the establishment of data-sharing platforms, and preparations for the 2026 committee working meeting and the 2027 academic annual conference, resulting in multiple consensus points to advance the field.