VOA慢速英语--研究称草食动物最有灭绝的危险

Scientists often worry about the loss of the world's meat-eating animals. But a wide-reaching new study finds that plant-eating animals, or herbivores, are at higher risk of extinction¹.

In the new study, the International Union for Conservation of Nature, or IUCN, shows that about one in four species of herbivores, or 25.5 percent, are considered threatened. The IUCN, an organization of government and civilian² groups, is widely recognized as the leading scientific source on extinction risk.

Trisha Atwood, of Utah State University, led the research. She told the Associated Press that by comparison, 17.4 percent of meat eaters and 15.8 percent of omnivores, animals that eat meat and plants, are at risk.

The study appeared earlier this month in the publication Science Advances.

The researchers examined data for 22,166 species of animals with backbones³. They noted⁴ whether each animal was a reptile⁵, bird or mammal. They also examined animals by size, living environment and the area of the world they live in. On just about every measure, they found plant eaters were most at risk, especially in forest environments.

"The implications for this are huge," Atwood said. "We need to think about herbivores as being kind of the poster child of extinction."

So instead of polar bears and tigers, think of plant eaters like rhinoceroses⁷ and green sea turtles, Atwood said. The last male northern white rhinoceros⁶ in the wild died in 2018, but scientists are working to save the species through the use of stored embryos⁸.

The study centered on proportionality. There are many more predator⁹ species, so there are more predators¹⁰ at risk in total, but a larger share of herbivores are in trouble.

Scientists even examined data on more than 2,000 species no longer alive. Again, they found herbivores had the highest share of extinction risk.

Atwood went into the study thinking that meat eaters were most at risk. However, she said the data — which included land and water species — pointed¹¹ clearly at herbivores.

Meat eaters she added, also are in trouble, but not as much as the herbivores they often eat.

Extinction causes, like invasive species, climate change and loss of living environments, affect herbivores more than other animals, Atwood said.

Size may be part of the reason herbivores are more at risk, the ecologist said. Large herbivores need to eat more and so require more land. But the environments in which they live are shrinking, she said. Meat eaters and omnivores have larger areas in which to find food.

Duke University conservation scientist Stuart Pimm, who was not part of the study, expressed some criticism of the research. He said it does not take into consideration the huge importance of available land area for food searches, a critical need for meat eaters.

University of Miami biologist Mauro Galetti also was not part of the research. He said Atwood's study is important, makes sense and questions the traditional belief that environmental protection projects should center on top meat eaters.

Large herbivores are highly important, especially in places like forests, Galetti said. "A world without herbivores would be a disaster for any natural ecosystem¹²."

I'm Pete Musto.

Words in This Story

extinction – n. the state or situation that results when something (such as a plant or animal species) has died out completely

species – n. a group of animals or plants that are similar and can produce young animals or plants

implication(s) – n. a possible future effect or result

poster child – n. a person who represents or is identified with something

proportionality – n. the condition of having a size, number, or amount that is directly related to or appropriate for something

invasive – adj. tending to spread

ecosystem – n. everything that exists in a given environment

1 extinction   

n.熄灭，消亡，消灭，灭绝，绝种

参考例句：

• The plant is now in danger of extinction.这种植物现在有绝种的危险。
• The island's way of life is doomed to extinction.这个岛上的生活方式注定要消失。

2 civilian   

adj.平民的，民用的，民众的

参考例句：

• There is no reliable information about civilian casualties.关于平民的伤亡还没有确凿的信息。
• He resigned his commission to take up a civilian job.他辞去军职而从事平民工作。

3 backbones   

n.骨干( backbone的名词复数 )；脊骨；骨气；脊骨状物

参考例句：

• Why do hummingbirds and gorillas both have backbones? 为什么蜂鸟和大猩猩都有脊骨？ 来自辞典例句
• Simply adding bandwidth to the Internet backbones is not an answer. 只是简单的在互联网骨架上增加带宽是应付不了的。 来自互联网

4 noted   

adj.著名的，知名的

参考例句：

• The local hotel is noted for its good table.当地的那家酒店以餐食精美而著称。
• Jim is noted for arriving late for work.吉姆上班迟到出了名。

5 reptile   

n.爬行动物；两栖动物

参考例句：

• The frog is not a true reptile.青蛙并非真正的爬行动物。
• So you should not be surprised to see someone keep a reptile as a pet.所以，你不必惊奇有人养了一只爬行动物作为宠物。

6 rhinoceros   

n.犀牛

参考例句：

• The rhinoceros has one horn on its nose.犀牛鼻子上有一个角。
• The body of the rhinoceros likes a cattle and the head likes a triangle.犀牛的形体像牛，头呈三角形。

7 rhinoceroses   

n.钱，钞票( rhino的名词复数 )；犀牛(=rhinoceros)；犀牛( rhinoceros的名词复数 )；脸皮和犀牛皮一样厚

参考例句：

• Rhinoceroses and dragons for once will let us walk in peace. 犀牛与龙安歇，让我们能平静地行走。 来自互联网
• Although the rhinoceroses are very heavy, they can run very fast. 犀牛虽然体型笨重，但仍能以相当快的速度行走或奔跑。 来自互联网

8 embryos   

n.晶胚；胚，胚胎( embryo的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Somatic cells of angiosperms enter a regenerative phase and behave like embryos. 被子植物体细胞进入一个生殖阶段，而且其行为象胚。 来自辞典例句
• Evolution can explain why human embryos look like gilled fishes. 进化论能够解释为什么人类的胚胎看起来象除去了内脏的鱼一样。 来自辞典例句

9 predator   

n.捕食其它动物的动物；捕食者

参考例句：

• The final part of this chapter was devoted to a brief summary of predator species.本章最后部分简要总结了食肉动物。
• Komodo dragon is the largest living lizard and a fearsome predator.科摩多龙是目前存在的最大蜥蜴，它是一种令人恐惧的捕食性动物。

10 predators   

n.食肉动物( predator的名词复数 )；奴役他人者（尤指在财务或性关系方面）

参考例句：

• birds and their earthbound predators 鸟和地面上捕食它们的动物
• The eyes of predators are highly sensitive to the slightest movement. 捕食性动物的眼睛能感觉到最细小的动静。 来自《简明英汉词典》

11 pointed   

adj.尖的，直截了当的

参考例句：

• He gave me a very sharp pointed pencil.他给我一支削得非常尖的铅笔。
• She wished to show Mrs.John Dashwood by this pointed invitation to her brother.她想通过对达茨伍德夫人提出直截了当的邀请向她的哥哥表示出来。

12 ecosystem   

n.生态系统

参考例句：

• This destroyed the ecosystem of the island.这样破坏了岛上的生态系统。
• We all have an interest in maintaining the integrity of the ecosystem.维持生态系统的完整是我们共同的利益。