Steven Allison: Earth's original inhabitants -- and their role in combating climate change | TED

Transcriber:

翻译人员: Amber Evans 校对人员: Yanyan Hong

Microbes are everywhere.

微生物无处不在。

They live in the air, the ocean,

它们生活在空气、海洋、土壤中，

the soil and on our bodies, lots of them.

我们的身体上也有很多。

But before you reach for the hand sanitizer,

但在你伸手去拿洗手液之前，

take a look at these beautiful bacterial mats

看看这些美丽的微生物垫吧，

in Yellowstone's Grand Prismatic Spring.

它们位于黄石国家公园大棱镜彩泉。

They’re absolutely amazing

这些微生物绝对令人称奇，

because they’ve somehow figured out how to grow happily

因为它们似乎知道

at near boiling temperatures.

怎样在接近沸点的温度下快乐生长。

Ever since life on Earth began, probably in a place like this,

自地球有生命以来， 可能就在这样的地方，

microbes have kept planetary chemical cycles in balance.

微生物就负责维持着 地球化学循环的平衡。

Today, humans are altering that balance and changing the climate

如今，人类向大气中排放的温室气体

by emitting greenhouse gases into the atmosphere.

打破了这种平衡且造成了气候变化。

But microbes might be able to help us with our climate problem.

但微生物也许可以 帮助我们解决气候问题。

After all, microbes are Earth's original and most adaptable inhabitants.

毕竟，微生物是地球最原始、 适应性最强的居民。

Now, I know that not everyone is so enamored with microbes.

我知道不是每个人都对微生物如此着迷。

My biology students tell me that they usually think of "pathogen"

我的生物系学生告诉我， 当听到“微生物”一词时，

when they hear the word "microbe"

他们通常想到的是“病原体”，

and I know we're in the middle of a global viral pandemic.

我也知道我们正身处一场全球疫情。

But you should keep in mind that far less than one percent of microbial diversity

但你应牢记的是， 在微生物种类中会导致人类生病的

is actually pathogenic to humans.

占比远远低于百分之一。

In fact, most of the microbes we encounter are beneficial.

实际上，我们接触到的多数 微生物都是有益的。

There are trillions of bacteria, fungi and viruses

数万亿的细菌、真菌和病毒，

living in and on us right now,

现在就生活在我们的体内和体表，

more of them than human cells in the body.

比我们体内的人体细胞还要多。

They help us digest our food, protect us from disease

它们助我们消化食物， 保护我们免受疾病侵扰，

and maybe even choose our mates.

甚至还可能助我们选择伴侣。

Microbiologists call this assemblage of tiny interlopers the human microbiome.

微生物学家称这群 微小的入侵者为人体微生物。

We now know that there are microbiomes in basically every environment.

现在我们知道微生物 几乎无处不在。

In the same way that they help our human bodies stay healthy,

同帮助人类身体保持健康一样，

microbiomes in water, soil and air are critical for planetary health.

水、土壤和空气中的微生物 对地球健康也至关重要。

For example, cyanobacteria in the ocean carry out photosynthesis

比如，海洋中的蓝藻菌进行光合作用，

and provide a large fraction of the planet's breathable oxygen.

并为地球提供了 很大比例的可呼吸氧气。

Even though they're tiny,

尽管体积很小，

their green color can be seen from outer space with satellites.

它们绿色的外观还是可以 通过卫星在外太空观察到。

They may be harder to see,

土壤中的微生物

but microbiomes in the soil are just as important

可能更难被发现，

as the human or ocean microbiome.

却同人体或海洋中的微生物一样重要。

I think about soil as a skin for the planet

我认为土壤是地球的皮肤，

that provides nutrients to sustain crops and other plants.

它为农作物和其他植物 提供生长的养分。

As an ecologist and climate scientist,

作为一名生态学家及气候科学家，

I've been studying the microbes that live in soil for 20 years now.

我研究土壤中的微生物 至今已有 20 年。

Just like we've seen with the human microbiome,

就如我们观察人体微生物组时用到的

cutting-edge techniques in molecular biology,

分子生物学的前沿技术，

especially DNA sequencing,

尤其是 DNA 测序，

show that soil microbiomes are extremely diverse

这些技术也表明土壤中的微生物

in their genes and life cycles.

