Reefs are disappearing.
珊瑚礁正在消失。
Staghorn coral are one of the dominant building blocks of coral reefs all over the world, but now they're in trouble.
鹿角珊瑚是世界上主要的珊瑚礁,但现在它们遇到了麻烦。
A collection of new studies show staghorn coral are in major decline because they can't handle the warmer, more acidic ocean waters that result from human pollution.
一些新的研究表明,鹿角珊瑚的数量在大幅下降,因其不能适应人类污染造成的更温暖、更酸性的海水。
The most visible effect is bleaching. When water conditions get too stressful, corals lose the algae that give them their color. If it keeps up for too long, the corals die.
最明显的影响是漂白。当水质条件受到影响,珊瑚失去表面颜色的藻类。如果保持时间太长,珊瑚就会死亡。
Recent surveys suggest 93 percent of corals in Australia's Great Barrier Reef are bleaching to some degree.
最近的调查显示,在澳大利亚大堡礁的珊瑚中,有百分之93的珊瑚在一定程度上正在漂白。Researchers warn staghorn reefs near the mouth of the Amazon River are also at risk. Nearby oil drilling presents a "major environmental challenge."
研究人员警告,亚马逊河口附近的鹿角珊瑚礁也存在风险。附近的石油钻井提出了“重大的环境挑战。”
But recovery is still possible. Scientists say tighter controls on runoff and dredging would give corals a better chance in today's warmer waters.
但恢复仍然是可能的。科学家们表示,在如今更温暖的水域中,严格控制径流和疏浚能给珊瑚更好的生存机会。
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