VOA慢速英语2020 科学家找到引发蝗虫群的化学物质

Scientists say they have identified a chemical released by locusts² that causes the insects to join together in huge swarms⁴.

科学家表示，他们找到了蝗虫释放的一种化学物质，该物质导致蝗虫聚集成群。

On their own, locusts are mostly harmless. But in large swarms, they can be extremely destructive. The new finding could lead to new methods to prevent locusts from joining groups to destroy huge areas of crops.

蝗虫本身基本上是无害的。但聚集成群后，它们可能会极具破坏力。这项新发现可能有助于开发出新方法，防止蝗虫聚集成群后破坏大面积作物。

A recent study published in Nature identifies a pheromone believed to be responsible for the insect's swarming⁵ behavior. A pheromone is a chemical substance produced by an animal that influences the behavior of another animal of the same kind.

近日发表在《自然》期刊上的一项研究表明，一种信息素被认为是导致蝗虫聚集成群的原因。信息素是动物产生的化学物质，能影响其他同类动物的行为。

The pheromone, known as 4VA, was found in the world's most widespread kind of locust¹, the migratory⁶ locust. The chemical is released from the insect's back legs and is sensed by the antennae⁸ of other locusts.

这种信息素名为4-乙烯基苯甲醚（简称4VA），在世界上分布最广的蝗虫——飞蝗中发现。这种化学物质从飞蝗后腿释放出来，可被其他飞蝗的触角感知到。

The pheromone powerfully drew locusts of both sexes and all ages, the research found. The chemical was produced when as few as four to five locusts came together.

研究发现，这种信息素可以有效地吸引雌性、雄性和所有年龄层的飞蝗。四到五只蝗虫聚集在一起就可以产生该化学物质。

Swarms can grow to billions of locusts and cover hundreds of square kilometers. Migratory locusts are found in Asia, Africa, Australia and New Zealand. They attack crops including wheat, rice, corn, oats and sugarcane. Such invasions can lead to major food shortages.

蝗虫群的数量可壮大到数十亿只，覆盖数百平方公里。亚洲、非洲、澳大利亚和新西兰都有飞蝗。它们会攻击小麦、水稻、玉米、燕麦和甘蔗等作物。这种入侵会导致严重的粮食短缺。

Lead researcher Le Kang is with the Chinese Academy of Sciences' Institute of Zoology⁹. He told Reuters news agency that migratory locusts are so widespread and dangerous, they represent "a serious threat to agriculture worldwide."

首席研究员康乐来自中国科学院动物研究所。他对路透社表示，飞蝗分布广泛且具危险性，对“全世界农业构成严重威胁”。

Kang said further research will be needed to find out if 4VA exists in other species, such as the desert locust. This locust is currently destroying crops in Africa and the Middle East.

康乐表示，需要进行进一步研究以确定4-乙烯基苯甲醚是否存在于其他蝗虫物种中，比如沙漠蝗虫。这种蝗虫正在摧毁非洲和中东地区的作物。

Chemical substances commonly used to break up locust swarms raise concerns for human health and safety. The identification of 4VA could lead to new control methods.

驱散蝗虫常用的化学物质引发了人们对人类健康和安全的担忧。而4-乙烯基苯甲醚的发现可能催生出新控制方法。

Kang said a chemical could be developed to block 4VA's effects to prevent swarming. A manmade version of the pheromone might also be developed to lure¹⁰ locusts into traps to be killed.

康乐表示，可以研发出一种化学物质来阻止4-乙烯基苯甲醚的作用，继而防止形成蝗虫群。也可以开发出一种人造信息素，引诱蝗虫至陷阱后将其消灭。

Locusts could also be developed with genetic¹¹ changes that would not react to 4VA, Kang added. Such locusts could be released to establish wild non-swarming populations.

康乐还表示，蝗虫可能会发生基因变异，不会对4-乙烯基苯甲醚产生反应。这种蝗虫可以被释放到野外，建立“不能群居”的蝗虫种群。

Leslie Vosshall is head of Rockefeller University's Laboratory of Neurogenetics and Behavior in New York. She said one of the most exciting developments would be finding a chemical that could block the reception of 4VA.

莱斯利·沃斯哈尔是洛克菲勒大学神经遗传学和行为实验室的负责人。她表示，其中一个最令人兴奋的进展是，找到能阻断4-乙烯基苯甲醚接收的化学物质。

The discovery of such a molecule¹² could provide a chemical to prevent swarms of the insects and "cause locusts to 'stand down' and return to their peaceful, solitary¹³ way of life," she wrote in a Nature article about the study.

