Conserving our spectacular, vulnerable coral reefs - Joshua Drew

保護我們壯麗且脆弱的珊瑚礁 - Joshua Drew

Transcriber: Andrea McDonough Reviewer: Bedirhan Cinar

譯者: Hao-Wei Chang 審譯者: Jephian Lin

Coral reefs are some of the most spectacular ecosystems

珊瑚礁是世界上

最壯麗的生態系統之一。

on the planet.

它們同時也是最脆弱的。

They're also some of the most vulnerable.

我們該如何保護珊瑚礁

But how can we protect the reefs

and the animals and plants who rely on them?

和與之相依的動、植物呢？

而我們又如何讓保護區

And how can we make sure

our protected areas aren't hurting those who use reefs to survive?

不會影響當地人的生存？

對於現今的海洋保育生物學家而言

These are some of the big questions

這是個大哉問。

facing marine conservation biologists today.

我們用斐濟當作例子。

Let's take Fiji, for example.

Fiji is series of islands in the South Pacific Ocean.

斐濟包含南太平洋上的一系列小島

為了均衡保育和經濟發展，

To help balance the need for conservation and making a living,

scientists had suggested that instead of one big park

科學家建議：

which provides a lot of coverage for one reef system

與其在在珊瑚礁區 設立一個幅員遼闊的國家公園，

while leaving the rest unprotected,

而讓其他地方失去保障，

a better way is to create a system of protected areas

不如在整個珊瑚礁區，

設立一系列如珍珠般的小保留區。

nested together like pearls on a string.

This idea is called connectivity.

這個概念稱之為連結性

In this way, scientists can protect lots of different habitats

這讓科學家可以保障許多不同的棲地，

while not excluding people from their traditional fishing grounds.

也讓人民不會失去傳統漁場。

Now, the only way this string-of-pearls kind of reserve network is going to work

要使如珍珠項鍊般 的保護網順利運作，

保留區間必須有所連結。

is if each park is connected to other parks.

There are two main benefits to this.

這會帶來兩個好處。

First of all, insurance.

第一是保險。

If something bad happens to one park,

如果其中一區發生不幸事件，

say, an oil spill or coral bleaching,

例如：漏油

或是珊瑚白化，

then because that park is part of a system,

因為它只是整個系統中的一區，

it can be reseeded from other parks that escaped the event.

這可以藉由其它躲過一劫的保留區 降低對整個保護網的衝擊。

The second benefit is representation.

另外一個優點則是代表性。

By conserving many different areas,

藉由保障不同的地區，

scientists ensure that lots of different habitats get protected.

科學家得以保障不同的棲地。

This way, they can make sure all the different marine habitats in Fiji,

如此，他們可以確保斐濟所有的海洋棲地，

例如：珊瑚礁、

such as coral reefs, mangroves, and sea-grass beds,

紅樹林、

和海底海藻森林

都會納入保護。

are all represented.

This way, we don't unduly settle any particular village or group of people

如此，就不需要因為限制捕魚

帶給特定村莊或人民

with the economic burden of having their fishing grounds off-limits.

經濟上的負擔。

By sharing the cost around the communities,

藉由平均分擔保育代價，

they can also share the benefits.

他們的利益也都被保障。

所以，如果我們同意用將

So if we agree that rather than one big park,

單一巨大的保留區 用許多大小不同的保留區取代，

we should have lots of parks

of different sizes and covering different habitats,

以保障不同棲地，

科學家必須確定

then scientists need to make sure those smaller parks are connected,

這些小保留必須能彼此交流。

如果不能，

because if they're not, they probably won't be self-sustaining.

它們可能無法自給自足。

But how do we know that?

但我們又如何確認？

That's where genetics and DNA come in.

這就要仰賴遺傳學和 DNA 研究。

By looking at how closely related

藉由研究斐濟

the fish in each one of these small reserves in Fiji

各小保留區中魚類基因接近的程度，

are to each other,

scientists can figure out

科學家可以瞭解牠們

how much migration is going on among the reserves within the system.

在不同保留區間交流的程度如何。

觀察多樣化的物種也是很重要的。

Now it's important to look at a variety of different species

because there's no guarantee that what's going on with these guys

因為無人能擔保，

其中幾種物種的狀況，

必然和另外幾種的相同。

is what's going on with these guys.

但藉由仔細觀察大量的物種，

But if we look closely and at enough species,

我們就能確定這個新的策略是否成功。

we can see whether or not the necklace is working.

目前為止，科學家已經知道

What scientists have found so far is that, in general,

在斐濟的小保留區之間

there's a fair amount of connectivity amongst the parks within Fiji.

有一定程度的交流。

But it's not just a big free-for-all;

但交流不一定輕鬆，

rather, it seems that, for some species,

事實上對有些物種而言

出生於西部的魚苗

babies born in the far west are having a hard time

making it to the islands in the far east.

需要費盡千辛萬苦才能抵達東部島嶼。

To help deal with that, conservation biologists are suggesting

為應付這種情況，

保育生物學家建議：

that there be enough parks in both the east and the west

在東、西兩邊都建立足夠的小保留區

以確保族群健全。

to keep the populations healthy.

This isn't just in Fiji, either.

這並不止於斐濟，

Lessons about reserve connectivity can help across the world.

這份保育連通性的經驗可以 幫助全世界各地區，

In places like Indonesia, Papua New Guinea

像是印度尼西亞、

巴布亞紐幾內亞、

和巴哈馬。

and the Bahamas,

scientists are using a variety of tools to help understand

科學家利用不同的工具

幫助我們瞭解不同的保留區

how individual parks can function together,

如何一起達到保育目的，

so that their sum is greater than their whole.

以達到一加一大於二的效果。

And this way, we can keep the beautiful necklace

如此，我們就能用這 如珍珠項鍊般的保留區網絡，

保護珊瑚礁生態系的完整。

that is our coral reefs, intact.