These Coral Reefs Are Doing Well in Gulf of Mexico

These Coral Reefs Are Doing Well in Gulf of Mexico

这些珊瑚礁在墨西哥湾的状况良好

【原文听力】

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　　By Dan Friedell

　　23 November 2023

　　The U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) says changes in ocean temperature are the leading cause of coral bleaching around the world.

　　From Australia's Great Barrier Reef to the waters of Florida, it happens when warm water causes corals to expel their colorful algae and turn white.

　　Derek Manzello is the head of Coral Reef Watch, which is part of NOAA. He said at least 35 countries and territories across five oceans and seas reported coral bleaching.

　　He said that by the year 2040, all of the world's coral will suffer from bleaching if water temperatures do not cool. He said coral needs extended periods of cooler water to recover from bleaching. If the water does not cool, he said, "the corals aren't going to have a chance to recover."

　　Gulf of Mexico corals

　　But in the Gulf of Mexico, about 160 kilometers south of Galveston, Texas, a large coral reef is still doing well.

　　The reef is part of the Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary. The reef formation covers over 400 square kilometers. It started with just two reef areas, called banks, in 1992. It now has 17 banks. It is described as undersea mountains of yellow, orange and pink coral as far as the eye can see.

　　Michelle Johnston oversees the protected marine area for the federal government. She said seeing that much coral in one place is "magnificent" and rare.

　　Johnston said fishermen used to tell the story of a colorful area in the Gulf of Mexico far from shore 100 years ago. But, scientists were uncertain that a coral reef could exist in such deep water. When divers finally reached the reef in the 1960s, they were surprised to find marine life. Johnston said the plants and animals do so well because the reef formed on top of mountain-like salt domes, high enough to catch sunlight.

　　During the recent summer of record-breaking heat, Johnston said, the reef did experience some bleaching but nothing as serious as in other parts of the world. But that does not mean the reef in the Gulf of Mexico is not vulnerable to climate change. She is concerned about the area getting too hot and the coral dying off.

　　Officials who watch over Flower Garden Banks say the reef has suffered more serious bleaching in the past, but its depth and health helped it recover. The reef is deeper – 18 meters - than many others that are often just offshore.

　　Andy Lewis of Houston, Texas first saw the reef about 10 years ago. He loved it so much that he became an expert diver and started a company that leads dives to Flower Garden Banks.

　　"It's just a real adventure," he said.

　　Scientists are working to help the reefs stay healthy. For example, boats are not permitted to anchor themselves to the reefs. They must connect to special floating cables to stay in one place. Other workers help remove invasive fish and creatures from the area.

　　Kelly Drinnen is an education and outreach specialist for the Flower Garden Banks. She said, "because coral reefs are declining all over the globe, when we find ones that are healthy, we want to keep them that way." Drinnen added that they could also provide information that can help other reefs stay healthy or recover from bleaching.

　　In 2010, the Flower Garden Banks corals were not damaged by the large oil spill that followed the Deepwater Horizon explosion. Other reefs in the Gulf of Mexico were. So, researchers are using data from the reef to help guide the restoration of the damaged ones.

　　Researchers are also comparing the genetics of Flower Garden Banks corals to corals in other parts of the world. And they hope to grow and possibly replant them in other places.

　　I'm Dan Friedell.

　　Dan Friedell adapted this story for Learning English based on a report by the Associated Press.

