the south china sea institute of oceanology (scsio) was founded in 1959. it is one of the largest marine research institutes in china and is also a participant in cas’s knowledge innovation program. the key disciplinary areas at scsio are tropical marine environmental dynamics and ecosystems; marginal sea geological evolution and energy resources; sustainable utilization of tropical marine biological resources; and monitoring of the marine environment. the institute’s research focuses on the structure and evolution of the hydrosphere, lithosphere, atmosphere, and biosphere in tropical marginal seas and their interaction with each other; the influence of these interactions on natural resources and environmental change; and the development of a unique model for the south china sea in order to understand its environment and exploit its marine resources. the institute has also conducted research on marine mineral and biological resources, marine engineering, and marine environmental appraisal and forecasting.