本集內(nèi)容

Decline in richness of marine life near equator 赤道附近海洋生物多樣性有所下降

學習要點

有關 “climate change（氣候變化）” 的詞匯

邊看邊答

What has risen by nearly 0.2 degrees Celsius since 1955?

文字稿

The tropics, off the coast of Cuba. For thousands of years, these waters have been one of the hotspots of life in the ocean. But in seas like this – near the Earth's equator – the richness of marine life is shrinking due to climate change.

這是古巴海岸附近的熱帶地區(qū)。數(shù)千年以來，這片水域一直是眾多海洋生物聚集的熱點地區(qū)之一。但在這種靠近地球赤道的海域里，海洋生物的多樣性正因氣候變化而縮減。

A new global study – the largest of its kind – has found that since 1955, open-water species declined by about half in tropical oceans. Sea surface temperatures rose by nearly 0.2 degrees Celsius. It's happening faster than expected.

一項同類調(diào)查中規(guī)模最大的新全球研究發(fā)現(xiàn)，居住在熱帶海洋開闊水域的物種數(shù)量自1955年來減少了約一半。海面溫度上升了近0.2攝氏度。這比預期的速度要快。

Sebastian Ferse, coral reef researcher and ecologist
So in geological history, this is a [blip], so it's just a wink of an eye. And to see such rapid changes, or such changes… occurring so rapidly, is something that's astonishing, I would say.

塞巴斯蒂安·弗斯     珊瑚礁研究員和生態(tài)學家
“在地質史中，這是一個小插曲，只是眨眼間的事情?？吹饺绱搜杆俚淖兓?，發(fā)生得如此之快，是一件令人吃驚的事情?！?

Scientists analysed data on more than 48,000 marine species, including fish, molluscs, birds and corals.

科學家們分析了超過48000種海洋物種的數(shù)據(jù)，包括魚類、軟體動物、鳥類和珊瑚。

It's the latest research that shows the large systemic changes global warming has had on the biodiversity of the ocean.

這項最新研究揭示了一個巨大的系統(tǒng)性變化，這是全球變暖給海洋生物多樣性造成的影響。

And it suggests that the tropics are becoming too warm for many species to survive. Those species that can move are moving to cooler waters.

研究還發(fā)現(xiàn)，熱帶地區(qū)正變得過暖，暖得許多物種無法生存。那些能移動的物種正移向較冷的水域。

But for fixed species, like corals, moving is not an option. And staying put in warmer temperatures can lead to higher rates of coral bleaching.

但對于珊瑚這樣固定不動的物種來說，移動并不可行。而呆在更溫暖的環(huán)境中會導致珊瑚白化的速度加快。

These shifts could devastate the ecosystems left behind, and any fishing and tourism industries that rely on them. It's another stark warning from scientists that unless we act soon to address the urgency of climate change, it will be too late.   

這些變化可能會摧毀留在原處的生態(tài)系統(tǒng)，以及任何依賴這些生態(tài)系統(tǒng)的漁業(yè)和旅游業(yè)。這是科學家們發(fā)出的又一個嚴正警告：除非我們盡快采取行動，正視氣候變化的迫切性，否則將為時過晚。

詞匯

hotspots 熱點地區(qū)

a wink of an eye 眨眼間，轉瞬間

systemic 系統(tǒng)性的，影響全面的

devastate 破壞，摧毀

stark 嚴正的，嚴峻的

問題答案

A new global study found that since 1955, sea surface temperatures rose by nearly 0.2 degrees Celsius.