时差N小时:过度捕鲸与环境

Until recently, when scientists studied changes inopen-ocean ecosystems, they looked at changes inthe bottom of the food chain that gradually maketheir way to the top, like foodshortages and shifts inthe ocean environment.

直到最近，当科学家们在研究远洋地区生态系统的变化时，他们观察了处于食物链最底层并且在慢慢上升的变化，比如说食物短缺、海洋环境的变化。

A recent study,however, suggests that moreattention needs to be given totop-down influences aswell.

然而，最近的一项调查显示，人们还应该更多的注意自上而下的影响。

For example, over the past few decades, there's been a major collapse of the populationsofharbor seals, fur seals, sea lions, and sea otters living on the coasts of western Alaska.

比方说，在过去的几十年里，生活在阿拉斯加西海岸的斑海豹、海狗、海狮和海獭数量极具下降。

Now a newstudy suggests that all this destruction can be traced back to humans overfishingsperm andbaleen whales between 1946 and 1979.

现在，一项新的调查显示，所有的这些毁坏都可以归咎于人类在1946年到1979年期间过度捕捞抹香鲸和须鲸。

Killer whales, who live at the top of the ocean food chain, used to prey on sperm andbaleenwhales.

虎鲸是在海洋食物链的最高层，它习惯于捕食抹香鲸和须鲸。

When these were no longer available, the killer whales were forced to fish farther down thefood chain.

当虎鲸不能再捕食它们的时候，它就被迫捕食处于更下一层的食物链。

First they fed on seals, which were the easiest to catch and the most nutritionallyvaluable.

她们先捕食的是最容易捕捉且最有营养价值的海豹。

Then, when seals became rare, the killer whales turned to sea lions.

接着，当海豹变得稀少后，虎鲸便转向了海狮。

When the sea lionpopulation crashed, they started fishing sea otters.

而又当海狮的数量变少后，虎鲸又开始猎杀海獭了。

The domino effect reaches even farther.

多米诺效应又继续延伸。

Without sea otters keeping sea urchins in check, their population has exploded.

没了海獭约束海胆，海胆的数量变得庞大起来。

And they'vedestroyed the kelp forests, and with it, the kelp forest ecosystem in southwesternAlaska.

并且破坏阿拉斯加啊西南部的海藻林生态系统。

Animals switching food sources can have a very serious effect on the environment.

动物间交换食物来源对环境有着很严重的影响。

And thatwe humans, as the ultimate predators, need to give a lot of thought to the choices wemake.

而作为终极捕食者，人类需要好好思考一下他们所做的选择。

They may affect the food web in unintended ways.

这些选择可能会以人们所不知道的方式来影响食物网。