VOA慢速英语2021--科学家完成了世界上第一张珊瑚礁地图

Scientists Create First Map of World’s Corals

Researchers have created the first complete map of the world's coral reefs².

Development of the map was led by scientists at Arizona State University. They partnered with coral reef¹ scientists, universities, non-profit organizations and private groups across the world.

The online map is designed to be a coral conservation tool that can also support ocean planning and coral science activities.

Called the Allen Coral Atlas³, the map was named after Microsoft's late co-founder, Paul Allen. Allen's private company, Vulcan Inc., started providing financial support to the project in 2017. The idea came out of an effort by researcher Ruth Gates of Hawaii to create "super coral" to help save reefs.

When announcing the launch of the map recently, the creators said it is the first worldwide, detailed⁴ map of its kind. It gives users the ability to see detailed information about local reefs, including different kinds of undersea structures like sand, rocks, seagrass and coral.

The maps include areas up to 15 meters deep. They are meant to inform policymakers facing decisions about protected ocean areas, plans for structures and seawalls and coral renewal⁵ projects.

Greg Asner led the effort to create the atlas. He is the director of Arizona State University's Center for Global Discovery and Conservation. He told The Associated Press that for the first time, the project had created "a uniform mapping of the entire coral reef" system.

Asner said the researchers depended on a network of hundreds of field volunteers who provided local information about reefs. This enabled the team to program the satellites and software to study the right areas.

The map includes a coral bleaching⁷ tool to identify corals that are struggling because of climate change and other problems.

Asner said about 75 percent of the world's reefs had not been mapped in such a complete way before. He noted⁸ that many had not been mapped at all.

The University of Queensland in Australia used artificial intelligence (AI) technology and local data to help build the atlas. Anyone can look at the maps for free online.

Both Allen and researcher Ruth Gates died in 2018, leaving Asner and others to carry on their work. Asner said Gates "would be so pleased...that this is really happening."

Asner said many of the calls he is receiving are from researchers who hope to use the maps to "be sure that their planning and their reef restoration work is going to have its max efficacy."

Words in This Story

coral – n. a hard, usually pink or white substance produced by a type of very small sea animal

reef – n. a chain of rocks or coral or a ridge⁹ of sand at or near the surface of water

conservation – n. the act of keeping something safe from harm or from being damaged or destroyed

uniform – adj. to be the same size, shape, amount

entire –adj. whole; including all of something

bleach⁶ – v. a process that removes color from something and turns it white

artificial intelligence – n. an area of computer science that deals with giving machines the ability to seem like they have human intelligence

restoration – n. the process of assisting the recovery of an area that has been degraded¹⁰, damaged, or destroyed

efficacy – n. the ability to produce an intended result

1 reef   

n.礁，礁石，暗礁

参考例句：

• The ship and its crew were lost on the reef.那条船及船员都触礁遇难了。
• The ship was wrecked on a coral reef.这条船在珊瑚暗礁上撞毁了。

2 reefs   

礁体

参考例句：

• The motorboat cut across swift currents and skirted dangerous reefs. 汽艇穿过激流，绕过险滩。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
• Fish are abundant about the reefs. 暗礁附近鱼很多。 来自《简明英汉词典》

3 atlas   

n.地图册，图表集

参考例句：

• He reached down the atlas from the top shelf.他从书架顶层取下地图集。
• The atlas contains forty maps,including three of Great Britain.这本地图集有40幅地图，其中包括3幅英国地图。

4 detailed   

adj.详细的，详尽的，极注意细节的，完全的

参考例句：

• He had made a detailed study of the terrain.他对地形作了缜密的研究。
• A detailed list of our publications is available on request.我们的出版物有一份详细的目录备索。

5 renewal   

adj.(契约)延期，续订，更新，复活，重来

参考例句：

• Her contract is coming up for renewal in the autumn.她的合同秋天就应该续签了。
• Easter eggs symbolize the renewal of life.复活蛋象征新生。

6 bleach   

vt.使漂白；vi.变白；n.漂白剂

参考例句：

• These products don't bleach the hair.这些产品不会使头发变白。
• Did you bleach this tablecloth?你把这块桌布漂白了吗？

7 bleaching   

漂白法，漂白

参考例句：

• Moderately weathered rock showed more intense bleaching and fissuring in the feldspars. 中等风化岩石则是指长石有更为强烈的变白现象和裂纹现象。
• Bleaching effects are very strong and show on air photos. 退色效应非常强烈，并且反映在航空象片上。

8 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。

9 ridge   

n.山脊；鼻梁；分水岭

参考例句：

• We clambered up the hillside to the ridge above.我们沿着山坡费力地爬上了山脊。
• The infantry were advancing to attack the ridge.步兵部队正在向前挺进攻打山脊。

10 degraded   

a.被贬低的；堕落的

参考例句：

• The Party is being degraded by its acceptance of secret donations. 该党因私下接受捐赠而蒙羞。
• The contribution and demands of women have been degraded and ignored. 女性的贡献并未受到肯定，而妇女的需求也经常被忽略。 来自英语晨读30分（高二）