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In the American state of California, researchers recently climbed the world’s largest tree to check on its health.
在美国加利福尼亚州，研究人员最近爬上了世界上最大的树，以检查它的健康状况。
The tree is a giant sequoia named General Sherman.
这棵树是一棵名为谢尔曼将军的巨型红杉。
The climbers had good news to report when they returned to the ground.
登山者们返回地面时带来了好消息。
"The General Sherman tree is doing fine right now," said Anthony Ambrose.
安东尼·安布罗斯表示“谢尔曼将军树现在状态很好。”
He is executive director of the Ancient Forest Society and led the team of researchers.
他是古老森林协会的执行理事，并领导了研究团队。
They were looking for damage to the 2,200-year-old tree --- and possible evidence of a growing threat to giant sequoias: bark beetles.
他们正在寻找这棵具有 2200 年历史的树的受损情况——以及可能存在的对巨型红杉构成日益严重威胁的证据：树皮甲虫。
The insects are native to California.
这种昆虫原产于加利福尼亚。
No one had ever climbed the famous 85-meter sequoia tree before the researchers.
在研究人员之前，没有人曾经爬上过这棵著名的 85 米高的红杉树。
But, tourists from around the world come to Sequoia National Park to see the General Sherman and others of its kind.
但是，世界各地的游客来到红杉国家公园是为了看谢尔曼将军树和其他同类的树。
Giant sequoias are the largest trees on Earth.
巨杉是地球上最大的树。
They have survived for thousands of years in California's western Sierra Nevada mountains, the only place where the tree is native.
它们已经在加利福尼亚州西部内华达山脉生存了数千年，这里是这种树的唯一原产地。
Hot and dry weather and wildfires have threatened the trees in recent years.
近年来，炎热干燥的天气和野火威胁着树木。
In 2020 and 2021, record-setting wildfires killed as much as 20 percent of the world's 75,000 mature sequoias, park officials say.
2020 年和 2021 年，创纪录的野火导致多达 20%的全球 75,000 棵成熟红杉树死亡，公园官员说。
Ben Blom is director of stewardship and restoration at Save the Redwoods League.
本·布洛姆是拯救红杉联盟的管理和恢复主管。
"The most significant threat to giant sequoias is climate-driven wildfires," he said.
他谈到：“对巨型红杉树来说，最重大的威胁是气候导致的山火。”
"But we certainly don't want to be caught by surprise by a new threat, which is why we're studying these beetles now," he added.
“但我们当然不想被新的威胁打个措手不及，这就是我们现在研究这些甲虫的原因，”他补充道。
Researchers are growing more worried about bark beetles.
树皮甲虫让研究人员越来越担心。
The insects were not a serious threat in the past.
这些昆虫在过去并不是一个严重的威胁。
They lived alongside sequoias for thousands of years.
他们与红杉一起生活了数千年。
However, park officials say recent bark beetle attacks have killed about 40 sequoia trees, mostly within the national parks.
然而，公园管理员表示，最近的树皮甲虫袭击已经杀死了大约 40 棵红杉树，其中大部分在国家公园内。
Ambrose said researchers believe dry weather and fires make the trees weaker and less able to survive attacks.
安布罗斯说，研究人员认为，干燥的天气和火灾使树木变得脆弱，更难以抵御攻击。
The insects dig holes in the highest parts of the tree.
这些昆虫在树的最高处挖洞。
Then they move down the trunk, destroying it as they go.
然后它们沿着树干向下移动，边走边破坏大树。
The beetles are extremely small in size but large in number.
甲虫体型极小，但数量众多。
Working together they can kill a tree within six months.
它们共同协作，能够在六个月内杀死一棵树。
That is why park officials permitted Ambrose and his team to climb General Sherman.
这就是为什么公园官员允许安布罗斯和他的团队攀登谢尔曼将军树。
The experts looked for the extremely small holes that the bark beetle makes.
专家们寻找树皮甲虫制造的极小的洞。
They reported no sign of the insects.
他们报告说没有发现昆虫的迹象。
But it is not possible to climb every sequoia tree and look at its highest part.
但是，要爬上每一棵红杉树并查看它的最高部分是不可能的。
So, scientists are considering other ways to check the trees, such as the use of drones and satellite imagery.
所以，科学家们正在考虑其他检查树木的方法，比如使用无人机和卫星图像。
The technology might be able to record and measure beetle activity over large areas of forest.
这项技术或许能够记录和测量大面积森林中甲虫的活动。
The health check of General Sherman was organized by the Giant Sequoia Lands Coalition, a group of government agencies, Native tribes and environmental groups.
谢尔曼将军树的健康检查是由巨型红杉土地联盟组织的，该联盟是一个由政府机构、原住民部落和环保组织组成的团体。
They hope to establish a health check program for the tall trees.
他们希望为高大的树木建立一个健康检查计划。
If they discover beetle infestations, officials say, they could try to fight the attacks with water or chemical treatments.
如果他们发现甲虫侵扰，官员们说，他们可以尝试用水或化学处理来对抗这些虫子。
They can also remove individual branches of affected trees.
他们也可以移除受影响树木的个别树枝。
Bark beetles have severely damaged some forests in the Western United States in recent years.
近年来，树皮甲虫严重损害了美国西部的一些森林。
But they did not threaten giant sequoias until recently.
但它们直到最近才威胁到巨型红杉。
Clay Jordan is superintendent for Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks.
克莱·乔丹是红杉和国王峡谷国家公园的负责人。
He said the sequoias “have really withstood insect attacks for a lot of years.
他说，这些红杉“多年来确实经受住了昆虫的攻击”。
So why now?
那么为什么是现在呢？
Why are we seeing this change?"
为什么我们会看到这种变化？”
He added that researchers need to learn more to make sure they can protect the trees.
他补充说，研究人员需要进一步学习，以确保他们能够保护这些树木。
The sequoia General Sherman is named for William Tecumseh Sherman.
谢尔曼将军树以威廉·特库姆塞·谢尔曼命名。
The famous military leader helped lead Union forces to victory in the American Civil War.
这位著名的军事领袖帮助领导了联邦军队在美国内战中取得胜利。
I’m Andrew Smith.
我是安德鲁·史密斯。