她在《自然》期刊上发表了一篇有关这项研究的文章，文中写道：这种分子的发现可以提供一种阻止蝗虫聚集成群的化学物质，“并使蝗虫‘解散’，回归它们平静和独居的生活方式。”

Vosshall noted¹⁴ that there are still several unknowns about the research. These include whether 4VA is the only cause of swarm³ formation, and whether other locust species respond similarly to the compound.

沃斯哈尔指出，目前仍有几个未知情况。包括4-乙烯基苯甲醚是否是导致蝗虫群形成的唯一原因，以及其他种类的蝗虫是否会对这一化合物作出类似反应。

I'm Bryan Lynn.

布莱恩·林恩报道。

Words in This Story

swarm – n. a very large number of insects moving together

migratory – adj. moving from place to place at different times of the year

antenna⁷ – n. a thin, sensitive organ on the head of an insect, crab¹⁵ or similar animal

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

lure – v. to cause a person or animal to go somewhere

solitary – adj. alone, separated from people

1 locust   

n.蝗虫；洋槐，刺槐

参考例句：

• A locust is a kind of destructive insect.蝗虫是一种害虫。
• This illustration shows a vertical section through the locust.本图所示为蝗虫的纵剖面。

2 locusts   

n.蝗虫( locust的名词复数 )；贪吃的人；破坏者；槐树

参考例句：

• a swarm of locusts 一大群蝗虫
• In no time the locusts came down and started eating everything. 很快蝗虫就飞落下来开始吃东西，什么都吃。 来自《简明英汉词典》

3 swarm   

n.(昆虫)等一大群；vi.成群飞舞；蜂拥而入

参考例句：

• There is a swarm of bees in the tree.这树上有一窝蜜蜂。
• A swarm of ants are moving busily.一群蚂蚁正在忙碌地搬家。

4 swarms   

蜂群，一大群( swarm的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• They came to town in swarms. 他们蜂拥来到城里。
• On June the first there were swarms of children playing in the park. 6月1日那一天，这个公园里有一群群的孩子玩耍。

5 swarming   

密集( swarm的现在分词 )； 云集； 成群地移动； 蜜蜂或其他飞行昆虫成群地飞来飞去

参考例句：

• The sacks of rice were swarming with bugs. 一袋袋的米里长满了虫子。
• The beach is swarming with bathers. 海滩满是海水浴的人。

6 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。

7 antenna   

n.触角，触须；天线

参考例句：

• The workman fixed the antenna to the roof of the house.工人把天线固定在房顶上。
• In our village, there is an antenna on every roof for receiving TV signals.在我们村里，每家房顶上都有天线接收电视信号。

8 antennae   

n.天线；触角

参考例句：

• Sometimes a creature uses a pair of antennae to swim.有时某些动物使用其一对触须来游泳。
• Cuba's government said that Cubans found watching American television on clandestine antennae would face three years in jail.古巴政府说那些用秘密天线收看美国电视的古巴人将面临三年监禁。

9 zoology   

n.动物学，生态

参考例句：

• I would like to brush up my zoology.我想重新温习一下动物学。
• The library didn't stock zoology textbooks.这家图书馆没有动物学教科书。

10 lure   

n.吸引人的东西，诱惑物；vt.引诱，吸引

参考例句：

• Life in big cities is a lure for many country boys.大城市的生活吸引着许多乡下小伙子。
• He couldn't resist the lure of money.他不能抵制金钱的诱惑。

11 genetic   

adj.遗传的，遗传学的

参考例句：

• It's very difficult to treat genetic diseases.遗传性疾病治疗起来很困难。
• Each daughter cell can receive a full complement of the genetic information.每个子细胞可以收到遗传信息的一个完全补偿物。

12 molecule   

n.分子，克分子

参考例句：

• A molecule of water is made up of two atoms of hygrogen and one atom of oxygen.一个水分子是由P妈̬f婘̬ 妈̬成的。
• This gives us the structural formula of the molecule.这种方式给出了分子的结构式。

13 solitary   

adj.孤独的，独立的，荒凉的；n.隐士

参考例句：

• I am rather fond of a solitary stroll in the country.我颇喜欢在乡间独自徜徉。
• The castle rises in solitary splendour on the fringe of the desert.这座城堡巍然耸立在沙漠的边际，显得十分壮美。

14 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。

15 crab   

n.螃蟹，偏航，脾气乖戾的人，酸苹果；vi.捕蟹，偏航，发牢骚；vt.使偏航，发脾气

参考例句：

• I can't remember when I last had crab.我不记得上次吃蟹是什么时候了。
• The skin on my face felt as hard as a crab's back.我脸上的皮仿佛僵硬了，就象螃蟹的壳似的。