VOA慢速英语2020 一种新型海藻正在杀死太平洋的珊瑚

Scientists say a recently discovered kind of seaweed plant is killing large numbers of very small but important ocean animals called corals.

科学家说，最近发现的一种海藻植物正在杀死大量非常小但重要的海洋动物珊瑚。 

A new study from the University of Hawaii says

来自夏威夷大学的一项新研究称， 

the deadly seaweed is spreading quickly in the Pacific Ocean around the Northeastern Hawaiian islands.

这种致命的海藻正在夏威夷群岛东北部的太平洋地区迅速蔓延。 

The area is one of the most protected environments on earth.Corals live closely together forming large, hard, ocean structures called reefs.The researchers say the seaweed grows over the reefs,blocking the coral from the sunlight and food it needs to survive.

这个地区是地球上环境保护的最好的地区之一。珊瑚紧密地生活在一起，形成巨大的、坚硬的海洋构造，称为珊瑚礁。研究人员说，海藻生长在珊瑚礁上，阻止了珊瑚获得生存所需的阳光和食物。

"This is a highly destructive seaweed," said scientist and seaweed expert Heather Spalding, who helped write the study.She said it could overgrow entire reefs.In 2016, the United States government researchers were studying the Pearl and Hermes Atoll when they found small amounts of a seaweed they had never seen before.

“这是一种破坏性极强的海藻，”协助撰写该研究报告的科学家、海藻专家希瑟·斯伯丁(Heather Spalding)说。她说，它可能会覆盖整个珊瑚礁。2016年，美国政府的研究人员在研究珍珠和爱马仕环礁时，发现了少量以前从未见过的海藻。

Last summer, they returned to the area and discovered the plant seemed to be everywhere.Spalding said in some places she examined, the seaweed covered "everything, as far as the eye could see," in thicknesses of up to 20 centimeters.

去年夏天，他们回到这个地区，发现这种植物似乎无处不在。斯伯丁说，在她检测的一些地方，海藻覆盖了“肉眼所能看到的一切”，其厚度可达20厘米。

"Everything underneath of it was dead," she said.

“它覆盖之下的一切生物都死了，”她说。 

The area was almost empty of fish and other sea life that usually populate the area.

这个地区几乎没有鱼类和其他海洋生物，而通常这里有很多这些生物。 

Scientists say the seaweed probably covers an even larger area than they were able to document in the study.

科学家表示，海藻覆盖的面积可能比他们在研究中记录的还要大。 

Pearl and Hermes Atoll is in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, about 3,200 kilometers from Asia and North America.It is part of the 1.6 million-square-kilometer U.S. Papahanaumokuakea Marine National Monument.

珍珠和爱马仕环礁位于太平洋中部，距离亚洲和北美约3200公里。它是160万平方公里的美国Papahanaumokuakea海洋国家纪念碑的一部分。

The scientists said that some of the seaweed extended across areas the size of several soccer fields.

科学家们说，一些海藻蔓延的面积有几个足球场那么大。 

They also said it threatens the atoll, and could endanger the entire Hawaiian archipelago if it spreads.

他们还说，它威胁到环礁，如果扩散，可能危及整个夏威夷群岛。 

"We have not, until now, seen a nuisance species thats come in and made such…changes over a short period of time to the reefs," said the University of Hawaiis Alison Sherwood, who led the study.

“在此之前，我们还没有发现任何一个能造成如此威胁的物种入侵珊瑚礁，并在短时间内对珊瑚礁做出这样的改变。”领导这项研究的夏威夷大学的艾莉森·舍伍德说。

The scientists carried out genetic studies that showed the seaweed was a new species. They named it Chondria tumulosa.

科学家进行的基因研究表明，这种海藻是一个新物种。他们将其命名为“图穆罗萨”。 

The new seaweed might have been carried into the area by a boat, although all boats must be cleaned and inspected in order to enter.

虽然所有的船只都必须经过清洁和检查才能进入，但新的海藻可能是由船只带入该地区的。 

The scientists say the species also might have been in the area for a long time, but in small amounts.Sometimes, environmental changes can cause an explosion in growth, they explained.

科学家表示，该物种可能在该地区存在了很长时间，但数量很少。他们解释说，有时，环境变化会导致出现爆炸性生长繁殖。

The study was published in the journal PLOS ONE.

这项研究发表在《公共科学图书馆?综合》杂志上。 

Im Susan Shand.

苏珊·尚德报道。