VOA科学技术2023--Study: Warming Temperatures Threaten Ocean’s Biggest Fish

Study: Warming Temperatures Threaten Ocean’s Biggest Fish

A new study has warned that warming ocean temperatures could threaten some of the largest fish in the sea.

Many scientists believe warming waters are directly linked to the effects of climate change. Research has shown that rising sea temperatures are especially dangerous for larger fish because warmer waters can harm their open-water environments.

In one recent study, researchers estimated some larger fish species¹ could lose up to 70 percent of their environment, or habitat, by the year 2100. These habitat losses could largely remove some of the most economically valuable fish species. The Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution in Massachusetts carried out the study.

The warning comes after temperatures around the world reached record highs in July. Some scientists blame the Pacific Ocean current known as El Nino for the recent heat waves.

El Nino is a warming of surface water temperatures in the eastern and central Pacific Ocean. The event usually causes hot, dry weather in Asia and Australia. It can also lead to heavier rain in the southern U.S. and southern parts of South America.

Large fish – such as marlin, skipjack and others – live in areas considered among the fastest warming.

Camrin Braun is an ocean scientist and the lead writer of the Woods Hole study. He told the Associated Press that temperatures in those environments are expected to rise as much as six degrees Celsius² by the end of the century.

Such increases would likely start a widespread displacement³ of the animals, Braun said. "For sure, their habitat will change. How they respond to that is an open question," he added.

Climate scientists have been studying the heating of the world's oceans for many years. Earlier in 2023, average ocean surface temperatures climbed two-tenths of a degree Celsius in a period of just a few weeks. The jump surprised even scientists who are used to seeing continued rising temperatures.

For large species, longer periods of warming can be harmful because of the animals' temperature needs, said Janet Duffy-Anderson. She is chief scientific officer at the Gulf⁴ of Maine Research Institute in Portland, Maine. Duffy-Anderson said large fish are often highly migratory⁵. Increased warming could result in some species moving to northern or deeper waters in search of normal temperatures, she added.

The Gulf of Maine lies off the northeastern US and Canada. It is warming especially quickly. This is expected to cause big population movements, especially for species of marlin and tuna.

Large fish are important to healthy oceans because many of them, such as white sharks, are predators⁷ serving as critical pieces of the top of the food chain. Some species are also economically important to humans as food.

The possible loss of large fish is one of the many results of warming oceans that scientists have warned about this year. One study said the collapse⁸ of ocean currents that transport heat northward⁹ across the North Atlantic could happen by mid-century. In Florida, federal ocean researchers said some ocean coral were losing their color weeks earlier than normal because of record temperatures.

Penny Becker is with the Seattle-based environmental group Island Conservation. She told the AP the threat to large fish is another reason to raise awareness¹⁰ about the different ways climate change is affecting sea life. "If you're missing these components¹² of these larger fish species, that's a missing hole in the ecosystem," Becker said.

Words in This Story

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

predator⁶ – n. an animal that hunts and kills other animals for food

food chain – n. a series of living things in which each group eats organisms from the group lower than itself in the series

component¹¹ – n. one of the parts of a system, process or machine

1 species   

n.物种，种群

参考例句：

• Are we the only thinking species in the whole of creation?我们是万物中惟一有思想的物种吗？
• This species of bird now exists only in Africa.这种鸟现在只存在于非洲。

2 Celsius   

adj.摄氏温度计的，摄氏的

参考例句：

• The temperature tonight will fall to seven degrees Celsius.今晚气温将下降到七摄氏度。
• The maximum temperature in July may be 36 degrees Celsius.七月份最高温度可能达到36摄氏度。

3 displacement   

n.移置，取代，位移，排水量

参考例句：

• They said that time is the feeling of spatial displacement.他们说时间是空间位移的感觉。
• The displacement of all my energy into caring for the baby.我所有精力都放在了照顾宝宝上。

4 gulf   

n.海湾；深渊，鸿沟；分歧，隔阂

参考例句：

• The gulf between the two leaders cannot be bridged.两位领导人之间的鸿沟难以跨越。
• There is a gulf between the two cities.这两座城市间有个海湾。

5 migratory   

n.候鸟，迁移

参考例句：

• Many migratory birds visit this lake annually.许多候鸟每年到这个湖上作短期逗留。
• This does not negate the idea of migratory aptitude.这并没有否定迁移能力这一概念。

6 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。

7 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》

8 collapse   

vi.累倒；昏倒；倒塌；塌陷

参考例句：

• The country's economy is on the verge of collapse.国家的经济已到了崩溃的边缘。
• The engineer made a complete diagnosis of the bridge's collapse.工程师对桥的倒塌做了一次彻底的调查分析。

9 northward   

adv.向北；n.北方的地区

参考例句：

• He pointed his boat northward.他将船驶向北方。
• I would have a chance to head northward quickly.我就很快有机会去北方了。

10 awareness   

n.意识，觉悟，懂事，明智

参考例句：

• There is a general awareness that smoking is harmful.人们普遍认识到吸烟有害健康。
• Environmental awareness has increased over the years.这些年来人们的环境意识增强了。

11 component   

n.组成部分，成分，元件；adj.组成的，合成的

参考例句：

• Each component is carefully checked before assembly.每个零件在装配前都经过仔细检查。
• Blade and handle are the component parts of a knife.刀身和刀柄是一把刀的组成部分。

12 components   

（机器、设备等的）构成要素，零件，成分； 成分( component的名词复数 )； [物理化学]组分； [数学]分量； （混合物的）组成部分

参考例句：

• the components of a machine 机器部件
• Our chemistry teacher often reduces a compound to its components in lab. 在实验室中化学老师常把化合物分解为各种成分。