科学家研究了2500个珊瑚礁，以找出拯救它们的方法

科学家研究了2500个珊瑚礁，以找出拯救它们的方法

An international group of scientists has surveyed more than 2,500 coral reef systems across 44 countries to determine how to save them in the face of damage caused by climate change and humans, according to a new study.

一项最新研究显示，一个国际科学家小组对44个国家的2500多个珊瑚礁系统进行了调查，以确定如何在气候变化和人类活动造成的破坏面前拯救它们。

A hundred scientists were involved in the survey that looked at coral abundance in the Indian and Pacific oceans. Many of the reef systems were found to be full of complex species that created distinctive structures and were functioning in spite of deadly marine heat waves in recent years.

100名科学家参与了这项调查，他们观察了印度洋和太平洋的珊瑚数量。人们发现，许多珊瑚礁系统充满了复杂的物种，它们创造了独特的结构，尽管近年来海洋出现了致命的热浪，但它们仍在发挥作用。

"The good news is that functioning coral reefs still exist, and our study shows that it is not too late to save them," said Emily Darling, the lead author of the study and a Wildlife Conservation Society scientist leading the global coral reef monitoring program. "Safeguarding coral reefs into the future means protecting the world's last functioning reefs and recovering reefs impacted by climate change. But realistically -- on severely degraded reefs -- coastal societies will need to find new livelihoods for the future."

“好消息是，功能正常的珊瑚礁仍然存在，我们的研究表明，拯救它们还为时不晚，”该研究的主要作者、领导全球珊瑚礁监测项目的野生动物保护协会(Wildlife Conservation Society)科学家艾米丽·达林(Emily Darling)说。“保护珊瑚礁走向未来意味着保护世界上最后的发挥作用的珊瑚礁和恢复受气候变化影响的珊瑚礁。但实际上，在严重退化的珊瑚礁上，沿海社会需要为未来找到新的生计。”

Heat stress affected many coral reefs during the El Niño event between 2014 and 2017. But 450 reefs in 22 countries survived in protective cool spots. The scientists believe those areas should be the focus of urgent protection and management efforts.

在2014年至2017年的厄尔尼诺现象期间，热应力影响了许多珊瑚礁。但22个国家的450座珊瑚礁在凉爽的保护地存活了下来。科学家们认为，这些领域应该成为紧急保护和管理工作的重点。

Previously, the Indo-Pacific reefs were also hit by mass coral bleaching and heat stress in 1983, 1998, 2005 and 2010, before the world's most intense, longest and largest bleaching event between 2014 and 2017.

此前，印度-太平洋珊瑚礁也曾在1983年、1998年、2005年和2010年遭受大规模珊瑚白化和高温胁迫，随后在2014年至2017年期间发生了全球最严重、持续时间最长、规模最大的珊瑚白化事件。

Coral bleaching occurs when ocean temperatures rise and corals release the algae that lives in their tissues, causing them to turn white, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

据美国国家海洋和大气管理局(National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration，简称noaa)称，当海洋温度上升，珊瑚释放出生活在其组织中的藻类，导致它们变白时，珊瑚就会发生漂白现象。

Carbon emissions, pollution, development and overfishing have also impacted reefs.

碳排放、污染、发展和过度捕捞也影响了珊瑚礁。

"Saving reefs will require combining local and global efforts, such as reducing local dependence on reef fish to maintain a reef's important functions while also reducing carbon emissions to keep warming below 1.5 degrees Celsius," said Tim McClanahan, co-author of the study and Wildlife Conservation Society senior conservation zoologist.

“拯救珊瑚礁需要当地和全球共同努力，比如减少当地对珊瑚礁鱼类的依赖，以维持珊瑚礁的重要功能，同时减少碳排放，使气温保持在1.5摄氏度以下，”该研究报告的合著者、野生动物保护协会高级保护动物学家蒂姆·麦克莱纳汉说。

In 2018, a study about how global warming is killing the Great Barrier Reef highlighted the importance of reef systems for people around the world.

2018年，一项关于全球变暖如何杀死大堡礁的研究强调了珊瑚礁系统对全世界人民的重要性。

"Almost a billion people around the world rely on coral reefs as their main source of food protein," said Mark Eakin, 2018 study author and coordinator for the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Coral Reef Watch. "Coral reefs provide tens of billions of dollars to economies and protect shorelines and infrastructures around the world."

美国国家海洋和大气管理局(National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration)珊瑚礁观察(coral Reef Watch) 2018年研究报告作者兼协调员马克•埃金(Mark Eakin)表示:“全球近10亿人依赖珊瑚礁作为主要的食物蛋白质来源。”“珊瑚礁为经济提供了数百亿美元，保护着世界各地的海岸线和基础设施。”