Attack of the killer algae - Eric Noel Muñoz

來自殺手海藻的襲擊 - Eric Noel Muñoz

譯者: Sunyuching Sun 審譯者: Marssi Draw

We've all seen the movies where a monster,

在電影中，我們都看過怪獸

created by a scientist in a laboratory,

被實驗室中的科學家創造出來，

escapes to wreak havoc on the outside world.

它逃離實驗室，破壞外面的世界。

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

如果這個怪物不是巨大的狂暴怪獸 會破壞城市，

destroying a city, but just a tiny amount of seaweed

而是微小的海草，

with the potential to disrupt entire coastal ecosystems?

卻有能力擾亂整個沿海生態系統， 那會怎麼樣呢？

This is the story of Caulerpa taxifolia,

以下是有關於杉葉蕨藻的資訊。

originally a naturally occurring seaweed

杉葉蕨藻是自然生長的海草，

native to tropical waters.

原生於熱帶水域。

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

在 1980 年代，人們發現其中一種 海草可以生長於較冷的環境。

This trait, combined with its beautiful, bright green color

這類海草，有著美麗明亮的綠色，

and ability to grow quickly without maintenance

和快速生長繁殖的特性， 不需照料，

made it ideal for aquariums, which it helped keep clean

這使得它很適合水族館。 因為它可以淨化水，

by consuming nutrients and chemicals in the water.

藉著吸收水中養分和化學物質。

Further selective breeding made it even heartier,

進一步選擇育種 讓淨化水的效果更顯著，

and soon it was used in aquariums around the world.

很快的，全世界的水族館 開始養殖此種海草。

But it was not long before a sample of this

沒多久，

由水族館培育的超級藻類，

aquarium-developed super algae

turned up in the Mediterranean Sea

其樣本出現在地中海，

near the famed Oceanographic Museum of Monaco.

靠近知名的摩納哥海洋博物館。

The marine biologist who found it believed that

發現其藻類的海洋生物學家相信

the museum had accidentally realeased it into the ocean

博物館意外地將藻類排放到海中，

along with aquarium waters,

隨著博物館的排水而出，

while museum directors claimed

但博物館館長聲稱

it had be carried into the area by ocean currents.

藻類是被洋流所沖進此區域。

Regardless of how it ended up there,

不論原因是什麼，

the non-native Caulerpa multiplied rapidly,

非當地物種的蕨藻繁殖得很快，

having no natural predators

沒有自然界的天敵，

due to releasing a toxin that keeps fish away.

因為它會釋放一種毒素 使得魚群遠離它。

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

就像一些神秘的怪獸一樣， 即使是一小片的藻類

could grow into a whole new colony.

也可以長成一個新的生命體。

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

藉由水流、接觸船錨和魚線，

it fragmented and spread throughout Mediterranean coastal cities

藻類進行分裂，並且擴散至 整個地中海的沿海城市。

covering coral reefs.

覆蓋珊瑚礁。

So what was the result of this invasion?

所以，蕨藻入侵的結果是什麼？

Well, it depends on who you ask.

答案取決於你問的對象。

Many scientists warned that the spread of Caulerpa

許多科學家警告蕨藻的擴散

reduces biodiversity by crowding out native species of seaweed

會排擠魚吃的當地海草物種，

that are eaten by fish,

而使得生物多樣性減少。

with the biologist who first discovered its presence dubbing it

所以生物學家一開始 發現蕨藻的存在時，稱它為

Killer Algae.

「殺手海藻」。

Other studies instead claim

但是，其他研究卻指出

that the algae actually had a beneficial effect

藻類有好的影響，

by consuming chemical pollutants --

像是吸收化學污染物，

one reason the aquariums strain was developed.

這也是水族館培養藻類的原因。

But the disruption of a natural ecosystem

但自然生態系統被外來物種擾亂

by an introduced foreign species

can have unpredictable and uncontrollable effects

會帶來無法預測和無法控制的影響，

that may not be immediately visible.

而影響可能無法立即可見。

So when Culerpa taxifolia was discovered

所以當人們於 2000 年，發現杉葉蕨藻

at Carlsbad's Agua Hedionda Lagoon,

出現在卡爾斯巴德的黑地翁達潟湖，

near San Diego in the year 2000,

位於聖地牙哥附近，

having most likely come from the dumping

極可能是由住家水族箱排出的廢水

of home aquarium water into a connecting storm drain,

進入連接的暴雨排水道，

it was decided to stop it before it spread.

在蕨藻傳播之前， 人們決定阻止其擴散。

Tarps were placed over the Culerpa colonies

他們在蕨藻的繁殖地放置防水布，

and chlorine injected inside.

然後往裡面注射氯。

Although this method killed

雖然此方法殺死

all other marine life trapped under the tarps,

防水布底下所有其他的海洋生物，

it did succeed in eradicating the algae

但是成功地消滅藻類，

and native eelgrass was able to emerge in its place.

並且使得當地的大葉藻能夠生長。

By responding quickly, authorities in California

因為加州當局快速的反應

were able to prevent Culerpa from propagating.

成功阻止蕨藻繁殖。

But another occurrence of the strain,

但是有另一種藻類出現

in the coastal wetlands of southeast Australia,

在澳洲東南方的沿岸沼澤地，

was left unchecked and allowed to spread.

由於沒有人察覺，而讓藻類繁殖。

And unfortunately, a tarp cannot cover the Mediterranean Sea

不幸的，防水布無法覆蓋地中海

or the Australian coast.

或澳洲沿岸。

Invasive species are not a new problem,

入侵物種不是新的問題，

and can indeed occur naturally.

事實上，有可能自然地發生。

But when such species are the results of

但當入侵物種是因為

human directed selective breeding or genetic modification

人類選育或基因改造

and then released into the natural environment,

而被釋放到自然環境中，

their effect on ecosystems

對生態系統的影響

can be far more radical and irreversible.

可能更為劇烈和無法挽救。

With the proliferation of new technologies

隨著新技術

and multiple threats to the environment,

和對環境的多重威脅增加，

it is more important than ever for scientists

科學家監測和評估風險和危險 就更重要了，

to monitor and evaluate the risks and dangers,

and for the rest of us to remember

而我們也必須記住，

that what starts in our backyard

我們在後院所做的行為，

can effect ecosystems half a world away.

將會影響半個地球外的生態系統。