有非常多种类的基因和生命周期。

Scientists are starting to figure out how we can harness

科学家开始想办法研究

the diversity of these often invisible organisms

我们怎样能利用好 这些通常不可见生物体的多样性

to solve global problems like climate change and food insecurity.

以解决全球性问题， 如气候变化和粮食不足。

Take agricultural crops, for example.

以农作物为例，

With climate change causing more frequent heat waves and droughts,

随着气候变化引发 更频繁的热浪和干旱，

crop plants may become stressed,

农作物会受到威胁，

reducing yields and threatening food security.

因此粮食产量和安全 都会受到不良影响。

But microbes can help.

但微生物可以帮上忙。

There are symbiotic fungi called mycorrhiza

有一种称作丛枝菌根的共生真菌，

that grow out from plant roots and into the soil

从植物根部长出又扎根于土壤，

where they collect water and nutrients.

真菌就从土壤中获取水分和养分，

Then the plant and its symbiotic fungus make a trade.

接着植物和其共生真菌会做笔 “交易”。

The fungus sends water and nutrients into the plant roots

真菌将水和养分输送进植物根部，

and the plant pays back the fungus with sugars from photosynthesis.

植物就报以光合作用得到的糖分。

To reduce stress on plants from climate change,

为减轻气候变化对植物造成的压力，

farmers can inoculate the soil with these beneficial fungi.

农民可以向土壤接种这些有益真菌。

Land managers are also starting to use the same approach

土地管理者也开始使用相同的方法，

to help native plants recolonize degraded soil

在生境恢复期，帮助原生植物

during habitat restoration.

在退化土壤中重新扎根。

So the next time you support an environmental cause,

所以下次你或许 通过非盈利组织捐赠

maybe through a nonprofit donation or volunteer work,

或是志愿工作来支持环保事业时，

remember, soil microbes need conservation too.

请记住，土壤微生物也需要保护。

The planet also relies on soil microbiomes for other essential services.

地球也依赖土壤微生物 来提供的其他生命基本的保障。

Have you ever thought about what happens to living things

你是否想过像叶子、苔藓和蘑菇

like these leaves, mosses and mushrooms when they die?

这样的生物死后会发生什么？

I'm not talking about an existential crisis.

我不是在谈论生存危机，

I'm talking about microbial decomposition.

我所说的是微生物分解。

Think about it like a type of biological recycling

你可以把它想成

practiced by very diligent microbes.

一种由非常勤劳的微生物 进行的生物循环。

They take dead bodies and turn them into useful nutrients.

它们将遗体转化为有用的营养物质。

Without this essential service,

没有这项基本服务，

life on Earth would grind to a halt

地球上的生命就会渐渐消亡，

because dead stuff would pile up,

因为堆积的遗体

depriving the next generation of life forms of the raw materials

会剥夺下一代生命体

needed for growth.

生长所需要的原材料。

Hundreds of researchers funded by the US Department of Energy

数百名由美国能源部资助的研究者，

are even trying to figure out how to co-opt microbial decomposition

甚至正尝试研究怎样利用微生物分解

to produce sustainable biofuels

以从木材、草和其他植物材料中

from wood, grasses and other plant materials.

生产出可持续生物燃料。

Fuels derived from plants and microbes are part of the climate solution

从植物和微生物获取的燃料 是解决气候变化的一个办法，

because they don't rely on fossil carbon sources

因为它们不依赖于化石碳源，

like coal and oil.

如煤炭和石油。

At the same time, ecologists like me are very concerned

同时，像我这样的生物学家非常担忧

about how climate change might affect microbial recycling in the environment.

气候变化会对环境中的微生物循环 产生怎样的影响。

A warming climate might speed up the process

气候变暖会加快这个过程，

and release more greenhouse gases into the atmosphere.

并向大气中释放更多温室气体。

A drier climate might slow down the microbes

气候变干会延缓微生物的速度，

and leave plants starved for essential nutrients.

并使植物缺乏必要的养分。

Fortunately, there is reason for hope.

幸运的是，还有希望。

Microbes are super adaptable because they can evolve very quickly.

由于可以迅速演化， 微生物适应性极强。

For example, you may have heard of pathogenic bacteria like staph

例如，你可能听说过 像葡萄球菌这样的病原菌

evolving antibiotic resistance.

