阿拉斯加鲸鱼死亡数量有所上升

Whale Deaths On the Rise in Alaska 阿拉斯加鲸鱼死亡数量有所上升

American scientists have reported a sharp increase in the number of dead whales found in the Gulf¹ of Alaska. From May through August, 30 whales washed up along the coast of Alaska.

Scientists say there may be a connection between the animals’ deaths and warming waters. They say the Arctic is getting warmer faster than any place on the planet.

Deborah Fauquier is a marine² mammal scientist at NOAA – the National Oceanic and Atmospheric³ Administration. She wants to learn why so many whales have died this year.

“And the average for the whole year generally is eight. So it is definitely a significantly elevated (level) and for us that was a reason of concern.”

She says scientists have formed some ideas about what caused the deaths.

“We might be able to, you know, figure out ‘is it a virus?’ ‘Is it,’ you know, ‘a ship strike?’ ‘Is it a harmful algal bloom?’”

Algae⁴ are simply plants or plant-like organisms. Most algae are safe. But scientists say the less-common toxic⁵ alga can cause brain damage or even death. In June, the largest alga bloom in more than 10 years was seen along the Pacific coast, from California to Alaska. Scientists say it grew big because of warm water and sunny, calm weather. The alga bloom forced officials to close fishing areas in several states.

Deborah Fauquier says scientists will look for evidence of the harmful alga in the whales.

“So some of the whales actually filter the phytoplankton and the zooplankton, which are the little insects that eat the grass in the sea, basically. So, they get the toxins⁷ through that method. The other one is that they eat the fish that eat those. So it just depends where on the food web they eat and as you go higher up the food web, more toxin⁶ gets concentrated.”

The waters around Alaska began warming in 2014. The water temperature continues rising. It is now three degrees Celsius⁸ warmer than normal.

Scientists blame the weather event known as “El Nino” and wind patterns for the warming. The scientists say the warming is not linked to climate change. But industrial gas emissions⁹ are warming the planet. They are causing the Arctic to warm faster than anywhere else.

At the beginning of the melt season, Arctic sea ice was at its lowest level ever recorded. Mrs. Fauquier says that is a problem for marine mammals. Polar bears and walruses¹⁰, for example, live and breed on the ice and use it as a place from which to hunt.

“For Arctic species -- species that normally like cold water -- it is going to change the phytoplankton, so it’s going to change the base of the food web. It is going to change the fish. They may go farther north because they don’t like warm water. And so then the predators¹¹ that are mobile are going to have to follow those fish or if they can’t follow them, then they can starve.”

Mrs. Fauquier says NOAA hopes to learn why so many whales died. She said knowing the cause is the first step to understanding how to solve the problem. 

Words in This Story

elevated – adj. higher than normal

toxic – adj. containing harmful or poisonous substances

filter – v. to move through or into something in small amounts or in a gradual way

concentrated – adj. existing or happening together in one place

pattern(s) – n. the regular and repeated way in which something happens or is done

emissions – n. something sent out or given off

breed – v. to reproduce

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

predators – n. an animal that lives by killing and eating other animals

1 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。

2 marine   

adj.海的；海生的；航海的；海事的；n.水兵

参考例句：

• Marine creatures are those which live in the sea. 海洋生物是生存在海里的生物。
• When the war broke out,he volunteered for the Marine Corps.战争爆发时，他自愿参加了海军陆战队。

3 atmospheric   

adj.大气的，空气的；大气层的；大气所引起的

参考例句：

• Sea surface temperatures and atmospheric circulation are strongly coupled.海洋表面温度与大气环流是密切相关的。
• Clouds return radiant energy to the surface primarily via the atmospheric window.云主要通过大气窗区向地表辐射能量。

4 algae   

n.水藻，海藻

参考例句：

• Most algae live in water.多数藻类生长在水中。
• Algae grow and spread quickly in the lake.湖中水藻滋蔓。

5 toxic   

adj.有毒的，因中毒引起的

参考例句：

• The factory had accidentally released a quantity of toxic waste into the sea.这家工厂意外泄漏大量有毒废物到海中。
• There is a risk that toxic chemicals might be blasted into the atmosphere.爆炸后有毒化学物质可能会进入大气层。

6 toxin   

n.毒素，毒质

参考例句：

• Experts have linked this condition to a build-up of toxins in the body.专家已把这一病症与体内毒素的积累联系起来。
• Tests showed increased levels of toxin in shellfish.检验表明水生有壳动物的毒素水平提高了。

7 toxins   

n.毒素( toxin的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The seas have been used as a receptacle for a range of industrial toxins. 海洋成了各种有毒工业废料的大容器。
• Most toxins are naturally excreted from the body. 大部分毒素被自然排出体外。 来自《简明英汉词典》

8 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。

9 emissions   

排放物( emission的名词复数 )； 散发物（尤指气体）

参考例句：

• Most scientists accept that climate change is linked to carbon emissions. 大多数科学家都相信气候变化与排放的含碳气体有关。
• Dangerous emissions radiate from plutonium. 危险的辐射物从钚放散出来。

10 walruses   

n.海象( walrus的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Walruses have enormous appetites and hunt for food almost constantly. 海象食欲极大，几乎一直在猎取食物。 来自互联网
• Two Atlantic walruses snuggle on an ice floe near Igloolik, Nunavut, Canada. 加拿大努勒维特伊格卢利克附近，两头大西洋海象在浮冰上相互偎依。 来自互联网

11 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》