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旁白：听一段海洋生物学的演讲。

Narrator: Listen to part of a lecture in a marine biology class.

教授：我们关于珊瑚礁的讨论已经很彻底了，这些当然是由微小的珊瑚动物生产出来的石灰岩躯壳支撑的显著的海洋特征。

Professor: So we have been fairly thorough in our discussion about coral reefs, which of course are prominent, oceanic features made of hard limestone skeletons produced by tiny coral animals.

我们已经重温了珊瑚礁通常在哪里形成——沿着热带或者亚热带地区的浅海岸边，以及它们正以惊人的速度锐减。

We've gone over where coral reefs are usually formed–along the edges of shallow ocean banks in tropical or subtropical regions, and the fact that they are declining at an alarming rate.

但是我不想留给你们所有都已经消失的印象。

But I don't want to leave you with the impression that all is lost.

当今有一些技术已经被运用，在确保礁石未来这一块，这些技术被证实是非常有用的。

There are several techniques being employed today that could prove useful in assuring the future of the reefs.

现在，我们已经深入讨论过珊瑚白化，或者变白，你可能记得，珊瑚白化是……珊瑚患病的一种症状。

Now, we've talked in depth about coral bleaching, or whitening, which as you recall, is a symptom of… well that the coral is suffering.

正如你们所知的，珊瑚对于水温非常敏感。

As you know, coral is very sensitive to water temperature.

在短时间内，即使海面温度升高一两度，也可能会引起白化。

Even though one or two degree Celsius rise in sea surface temperature for a relatively short amount of time can cause bleaching.

最近，研究人员已经使用水面温度检测获得的数据，去改善珊瑚从白化中恢复的能力。

Recently, researchers have used data collected by monitoring surface water temperatures to improve the ability of a reef to recover from bleaching.

未来的一个可能性是：检测的改善可以帮助预测白化会在哪里、什么时间发生，这个可能使我们能够缓和它的影响。

One future possibility is that improved monitoring can help predict where and when bleaching will occur, which might potentially enable us to mitigate its effects.

有另一个技术也被实验用来帮助珊瑚礁从白化中恢复。

And there's another technique that's been experimented with to try to help coral reefs recover from bleaching.

这个牵涉到将一个年轻珊瑚从一个健康的礁石上移到一个衰退的礁石上，通过鼓励健康珊瑚去接管而使得衰退的珊瑚可以再生。

This involves moving young coral from a healthy reef onto a degraded reef, you know, in an attempt to regenerate the degraded reef by encouraging young healthy coral to take over.

这个方法获得了一定的成功，但是这个还是有点争议。

There has been some success with this, but it's still somewhat controversial.

一些科学家们支持这个方法因为，首先，你不必依赖现存的珊瑚去自我修复，因为它也许并没有能力去恢复。

Some scientists support it because, well for one thing, it means you don't have to rely on the existing coral to reestablish itself because it might not be able to.

但是在我看来，移植珊瑚只能被用作为最后的手段。

But in my opinion, transplanting coral should only be used as, well, as a last resort.

我的意思是，这个方法不仅费钱，而且即便它成功了，这始终无法解决持续出现的问题，找出退化的根本原因，这个远远优于找出一个有效的解决方案。

I mean, this method is not only costly but it's, well, even if it's successful, it still fails to address the ongoing problem, the root causes of the degradation, which really is paramount to devising an effective solution.

所以，我并没有对他们在移植方面取得的成功感到欣慰。

So I don't really take comfort in the successes they have had with transplantation.

也许，对于我们时间更有建设性地使用，应该放在研究那些存活下来的珊瑚上，比如在一个叫做残遗种保护区的地方。

Perhaps some more constructive use of our time could be spent at researching corals that do survive, like in areas known as refugia.

残遗种保护区这个地方的礁石似乎对白化有很好的抵御能力。

Refugia are areas on the reef that are seemingly, well resistant to bleaching.

当珊瑚礁经历白化的时候，很少是整个礁石都被影响了。

See, when coral reefs experience bleaching, it's rarely a case of the whole reef being affected.

在礁石上面总有一些珊瑚是没有被影响的。

There are almost always pockets of coral on the reefs that remain unaffected.

而这些未受影响的往往是在礁石较低的区域，在深水中的那些，而深水的气温也较低。

And these are often the lower areas of the reef, those located in deeper water, where temperatures are lower.

现在，我们有证据表明，这些地方的珊瑚是能够是可以避开较浅水域，或者较温暖水域部分礁石所感染的破坏性的白化。

Now, we have evidence that corals in these locations are able to escape the destructive bleaching that affects portions of the reef in shallower or warmer water.

所以，我想，这些残遗种保护区是全部珊瑚礁石恢复力的重要部分。

So in my mind, it's these refugia that are the key components of overall reef resilience.

这些应该是研究人员重点研究的区域，为了去定位并且保护这些区域，从而维护这些珊瑚礁。

These should be the area of concentration for researchers to locate and protect those regions as a way to sustain coral reefs.

我们也可以通过保护周边生态系统来保护礁石，比如红树林和海草床。

And we can also protect the reefs by protecting the surrounding ecosystems, like mangrove forests and seagrass beds.

这两个都在沿海水域生长，通常在珊瑚礁的附近。

Both of these grow in coastal waters, often in the vicinity of coral reefs.

通过保护这些区域，我们同样也保护了珊瑚。

By protecting these areas, we also protect the coral.

Let's take, for example, the mangrove forests.

红树林的根系有能力将流经他们的沉积物和污染物，在它们进入海洋之前，吸收并且很好地困住。

Mangrove root systems have the ability to absorb and well trap sediments and pollutants in water that flows through them before they enter the ocean.