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　　作者：Dan Friedell

　　日期：2023年11月23日

　　美国国家海洋和大气管理局(NOAA)表示，海洋温度的变化是全球珊瑚白化的主要原因。

　　从澳大利亚的大堡礁到佛罗里达的海域，当温暖的水导致珊瑚排出他们的色彩鲜艳的藻类并变白时，这种现象就会发生。

　　Derek Manzello是珊瑚礁观察的负责人，该组织是NOAA的一部分。他说，至少有35个国家和地区在五个海洋和海域报告了珊瑚白化。

　　他说，如果水温不降低，到2040年，全世界的珊瑚都将遭受白化的影响。他说，珊瑚需要长时间的凉水来恢复白化。如果水温不降低，他说，“珊瑚将没有机会恢复。”

　　墨西哥湾的珊瑚但在墨西哥湾，距离德克萨斯州加尔维斯顿以南约160公里的地方，有一个大型珊瑚礁仍然状况良好。

　　这个珊瑚礁是花园银行国家海洋保护区的一部分。珊瑚礁覆盖了400多平方公里。它始于1992年的两个珊瑚礁区域，称为银行，现在已经有17个银行。它被描述为海底的黄色、橙色和粉红色珊瑚山，一眼望不到边。

　　米歇尔·约翰斯顿负责联邦政府的保护海洋区域。她说，在一个地方看到那么多的珊瑚是“壮观的”和罕见的。

　　约翰斯顿说，渔民曾经讲述过一个故事，100年前在墨西哥湾远离海岸的地方有一个色彩斑斓的区域。但是，科学家们不确定珊瑚礁能否存在于如此深的水域。当潜水员在1960年代终于到达珊瑚礁时，他们惊讶地发现了海洋生物。约翰斯顿说，植物和动物能够如此茁壮成长，是因为珊瑚礁形成在山一样的盐穹顶上，高得足以捕捉阳光。

　　在最近破纪录的热浪夏季，约翰斯顿说，珊瑚礁确实经历了一些白化，但并没有像世界其他地方那样严重。但这并不意味着墨西哥湾的珊瑚礁不会受到气候变化的影响。她担心该地区变得过热，珊瑚死亡。

　　负责监督花园银行的官员表示，珊瑚礁在过去曾经遭受过更严重的白化，但其深度和健康状况帮助它恢复。这个珊瑚礁比许多常常就在近海的珊瑚礁要深——18米。

　　德克萨斯州休斯顿的安迪·刘易斯大约10年前首次看到这个珊瑚礁。他非常喜欢它，于是成为了一名专家潜水员，并开设了一家引导人们前往花园银行潜水的公司。

　　他说：“这真的是一次真正的冒险。”

　　科学家们正在努力帮助珊瑚礁保持健康。例如，船只不允许把自己锚定在珊瑚礁上。他们必须连接到特殊的浮动电缆才能停在一个地方。其他工作人员帮助从该地区清除入侵的鱼类和生物。

　　凯利·德林恩是花园银行的教育和外联专家。她说，“因为全球的珊瑚礁正在衰退，当我们发现有健康的珊瑚礁时，我们希望保持它们的状态。”德林恩补充说，他们也可以提供有助于其他珊瑚礁保持健康或从白化中恢复的信息。

　　2010年，花园银行的珊瑚并未受到深水地平线爆炸后的大规模石油泄漏的损害。墨西哥湾的其他珊瑚礁受到了损害。因此，研究人员正在使用来自珊瑚礁的数据来指导损坏珊瑚礁的修复。

　　研究人员也在比较花园银行珊瑚和世界其他地方珊瑚的基因。他们希望能够在其他地方种植并可能重新种植它们。

　　我是丹·弗里德尔。

　　丹·弗里德尔根据美联社的报道为英语学习改编了这个故事。

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　　这个故事中的词汇

　　algae –n. 生长在水中或水边的简单植物

　　coral reef –n. 位于温暖，通常是浅水中的一长串珊瑚

　　magnificent –adj. 用来形容某事物不寻常且非常令人印象深刻

　　dome –n. 高大且顶部圆润的东西，如建筑物的圆顶

　　vulnerable –adj. 有可能受到伤害或受伤的

　　anchor –v. 将某物（如船）连接到海底或其他物体，使其不会移动

　　invasive –adj. 生活在不属于它的地方且没有其他捕食者的生物

　　globe –n. 世界，地球