Can wildlife adapt to climate change? - Erin Eastwood

譯者: Regina Chu 審譯者: Max Chern

Rising temperatures and seas,

上升的溫度及海平面

massive droughts,

大規模的乾旱

changing landscapes.

變化的地景

Successfully adapting to climate change is growing increasingly important.

能成功適應氣候變遷 變得愈來愈重要

For humans, this means using our technological advancement

對人類而言 這意味著用科技進步

to find solutions,

去找答案

like smarter cities and better water management.

例如更智慧化的都市 更好的水資源管理方法

But for some plants and animals,

但是對某些動植物而言

adapting to these global changes involves the most ancient solution of all:

適應這些全球性變化 要用最古老的解決方法：

evolution.

演化

Evolutionary adaptation usually occurs along time scales of thousands

演化適應通常要花上

to hundreds of thousands of years.

數千到數十萬年的時間

But in cases where species are under especially strong selective conditions,

但是如果物種 處在特別強的天擇條件下

like those caused by rapidly changing climates,

如因快速變遷的氣候 引發的狀態

adaptive evolution can happen more quickly.

適應演化可能更快速發生

In recent decades,

最近幾十年

we've seen many plants,

我們看到許多植物

animals,

動物及昆蟲遷移

and insects relocating themselves

and undergoing changes to their body sizes,

改變自己的身體大小

and the dates they flower or breed.

及改變開花或交配時間

But many of these are plastic,

但是這些改變易受外界影響

or nonheritable changes to an individual's physical traits.

或僅改變個體的身體性狀 而非遺傳性變化

And there are limits to how much an organism can change its own physiology

而且生物改變自己的 生理機能

to meet environmental requirements.

以適應環境的程度有限

That's why scientists are seeking examples of evolutionary changes

這就是為什麼科學家要找出 因演化而改變

coded in species' DNA that are heritable,

物種 DNA 密碼的例子 它們是能遺傳的、

long-lasting,

維持長久

and may provide a key to their future.

且是物種未來生存的關鍵

Take the tawny owl.

以灰林鴞為例

If you were walking through a wintry forest in northern Europe 30 years ago,

如果 30 年前 你走在寒冷的北歐森林

chances are you'd have heard, rather than seen,

你大概會聽到而非看到

this elusive bird.

這種行蹤飄忽的鳥

Against the snowy backdrop,

在雪白的背景下

its plumage would have been near impossible to spot.

幾乎看不見牠的羽毛

Today, the landscape is vastly different.

今天的地景已大不相同

Since the 1980s,

1980 年代起

climate change has led to significantly less snowfall,

氣候變遷造成降雪顯著減少

but you'd still struggle to spot a tawny owl

不過你還是很難看到灰林鴞

because nowadays, they're brown.

因為現在牠們是褐色的

The brown color variant is the genetically dominant form of plumage in this species,

褐色羽毛變種是該物種的 顯性基因表型

but historically,

但是在歷史上

the recessive pale gray variant triumphed

隱性淺灰色表型一度稱霸

because of its selective advantage in helping these predators blend in.

因為其選擇優勢 幫助這種獵禽融入背景

However, less snow cover reduces opportunities for camouflage,

然而積雪覆蓋大不如前 降低了偽裝的機會

so lately, this gray color variant

所以最近 這種灰色表型

has been losing the battle against natural selection.

已經在天擇戰場上敗退

The offspring of the brown color morphs, on the other hand,

另一方面 褐色表型的後代

have an advantage in exposed forests,

在無積雪的森林占優勢

so brown tawny owls are flourishing today.

所以褐色灰林鴞 今天極為昌盛

Several other species have undergone

還有幾種物種也在近幾十年

similar climate-change-adaptive genetic changes in recent decades.

經歷類似的例子 適應氣候變遷

Pitcher plant mosquitoes have rapidly evolved

豬籠草蚊快速演化

to take advantage of the warmer temperatures,

趁著氣溫愈來愈暖

entering dormancy later and later in the year.

在一年中愈來愈晚 進入蟄伏期

Two spot ladybug populations,

二點瓢蟲族群

once comprised of equal numbers of melanic and non-melanic morphs,

原本為黑色與非黑色 二種表型各占一半

have now shifted almost entirely to the non-melanic color combination.

現在已經變成幾乎全是 非黑色的組合

Scientists think that keeps them from overheating.

科學家認為 這能保護它們不會過熱

Meanwhile, pink salmon have adapted to warmer waters

同時駝背大麻哈魚 已經能適應更溫暖的水

by spawning earlier in the season to protect their sensitive eggs.

讓自己在產卵季更早產卵 以保護敏感的卵

And wild thyme plants in Europe are producing more repellent oils

歐洲野生百里香 產生更多的驅除油

to protect themselves against the herbivores

以保護自己 不為草食動物所食

that become more common when it's warm.

此現象在氣候溫暖時 愈來愈普遍

These plants and animals belong to a group of about 20 identified species

這些動植物屬於一群 已知的 20 種物種

with evolutionary adaptations to rapid climate change,

對快速氣候變遷 有演化適應能力

including snapping turtles,

包括玳瑁

wood frogs,

木蛙

knotweed,

蓼

and silver spotted skipper butterflies.

銀班弄蝶

However, scientists hope to discover more species evolving

然而科學家希望能從 地球上八百七十萬種物種內

in response to climate change out of 8.7 million species on the planet.

發現更多因應氣候變遷 而產生的物種演化

For most of our planet's astounding and precious biodiversity,

對地球上驚人和珍貴的 生物多樣性而言

evolution won't be the answer.

演化不是解答

Instead, many of those species will have to rely on us

許多物種反而必須靠我們

to help them survive a changing world

幫助它們 在不斷變遷的世界生存

or face extinction.

不然就面臨絕種

The good news is we already have the tools.

好消息是我們已經有方法

Across the planet, we're making on-the-ground decisions

地球公民做出決定

that will help entire ecosystems adapt.

要幫助整個生態系統適應

Critical climate refuges are being identified and set aside,

目前正在找出並保留 緊急氣候避難所

and projects are underway to help mobile species

也在進行各式計畫 幫助可移動的物種

move to more suitable climates.

遷移到更合適的氣候區

Existing parks and protected areas are also doing climate change check-ups

現存的公園及保護區 也在做檢查

to help their wildlife cope.

幫助野生動植物 對抗氣候變遷

Fortunately, it's still within our power

幸好這還在掌控下

to preserve much of the wondrous biodiversity of this planet,

我們還能保留大部分 地球上奇妙的生物多樣性

which, after all, sustains us in so many ways.

畢竟這在許多方面 讓我們能永續生存

翻譯：Regina Chu