演化出抗生素耐药性。

Of course, that's bad for us.

当然，这对我们是不利的。

But the same evolutionary process

但同样的演化过程

could also help microbes adapt to climate change, which is good.

也可以帮助微生物 适应气候变化，这是好事。

After all, microbes evolved long ago

毕竟，微生物在很久以前

to survive extreme conditions like the hot springs of Yellowstone.

就通过演化适应了极端环境， 例如黄石公园的温泉。

Just like our human cells, each microbial cell contains a genome.

就像人体细胞一样， 每个微生物细胞都有一个染色体组。

And just like our genomes,

并且和我们的染色体组一样，

microbial genomes contain genes or DNA sequences

微生物染色体组包含着 基因或 DNA 序列

with instructions for growth and survival.

它们携带着生长和生存所需的指令。

My colleagues and I have identified genes

我和我的同事已经识别出了

that allow bacteria and fungi to survive drought

使细菌和真菌得以在干旱中生存

and decompose dead plant material.

以及分解植物遗体物质的基因。

We're currently doing experiments to see how fast these genes evolve

我们正在做实验研究基因演化的速度

and what kinds of genetic changes

以及什么种类的遗传变化

make bacteria and fungi more resistant to drought.

使得细菌和真菌更耐旱。

Some of our prior research shows that microbes have the potential

我们之前的一些研究 表明微生物有着

to deal with climate change.

应对气候变化的潜力。

Microbiomes and the services they provide could cope not just by evolving,

微生物和它们提供的保障 既可以通过演化来应对，

but also by shifting around the dominant species of microbes.

也能通过改变微生物的优势种。

Microbiomes are so diverse

微生物的种类如此之多，

that even if some of the species die out with climate change,

以至于即使一些种类 随着气候变化而灭绝，

others might survive and take their place, allowing nature's recycling to continue.

其余微生物种也可能幸存并取而代之， 使大自然的循环得以继续。

To test this idea, my colleagues and I designed special cages

为了验证这个观点， 我和我的同事设计了

to contain microbiomes

容纳微生物的特殊器皿，

from different habitats in Southern California.

这些微生物来自于 加州南部不同的微生境。

We sampled microbiomes from places

我们从一些地方 采集了微生物组样本，

ranging from forested mountaintops

从植被茂盛的山顶

to hot deserts.

到炎热的沙漠，

Each cage contained a microbiome from one of these places

每个器皿均盛有 来自其中一地的微生物组

along with sterilized dead grass for the microbes to use as a food source.

以及无菌枯草作为其食物来源。

We then put the cages back into the different habitats

接着我们将器皿放回不同的微生境，

so that the microbiomes experienced pretty dramatic changes in climate.

以使微生物组经历气候条件的巨变。

We expected that the microbes from the cooler places

我们本预期来自更冷地带的微生物

would die out when we moved them to the warm places like the hot desert,

会在我们将其移至 如炎热沙漠的高温地带时消亡，

and that they would lose their ability

并且会失去它们

to consume and recycle the nutrients in the dead grass material.

分解并循环利用枯草中 营养物质的能力。

But when we looked at the results,

但当我们看到结果时，

I was really shocked.

我真的太震惊了。

The microbiomes were almost unfazed by this massive climate difference.

微生物组几乎没有受到 巨大气候差异的影响。

There were some changes in the dominant species,

尽管优势种产生了一些变化，

but mountaintop microbes decomposed dead grass just as well

山顶微生物还是能和沙漠微生物一样

as desert microbiomes in the hot, dry climate.

在炎热干燥的气候里分解枯草。

This result tells us the microbiomes have the ability to evolve

这个结果告诉我们， 微生物有能力演化

and shift to deal with really dramatic climate changes.

并转变以应对真正巨大的气候变化。

Another way that soil microbiomes can be part of the climate change solution

土壤微生物也可作为 解决气候变化的办法，

is by building healthy soil.

其另一途径是打造健康的土壤。

Many soil bacteria and fungi ooze out sticky chemicals

许多土壤细菌和真菌产生粘性物质

to glue themselves onto soil surfaces.

以将自己粘在土壤表面。

The glue and the microbes

粘性物质和微生物

form these biofilms that hold soil particles together.

