Attack of the killer algae - Eric Noel Muñoz

Napad algi ubica - Erik Noel Munjoz (Eric Noel Muñoz)

Prevodilac: Mile Živković Lektor: Anja Saric

Svi smo gledali filmove gde čudovište,

We've all seen the movies where a monster,

koga je naučnik stvorio u laboratoriji,

created by a scientist in a laboratory,

escapes to wreak havoc on the outside world.

pobegne da pravi haos.

But what if the monster was not some giant rampaging beast,

Ali šta ako čudovište ne bi bilo neka velika besna zver

destroying a city, but just a tiny amount of seaweed

koja rastura grad, već malo morske trave

with the potential to disrupt entire coastal ecosystems?

sa mogućnošću da uništi ekosisteme celih obala?

This is the story of Caulerpa taxifolia,

Ovo je priča o Caulerpa taxifolia,

originally a naturally occurring seaweed

što je provbitno bila prirodna morska trava

native to tropical waters.

sa staništem u tropskim vodama.

In the 1980s, one strain was found to thrive in colder environments.

Osamdesetih godina, pronađena je vrsta koja uspeva u hladnijem okruženju.

This trait, combined with its beautiful, bright green color

Ovo svojstvo, pored predivne, jarko zelene boje

and ability to grow quickly without maintenance

i mogućnosti da raste brzo bez održavanja

made it ideal for aquariums, which it helped keep clean

načinili su je idealnom za akvarijume, koje je čistila

by consuming nutrients and chemicals in the water.

tako što je konzumirala hranljive sastojke i hemikalije iz vode.

Further selective breeding made it even heartier,

Daljim uzgajanjem postala je još obilnija

and soon it was used in aquariums around the world.

i uskoro se koristila u akvarijumima širom sveta.

But it was not long before a sample of this

Ali ubrzo nakon toga, jedan uzorak

aquarium-developed super algae

ove super alge za akvarijum

turned up in the Mediterranean Sea

pojavio se u Mediteranskom moru

near the famed Oceanographic Museum of Monaco.

pored čuvenog Okeanografskog muzeja u Monaku.

The marine biologist who found it believed that

Morski biolog koji ju je pronašao verovao je

the museum had accidentally realeased it into the ocean

da ju je muzej slučajno izbacio u okean

zajedno sa akvarijumskom vodom,

along with aquarium waters,

while museum directors claimed

dok su direktori muzeja tvrdili

it had be carried into the area by ocean currents.

da je u oblast došla preko okeanskih struja.

Regardless of how it ended up there,

Bez obzira na to kako je tamo dospela,

the non-native Caulerpa multiplied rapidly,

tuđinska Caulerpa se brzo množila

having no natural predators

pošto nije imala prirodnih grabljivica

due to releasing a toxin that keeps fish away.

jer je ispuštala toksin koji je odbijao ribe.

And like some mythical monster, even a tiny piece that broke off

Poput nekog mitskog čudovišta, svaki komadić koji bi se odlomio

could grow into a whole new colony.

mogao bi da naraste u novu koloniju.

Through water currents and contact with boat anchors and fishing lines,

Kroz vodene struje i kontakt sa sidrima i mrežama za pecanje,

it fragmented and spread throughout Mediterranean coastal cities

cepala se i širila kroz obalske gradove Mediterana

covering coral reefs.

i pokrivala koralne grebene.

So what was the result of this invasion?

Šta je bila posledica ove invazije?

Well, it depends on who you ask.

Pa, zavisi koga pitate.

Many scientists warned that the spread of Caulerpa

Mnogi naučnici upozoravali su da širenje Caulerpa-e

reduces biodiversity by crowding out native species of seaweed

smanjuje biodiverzitet tako što uništava prirodne vrste morske trave

that are eaten by fish,

koje jedu ribe,

dok je biolog koji je prvi otkrio njeno prisustvo ovoj algi dao ime

with the biologist who first discovered its presence dubbing it

Killer Algae.

Alga ubica.

Other studies instead claim

U drugim istraživanjima se pak tvrdi

that the algae actually had a beneficial effect

da je alga imala pozitivan efekat

by consuming chemical pollutants --

jer je konzumirala hemijske zagađivače -

one reason the aquariums strain was developed.

što je razlog razvitka akvarijumske sorte.

But the disruption of a natural ecosystem

Ali remećenje prirodnog ekosistema

by an introduced foreign species

kroz uvođenje strane vrste

can have unpredictable and uncontrollable effects

može da ima nepredvidive efekte koji se ne mogu kontrolisati

that may not be immediately visible.

i koji možda nisu odmah vidljivi.

So when Culerpa taxifolia was discovered

Kada je Culerpa taxifolia otkrivena

at Carlsbad's Agua Hedionda Lagoon,

u laguni Agua Hedionda kod Karlsbada,

near San Diego in the year 2000,

kod San Dijega u 2000,

having most likely come from the dumping

verovatno došavši iz izbacivanja

of home aquarium water into a connecting storm drain,

vode iz kućnog akvarijuma u kanalizaciju,

it was decided to stop it before it spread.

odlučeno je da se spreči njeno širenje.

Tarps were placed over the Culerpa colonies

Postavljene su cirade preko kolonija Culerpa-e

and chlorine injected inside.

i u njih ubrizgan hlor.

Although this method killed

Iako je ovom metodom iskorenjen

all other marine life trapped under the tarps,

i drugi vodeni svet ispod cirada,

it did succeed in eradicating the algae

alga je uspešno istrebljena

and native eelgrass was able to emerge in its place.

i domaća morska trava mogla je da raste na njenom mestu.

By responding quickly, authorities in California

Brzom reakcijom, vlasti u Kaliforniji

were able to prevent Culerpa from propagating.

mogle su da spreče širenje Culerpa-e.

But another occurrence of the strain,

Ali drugo pojavljivanje ove vrste

in the coastal wetlands of southeast Australia,

u priobalskim močvarama na jugoistoku Australije

nije primećeno i algi je dozvoljeno širenje.

was left unchecked and allowed to spread.

And unfortunately, a tarp cannot cover the Mediterranean Sea

Nažalost, ciradom se ne može pokriti Mediteransko more

or the Australian coast.

ili obala Australije.

Invasive species are not a new problem,

Invazivne vrste nisu nov problem

and can indeed occur naturally.

i mogu da se jave prirodno.

But when such species are the results of

Ali kada su takve vrste posledica

human directed selective breeding or genetic modification

ljudskog selektivnog uzgoja ili genetske modifikacije

and then released into the natural environment,

i kada se puste u prirodno okruženje,

their effect on ecosystems

njihov efekat na ekosisteme

can be far more radical and irreversible.

može biti drastičniji i nepovratan.

With the proliferation of new technologies

Kroz širenje novih tehnologija

and multiple threats to the environment,

i višestrukih pretnji okruženju,

it is more important than ever for scientists

bitnije je nego ikad da naučnici

to monitor and evaluate the risks and dangers,

prate i procenjuju rizik od opasnosti,

and for the rest of us to remember

a za nas druge da zapamtimo

that what starts in our backyard

da ono što krene iz našeg dvorišta

can effect ecosystems half a world away.

može da utiče na ekosisteme na drugom kraju sveta.