这个对于附近的珊瑚礁有着非常意义的结果。

This of course has beneficial results for the nearby coral reefs.

And fishery's management is another key strategy.

过度打捞对于珊瑚来说是非常有破坏力的。

Overfishing can be seriously disruptive to coral.

对于某些鱼类或者甲壳类的动物的过度捕捞，如鲷鱼、梭鱼类、甚至是龙虾。

Overfishing certain species of fish and shellfish like snappers, barracudas and even lobsters.

这些生物都是以蜗牛、蠕虫和其他一些吃珊瑚的生物体为食物。

Well, all of these creatures feed on snails, worms and other organisms that eat coral.

所以，比如，减少龙虾的数量，意味着增加了珊瑚减少的威胁。

So depleting the number of lobsters, for example, means that we are adding to the threat of coral decline.

他们吃藻类并且防止藻类破坏珊瑚。

They eat algae and prevent it from overwhelming the coral.

由于在南佛罗里达海岸线海胆的消失，许多珊瑚礁已经被失控疯长的海藻给窒息了。

Since the disappearance of sea urchins from the waters up the coast of South Florida, many coral reefs there have been smothered by the uncontrolled growth of algae.

According to the professor, how might researchers predict the onset of coral bleaching in the future?

What is the professor's opinion about coral transplantation?

What does the professor imply about the impact of mangrove forests on coral-reef ecosystems?

According to the professor, what effect do lobsters and sea urchin have on a coral reef?

Narrator 
Listen to part of a lecture in a marine biology class. 
Professor 
So we have been fairly thorough in our discussion about coral reefs, which of course are prominent, oceanic features made of hard limestone skeletons produced by tiny coral animals. We’ve gone over where coral reefs are usually formed – along the edges of shallow ocean banks in tropical or subtropical regions, and the fact that they are declining at an alarming rate. 
But I don’t want to leave you with the impression that all is lost. There are several techniques being employed today that could prove useful in assuring the future of the reefs. 
Now, we’ve talked in depth about coral bleaching, or whitening, which as you recall, is a symptom of …well that the coral is suffering. As you know, coral is very sensitive to water temperature. Even though one or two degree Celsius rise in sea surface temperature for a relatively short amount of time can cause bleaching. Recently, researchers have used data 
collected by monitoring surface water temperatures to improve the ability of a reef to recover from bleaching. One future possibility is that improved monitoring can help predict where and when bleaching will occur, which might potentially enable us to mitigate its effects. 
And there’s another technique that’s been experimented with to try to help coral reefs recover from bleaching. It’s called coral transplantation. This involves moving young coral from a healthy reef onto a degraded reef, you know, in an attempt to regenerate the degraded reef by encouraging young healthy coral to take over. There has been some success with this, but it’s still somewhat controversial. Some scientists support it because, well for one thing, it means you don’t have to rely on the existing coral to reestablish itself because it might not be able to. But in my opinion, transplanting coral should only be used as … well as a last resort. I mean, this method is not only costly but it’s … well even if it’s successful, it still fails to address the ongoing problem, the root causes of the degradation, which really is paramount to devising an effective solution. 
So I don’t really take comfort in the successes they have had with transplantation. 
Perhaps some more constructive use of our time could be spent at researching corals that do survive, like in areas known as refugia. Refugia are areas on the reef that are seemingly, well resistant to bleaching. See, when coral reefs experience bleaching, it’s rarely a case of the whole reef being affected. There are almost always pockets of coral on the reefs that remain unaffected. And these are often the lower areas of the reef, those located in deeper water, where temperatures are lower. 
Now, we have evidence that corals in these locations are able to escape the destructive bleaching that affects portions of the reef in shallower or warmer water. So in my mind, it’s these refugia that are the key components of overall reef resilience. These should be the area of concentration for researchers to locate and protect those regions as a way to sustain coral reefs. And we can also protect the reefs by protecting the surrounding ecosystems, like mangrove forests and seagrass beds. Both of these grow in coastal waters, often in the vicinity of coral reefs. By protecting these areas, we also protect the coral. Let’s take, for example, the mangrove forests. Mangrove root systems have the ability to absorb and well trap sediments and pollutants in water that flows through them before they enter the ocean. This of course has beneficial results for the nearby 
coral reefs. 
Now, we have evidence that corals in these locations are able to escape the destructive bleaching that affects portions of the reef in shallower or warmer water. So in my mind, it’s these refugia that are the key components of overall reef resilience. These should be the area of concentration for researchers to locate and protect those regions as a way to sustain coral reefs. And we can also protect the reefs by protecting the surrounding ecosystems, like mangrove forests and seagrass beds. Both of these grow in coastal waters, often in the vicinity of coral reefs. By protecting these areas, we also protect the coral. Let’s take, for example, the mangrove forests. Mangrove root systems have the ability to absorb and well trap sediments and pollutants in water that flows through them before they enter the ocean. This of course has beneficial results for the nearby 
coral reefs. 
And fishery’s management is another key strategy. Overfishing can be seriously disruptive to coral. Let me give you a couple of examples. Overfishing certain species of fish and shellfish like snappers, barracudas and even lobsters. Well，all of these creatures feed on snails, worms and other organisms that eat coral. So depleting the number of lobsters, for example, means that we are adding to the threat of coral decline. Sea urchins are another example. They eat algae and prevent it from overwhelming the coral. Since the disappearance of sea urchins from the waters up the coast of South Florida, many coral reefs there have been smothered by the uncontrolled growth of algae.