南极有很多“绿色的雪”，你可以从太空中看到

南极有很多“绿色的雪”，你可以从太空中看到

Welcome to the green, green acres of Antarctica.

欢迎来到绿色的南极洲。

Yes, you read that right. Climate change is dressing up parts of the South Pole in emerald hues, as scientists note algae blooms so vast they can be seen from space.

是的，你没看错。气候变化使南极部分地区呈现出翠绿色，科学家们注意到，那里绿藻茂盛，从太空中都能看到。

In a new research paper published this week in the journal Nature Communications, scientists from University of Cambridge and the British Antarctic Survey suggest the blooms are spreading thanks to an increasingly temperate climate.

在本周发表在《自然通讯》杂志上的一篇新研究论文中，来自剑桥大学和英国南极调查局的科学家们认为，由于气候越来越温和，水华正在蔓延。

In an ecosystem known for its universal whiteness, the sp;lashes of green really stand out. (Photo: Matt Davey)

A small, but meaningful, slice of Antarctica

南极洲的一小块，但很有意义

As researchers note in the study, only a minuscule amount — about 0.18 percent — of the continent is free of ice. Even the relatively lush Antarctic Peninsula has just 1.34 percent of its exposed ground covered in vegetation.

正如研究人员在研究中指出的，只有极少量——约0.18%——的南极大陆没有冰。即使是相对茂盛的南极半岛，也只有1.34%的裸露土地被植被覆盖。

Specifically the so-called green snow is made up of microscopic algae as it blooms across the warmer regions of the peninsula. In all, the researchers spotted more than 1,600 distinct blooms, according to a University of Cambridge press release.

具体来说，所谓的“绿雪”是由微藻组成的，因为它在半岛的温暖地区大量繁殖。根据剑桥大学的一份新闻稿，研究人员总共发现了1600多个不同的花朵。

The Antarctic Peninsula is considered one of the 'greener' regions of the continent. (Photo: Matt Davey)

A growing green presence

越来越多的绿色出现

Antarctica may not ever be mistaken for the Emerald Isle, but it may get a lot greener in the coming years. A big reason for that is the increasingly temperate conditions. These microorganisms — lichen and moss, mostly — thrive in water. And water, thanks to ice-melting temperatures, is becoming increasingly available in the Antarctic.

南极洲也许永远不会被误认为是翡翠岛，但在未来的几年里，它可能会变得更加绿色。一个重要的原因是日益温和的气候条件。这些微生物——大部分是地衣和苔藓——在水中大量繁殖。由于冰层融化的温度，水在南极变得越来越容易获得。

Indeed, green snow appears most prevalent where average temperatures hover above 32 degrees Fahrenheit during the region's summer months from November to February.

事实上，从11月到2月，该地区夏季月份的平均气温徘徊在华氏32度以上，绿雪是最常见的。

"As Antarctica warms, we predict the overall mass of snow algae will increase, as the spread to higher ground will significantly outweigh the loss of small island patches of algae," study co-author Andrew Gray tells CBS News.

“随着南极洲变暖，我们预测雪藻的总体数量将会增加，因为向高地扩散的数量将大大超过小岛上藻类的消失，”研究的合著者Andrew Gray告诉CBS新闻。

Marine life, researchers add, also play a role in how the green snow algae is distributed. Through their excrement, mammals and birds inadvertently produce a powerful fertilizer to speed algae along in its growth. Most of the blooms, for instance, were found with a few miles of a penguin colony, as well as the nesting sites of other birds and seals.

研究人员补充说，海洋生物也在绿藻的分布中发挥了作用。哺乳动物和鸟类的排泄物会在不经意间产生一种强大的肥料，加速藻类的生长。例如，大多数花朵都是在离企鹅聚居地几英里的地方发现的，其他鸟类和海豹也在那里筑巢。

When you factor in the appearance of red snow, which is caused by another type of algae, it adds up to a kaleidoscope of color in a place commonly known as the White Continent.

当你考虑到由另一种藻类引起的红色雪的出现时，你会发现在一个通常被称为白色大陆的地方，颜色千变万化。

"The snow is multi-colored in places, with a palette of reds, oranges and greens — it's quite an amazing sight," Davey adds.

“雪的颜色是多种多样的，有红色、橙色和绿色——这是一个相当惊人的景象，”Davey补充道。