Why are frogs disappearing? - Kerry M. Kriger

消失的青蛙 - Kerry M. Kriger

譯者: Marssi Draw 審譯者: Geoff Chen

Have you ever heard the sound of frogs

你曾聽見夜裡

calling at night?

青蛙的鳴叫聲嗎？

For hundreds of millions of years,

幾億年來

this croaking lullaby has filled the nighttime air.

這首呱呱安眠曲 已瀰漫在夜裡的空氣中

But recent studies suggest

但是最近的研究報告顯示

that these frogs are in danger

這些青蛙的歌聲

of playing their final note.

有可能成為絕響

Over the past few decades,

過去的數十年來

amphibian populations have been rapidly disappearing worldwide.

兩棲動物的數量在全世界快速減少

Nearly one-third of the world's amphibian species

將近全世界 1/3 的兩棲動物

are endanger of extinction,

成為瀕危物種

and over 100 species have already disappeared.

超過上百種物種已經消失

But don't worry, there's still hope.

但是別擔心，還有一線希望

Before we get into how to save the frogs,

在我們開始投入拯救青蛙之前

let's start by taking a look

讓我們先來看看

at why they're disappearing

牠們為什麼會消失

and why it's important to keep them around.

還有為什麼讓牠們生活在 我們週遭如此重要

Habitat destruction is the number one problem

棲息地破壞是頭號問題

for frog populations around the world.

和全球青蛙的數量息息相關

There are seven billion humans on the planet,

世界上有 70 億人口

and we compete with frogs for habitat.

我們和青蛙爭奪棲息地

We build cities, suburbs, and farms

我們建造城市、郊區和田園

on top of frog habitat

就在青蛙的棲息地上

and chop forests

並且砍伐森林

and drain the wetlands

流乾溼地

that serve as home

那是無數兩棲動物的家

for numerous amphibian populations.

那些都是無數兩棲動物的家

Climate change alters precipitation levels,

氣候變遷變化急遽

drying up ponds, streams, and cloud forests.

湖泊、河流和雲霧森林乾涸

As the Earth's human population continues to grow,

當地球上的人類數目持續攀升

so will the threats amphibians face.

兩棲動物面臨的威脅也愈來愈大

There are a variety of other factors

還有許多不同的因素

contributing to the frogs' decline.

造成青蛙的數量減少

Over-harvesting for the pet and food trade

為了做為寵物和食物的買賣而過度捕捉

results in millions of frogs

造成上百萬隻青蛙

being taken out of the wild each year.

每年消失在荒野中

Invasive species,

入侵物種

such as non-native trout and crawfish,

像是外來的鱒魚和小龍蝦

eat native frogs.

都會吃本土的青蛙

Humans are facilitating the spread

人類加速了傳染病的散播

of infectious diseases

人類加速了傳染病的散播

by shipping over 100 million amphibians

透過運送上億隻的兩棲動物

around the world each year

到世界各地

for use as food, pets, bait,

供做食物、動物、餌

and in laboratories and zoos,

還有做為實驗室和動物園使用

with few regulations or quarantines.

只有少數的法令和檢疫來規範

One of these diseases,

這些疾病之中的壺菌病

chytridiomycosis,

這些疾病之中的壺菌病

has driven stream-dwelling amphibian populations

讓棲息在河川的兩棲動物消失

to extinction

不再存在於

in Africa,

非洲

Australia,

澳洲

Europe,

and North, Central, and South America.

歐洲

和美國的北、中南部

On top of all these problems,

最嚴重的問題是

we add hundreds of millions of kilograms of pesticides

我們每年都增加了上億公斤的殺蟲劑

to our ecosystems each year.

在我們的生態系統中

And these chemicals are easily absorbed

這些化學物質能夠輕易地

through amphibians' permeable skin,

透過兩棲動物可滲透的皮膚被吸收

causing immunosuppression,

造成免疫力之抑制 免疫系統變弱，以及引發突變

or a weakened immune system,

造成免疫力之抑制 免疫系統變弱，以及引發突變

and developmental deformities.

造成免疫力之抑制 免疫系統變弱，以及引發突變

Okay, so why are these little green guys

好吧，那為什麼這些綠色的小傢伙

worth keeping around?

值得留在世界上？

Frogs are important for a multitude of reasons.

青蛙重要的原因如下

They're an integral part of the food web,

牠們是食物鏈中不可或缺的一部分

eating flies, ticks, mosquitoes,

吃蒼蠅、壁蝨、蚊子

and other disease vectors,

和其它病菌傳染源

thus, protecting us against malaria,

因此，讓我們免於瘧疾

dengue fever,

登革熱

and other illnesses.

和其它疾病的侵襲

Tadpoles keep waterways clean

蝌蚪吃下藻類後讓水道保持潔淨

by feeding on algae,

蝌蚪吃下藻類後讓水道保持潔淨

reducing the demand

降低社區對過濾系統的需求

on our community's filtration systems

降低社區對過濾系統的需求

and keeping our cost of water low.

並能減少對水的消耗

Frogs serve as a source of food

青蛙也是某些動物的食物來源

for birds, fish, snakes, dragonflies, and even monkeys.

像是鳥、魚、蛇、蜻蜓，甚至是猴子

When frogs disappear,

當青蛙消失後

the food web is disturbed,

食物鏈會受到影響

and other animals can disappear as well.

其它的動物也可能跟著消失

Amphibians are also extremely important

兩棲動物對人類的藥物也十分重要

in human medicine.

兩棲動物對人類的藥物也十分重要

Over ten percent of the Nobel prizes

超過 10% 的生理學 與醫學諾貝爾獎得主

in physiology and medicine

超過 10% 的生理學 與醫學諾貝爾獎得主

have gone to researchers

透過對兩棲動物的實驗

whose work depended on amphibians.

來完成他們的研究

Some of the antimicrobial peptides

某些在青蛙皮膚上的 抗菌胜肽 (Antimicrobial peptides)

on frog skin can kill HIV,

能夠殺死人類免疫缺陷病毒 (HIV)

some act as pain killers,

或做為止痛藥

and others serve as natural mosquito repellents.

還有做為天然的防蚊液

Many discoveries await us

如果我們能夠拯救青蛙

if we can save the frogs,

還有更多的好處等著我們去發現

but when a frog species disappears,

但是當青蛙滅絕後

so does any promise it holds

還有人能保證有其它方式

for improving human health.

來改善人類的健康嗎？

Fortunately, there are lots of ways you can help,

幸運的是，你能幫上許多忙

and the best place to start

最適合開始的方式是

is by improving your ecological footprint

改善你的生態足跡

and day-to-day actions.

每天實踐

The next time you listen to that nighttime lullaby,

下回當你聽見夜裡的安眠曲

don't think of it as just another background noise,

別認為那只是另一個背景雜音

hear it as a call for help,

把它當作是用美妙的 呱呱和聲向你呼救

sung in perfect croaking harmony.

把它當作是用美妙的 呱呱和聲向你呼救