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Plummeting insect numbers ‘threaten collapse of nature’
昆虫数量锐减“预示生态崩溃”
Insects could vanish within a century at current rate of decline, says global review.
一项全球性的报告显示，按照目前的减少速度，昆虫可能在一个世纪内灭绝。
The world’s insects are hurtling down the path to extinction, threatening a “catastrophic collapse of nature’s ecosystems”, according to the first global scientific review. More than 40% of insect species are declining and a third are endangered, the analysis found. The rate of extinction is eight times faster than that of mammals, birds and reptiles.
首个全球性的（昆虫）科学调查显示，世界上的昆虫正快速走向灭亡，这预示着“自然生态系统一次灾难性的崩溃”。分析结果表明，超过 40%的昆虫种类正在减少，而且有三分之一的昆虫种类处于濒危状态。昆虫的灭绝速度比哺乳动物、鸟类和爬行动物快 8 倍。
“It should be of huge concern to all of us, for insects are at the heart of every food web, they pollinate the large majority of plant species, keep the soil healthy, recycle nutrients, control pests, and much more. Love them or loathe them, we humans cannot survive without insects,” said Prof Dave Goulson at the University of Sussex in the UK.
英国萨塞克斯大学戴夫·古尔森教授说：“对我们所有人来说，这一情况应该是特别令人担忧的，因为昆虫处在每个‘食物网’的中心。它们可以给大部分种类的植物授粉，保持土壤的健康，回收养分，控制害虫数目等等。不管我们对待昆虫的态度是‘爱’还是‘恨’，离开了它们，我们人类无法生存。”
The analysis, published in the journal Biological Conservation, says intensive agriculture is the main driver of the declines, particularly the heavy use of pesticides. Urbanisation and climate change are also significant factors.
这项刊登在《生物保护》期刊上的研究分析表示，集约型农业，特别是其中杀虫剂的大量使用，是昆虫数量减少的罪魁祸首。城市化和气候变化也是重要因素。
One of the biggest impacts of insect loss is on the many birds, reptiles, amphibians and fish that eat insects. A small number of adaptable species are increasing in number, but not nearly enough to outweigh the big losses.
昆虫锐减带来的严重后果之一，便是影响了众多以昆虫为食的鸟类、爬行动物、两栖动物和鱼类。少数适应性强的昆虫种类数目正在增加，但和大量减少的昆虫数目相比，就是小巫见大巫了。
Matt Shardlow, at the conservation charity Buglife, said: “It is gravely sobering to see this collation of evidence that demonstrates the pitiful state of the world’s insect populations. It is increasingly obvious that the planet’s ecology is breaking and there is a need for an intense and global effort to halt and reverse these dreadful trends.”
来自自然保护慈善机构 Buglife 的马特·夏德洛说：“这份整理出的证据展现了世界昆虫种群的可悲现状，实在是发人深省。地球生态正变得支离破碎，这一点越来越明显了。我们需要不懈的努力和全世界的共同应对，来阻止和扭转这些可怕的趋势。”
————— 文章来源 / 卫报
重点词汇
plummet/ˈplʌmɪt/
v. 暴跌，急剧下降
- 例句：House prices have plummeted in recent months.
threaten/ˈθretn/
v. 预示凶兆
- 例句：The clouds threatened rain.
collapse/kəˈlæps/
n. （系统、组织、企业等的）崩溃，瓦解，失败
- 例句：The chair collapsed under his weight. (v.)
hurtle/ˈhɜːrtl/
v. 快速移动；（尤指危险地）猛冲
- 英文释义：to move very fast, especially in a way that seems dangerous
- 例句：The truck came hurtling towards us.
catastrophic/ˌkætəˈstrɑːfɪk/
adj. 灾难性的，惨重的
- 词性拓展：catastrophe (n.)
- 搭配短语：a catastrophic earthquake
endangered/ɪnˈdeɪndʒərd/
adj. 濒危的
- 词性拓展：endanger (v.)
- 词根词缀：en-（使某物处于某种状态）
- 词根词缀：danger（危险）
- 搭配短语：endangered species
mammal/ˈmæml/
n. 哺乳动物
reptile/ˈreptaɪl/
n. 爬行动物
at the heart of sth.
位于…的中心
- 同义词：at the core of sth.
food web
n. 食物网
pollinate/ˈpɑːləneɪt/
v. 给…授粉
- 相关词汇：pollen (n.)
nutrient/ˈnuːtriənt/
n. 养分；营养物，滋养物
- 例句：A healthy diet should provide all your essential nutrients.
loathe/loʊð/
v. 恨，憎恨；厌恶
- 反义词：love
- 搭配短语：loathe doing sth.
- 例句：I loathe doing housework.
intensive/ɪnˈtensɪv/
adj. 密集的，集中的
- 英文释义：involving a lot of effort or activity in a short period of time
- 搭配短语：intensive training
driver/ˈdraɪvər/
n. 推动因素，驱动因素
- 例句：Housing is a key driver of the economy.
pesticide/ˈpestɪsaɪd/
n. 杀虫剂，农药
- 相关词汇：pest（n. 害虫）
- 词根词缀：-cide（杀）
- 派生词：suicide
amphibian/æmˈfɪbiən/
n. 两栖动物
- 词根词缀：amphi-（两种）
- 派生词：amphicar
- 词根词缀：bi（生命）
- 派生词：biology
adaptable/əˈdæptəbl/
adj. 有适应能力的，能适应的；适应性强的
- 例句：The survivors are those who are adaptable to change.
outweigh/ˌaʊtˈweɪ/
v. 比…更重要；重于；大于
- 词根词缀：out-（超过）
- 派生词：outnumber; outlive
- 例句：The benefits of this treatment far outweigh any risks.
gravely/ˈɡreɪvli/
adv. 严重地；严肃地
- 词性拓展：grave（n. 坟墓）
- 同义词：seriously
- 例句：She is gravely ill.
sobering/ˈsoʊbərɪŋ/
adj. 令人警醒的，使人冷静的
- 相关词汇：sober（adj. 清醒的）
- 搭配短语：sober up
- 例句：Sober-up tea can sober you up.
- 英文释义：making you feel serious or think about serious matters
collation/kəˈleɪʃn/
n. 核对，对照（不同来源的信息）；整理（文件或书）
- 词性拓展：collate (v.)
- 搭配短语：the collation of information
halt/hɔːlt/
v. 使突然停止
dreadful/ˈdredfl/
adj. 可怕的，糟糕的
- 英文释义：very bad or unpleasant
- 搭配短语：a dreadful accident
- 例句：What dreadful weather!