形成了将土壤颗粒聚合的生物膜。

This helps the soil resist erosion

生物膜有助于土壤抗侵蚀，

and hold more water that's available for plants.

并为植物留住更多的水分。

Microbes and their biofilms also play a big role in soil carbon sequestration.

微生物和它们的生物膜 也在土壤固碳中扮演着重要角色。

Many forms of carbon from plants, like sugars, don't last long in the soil

来自植物的许多形式的碳， 例如糖类，在土壤中无法长存，

because they're food for many organisms, including the microbes.

因为它们是许多生物体的食物， 包括微生物。

But microbodies and biofilms are made up of complex chemicals.

但是微体和生物膜 是由复杂化学物质组成的。

For example, many microbes build cell walls for protection,

例如，许多微生物建细胞壁 是为了保护自己，

so the wall material has to be resistant to biochemical attack.

所以细胞壁物质就必须 能够抵抗生化攻击。

When the microbes die, their corpses, especially those cell walls,

当微生物死亡时，它们的遗体， 尤其是这些细胞壁，

can stick around for a really long time, maybe even thousands of years.

能够留存很长一段时间， 甚至可能几千年。

In this way, soil acts a lot like a bank vault for carbon.

这样一来，土壤所起到的作用 就很像一个储碳的银行金库。

More carbon in the bank means healthier soil

银行中的碳越多就意味着更健康的土壤，

and less greenhouse gas buildup in the atmosphere.

以及大气中积累的温室气体会更少。

Microbes are sort of like the Federal Reserve.

微生物有点像美联储。

They can take cash off the street in the form of these plant sugars

它们能将行道树的 “现金” - 也就是糖分取走，

and lock it away in a chemical vault for long-term storage.

并将其锁在化学 “金库” 里以长期储存。

With the science of climate change becoming more and more obvious every day,

随着气候变化带来的影响日益显著，

we need to figure out how to adapt, for sure.

我们就当然需要明白怎样去适应。

Some scary outcomes, like emerging microbial diseases,

一些可怕的后果， 例如新的微生物疾病，

are definitely something we need to plan for.

我们绝对是需要做好准备的。

But microbes can be a part of the climate solution

但如果我们弄清楚如何 利用这些微生物的多样性，

if we figure out how to leverage all that microbiome diversity.

微生物或许可以成为 解决气候变化的一种办法。

To be honest, though, making sense out of complex microbiomes

说实话，尽管弄明白复杂的微生物组

is still a big scientific challenge.

依旧是一项巨大的科学挑战。

Their complexity is both a blessing and a curse.

它们的复杂性既是福也是祸。

We're only beginning to understand

我们才刚刚开始理解

all the strange and wonderful microbial lifestyles

微生物那些自地球生命起源以来

that have been evolving since the origins of life on Earth.

就演化着的奇怪又绝妙的生活方式。

This digital artwork called "Microbes Reimagined"

这个数字艺术作品名为“微生物重想” (Microbes Reimagined)

does a great job of capturing that sense of mystery.

在捕捉神秘感上把握得非常好。

But one thing we do know for sure is that microbes are not just pathogens.

但有一件事我们可以确定 就是微生物不等于病原菌。

Our lives literally depend on them.

我们的生命确确实实依靠着它们。

So next time you take a breath outside,

所以下次你在户外呼吸的时候，

imagine all those oxygen-spewing cyanobacteria

想象一下那些吐着氧气

floating around in the ocean,

在海洋中漂浮的蓝藻菌吧，

and when the time comes

而当人生最后的时刻来临，

and you draw in that last and final breath,

你吸入最后一口空气，

take comfort in knowing that soil microbes will be there

欣慰地感知到土壤微生物会

to turn your body into useful nutrients.

将你的身体化为有用的养分。

Even as we enjoy these benefits of microbiomes,

尽管我们享受着微生物带来的益处，

climate change remains a potentially existential threat to our well-being.

气候变化还是对我们的福祉 构成了潜在的生存威胁。

But dangerous climate change is not inevitable, at least not yet.

但危险的气候变化并非无法避免， 至少现在还不是。

With the right cutting-edge research,

有了针对性的前沿研究，

diverse microbiomes could become a big part of the solution

种类多样的微生物 就能成为解决气候问题的

to our climate problem.

重要办法。

Thank you.

感谢观看。