Aquatic plant, animal sample storage site slated for Qingdao

A rendered picture of China's national germ plasm bank of marine fishery species, set to be operated in Qingdao, Shandong province, in 2020. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

Chinese scientists have established a national germ plasm bank for marine species in Qingdao, Shandong province, to help protect the country's aquatic ecology as well as oceanic flora and fauna.

Germ plasm banks store living tissue samples from which new plants and animals can be grown.

The move marks the launch of China's fishery resources preservation system, according to an official with the Chinese Academy of Fishery Sciences' Yellow Sea Fisheries Research Institute, where the bank is located.

With a floor space of over 20,000 square meters and a total investment of 162 million yuan ($25.8 million), the germ plasm bank will be the largest of its kind in China and is expected to take a leading global role after it comes online in 2020.

The bank aims to collect 340,000 specimens over 10 years.

The germ plasm bank will include samples of genetic material, cells, microorganisms, living species and biotic populations. It will also house two centers focused on data processing and major equipment sharing, the official said.