VOA科学技术2024--Hot Seawater Hurts Coral Restoration Effort in Florida Keys

Hot Seawater Hurts Coral Restoration Effort in Florida Keys

　　Government scientists are aiming to replace coral at seven places off the Florida Keys island group. But The Associated Press reports three fourths of the newly cultivated coral has died because of warm water temperatures.

　　The scientists are with the U.S. agency known as the National Oceanic and Atmospheric¹ Administration, or NOAA. They planted staghorn and elkhorn coral as part of the agency's Mission: Iconic Reefs effort, first announced in 2019. The corals are being grown on structures in shallow water.

　　The two species of coral are considered threatened. The scientists wanted to see how the cultivated species were doing. They visited five places where they had planted coral earlier. They hoped the coral had survived water temperatures reaching 30 degrees Celsius² or more during the summer and fall.

　　Last summer, students and volunteers tried to rescue the corals by removing them and temporarily putting them in tanks.

　　But most of the coral did not survive. NOAA said only 22 percent of the 1,500 repopulated staghorn corals that they saw were still alive. Only five percent of 1,000 replanted elkhorn corals were alive. At Looe Key, the southernmost of the reefs they looked at, "we did not find any live elkhorn or staghorn coral, not wild, not planted," said coral biologist Katey Lesneski. She is research and monitoring coordinator³ for NOAA's effort.

　　"It's really horrible to witness," Lesneski said just two days after the dives to observe coral had finished.

　　Scientists blame human-caused climate change. They also note that the natural El Nino Pacific Ocean current affects weather in North America. They said these conditions are making the water too warm for the coral. Corals are small animal colonies that build rocky formations as they grow.

　　"There's still a lot of data to be collected to really understand..." Lesneski said. She added: "But we certainly have not seen something like this in recorded human history."

　　Staghorn and elkhorn populations are important because they provide a "structural⁴ framework" for coral, Lesneski said.

　　The scientists did see some wild coral alive and well, she said. Brain or boulder⁵ corals seemed to be doing better.

　　The U.S. government and private groups plan to spend at least $97 million to place coral species grown on land or in the ocean in seven places off the Florida Keys the AP reports. Some of the species are native and others have been crossbred to be heartier⁶, Lesneski said. It is too early to tell which ones are better able to survive.

　　Lesneski said NOAA measured water temperatures of 34 degrees Celsius at the planting places. Mark Eakin is with the International Coral Reef Society. He said, "They were actually seeing temperatures that they didn't think were possible."

　　Eakin and the University of Victoria coral biologist Julia Baum said the findings raise concerns about trying to repopulate coral reefs by cultivating coral in very warm water.

　　Lesneski said she understands that concern and researchers are looking to see what they could do to breed more heat-resistant coral.

　　"But for now, if we want to have...reefs, we do have to do our best to conserve⁷, be good stewards⁹ and restore to the degree we can," she said.

　　Words in This Story

　　coral –n. a simple sea animal that forms colonies which build up rocky structures of great size under the sea

　　cultivate — v. to raise, care for and develop something like a living thing

　　species –n. (sing., pl.) a kind of animal or plant that can breed with others of its kind to produce young

　　monitor –v. to carefully observe and measure the development of a living thing or of some activity

　　crossbreed — v. to breed two different but related kinds of animals together to form a new kind

　　hearty¹⁰ — adj. healthy and strong

　　breed — v. to cause a kind of animal to reproduce especially with the idea that the offspring will have certain qualities

　　conserve — v. to preserve things so that they last into the future in good condition and are not used up

　　steward⁸ — n. a person who oversees and protects property and is responsible for it

1 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。

2 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。

3 coordinator   

n.协调人

参考例句：

• The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, headed by the Emergency Relief Coordinator, coordinates all UN emergency relief. 联合国人道主义事务协调厅在紧急救济协调员领导下，负责协调联合国的所有紧急救济工作。
• How am I supposed to find the client-relations coordinator? 我怎么才能找到客户关系协调员的办公室？

4 structural   

adj.构造的，组织的，建筑（用）的

参考例句：

• The storm caused no structural damage.风暴没有造成建筑结构方面的破坏。
• The North American continent is made up of three great structural entities.北美大陆是由三个构造单元组成的。

5 boulder   

n.巨砾；卵石，圆石

参考例句：

• We all heaved together and removed the boulder.大家一齐用劲，把大石头搬开了。
• He stepped clear of the boulder.他从大石头后面走了出来。

6 heartier   

亲切的( hearty的比较级 )； 热诚的； 健壮的； 精神饱满的

参考例句：

• Another and heartier smile illumined her rough face, and from that moment we were friends. 另一个更加真诚的微笑照亮了她那粗糙的脸；从那时起，我们就成了朋友。
• My ideas received a far heartier and were much more appreciated in the corporate world. 劳林本人就是从学术界转到了企业界。

7 conserve   

vt.保存，保护，节约，节省，守恒，不灭

参考例句：

• He writes on both sides of the sheet to conserve paper.他在纸张的两面都写字以节省用纸。
• Conserve your energy,you'll need it!保存你的精力，你会用得着的！

8 steward   

n.乘务员，服务员；看管人；膳食管理员

参考例句：

• He's the steward of the club.他是这家俱乐部的管理员。
• He went around the world as a ship's steward.他当客船服务员，到过世界各地。

9 stewards   

（轮船、飞机等的）乘务员( steward的名词复数 )； （俱乐部、旅馆、工会等的）管理员； （大型活动的）组织者； （私人家中的）管家

参考例句：

• The stewards all wore armbands. 乘务员都戴了臂章。
• The stewards will inspect the course to see if racing is possible. 那些干事将检视赛马场看是否适宜比赛。

10 hearty   

adj.热情友好的；衷心的；尽情的，纵情的

参考例句：

• After work they made a hearty meal in the worker's canteen.工作完了，他们在工人食堂饱餐了一顿。
• We accorded him a hearty welcome.我们给他热忱的欢迎。