塞伦盖蒂平原修筑公路将阻碍动物迁徙
文章来源:未知 文章作者:enread 发布时间:2011-02-01 01:51 字体: [ ]  进入论坛
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Building a highway through Serengeti National Park may devastate1 one of the world's last large-scale herd2 migrations4 and the region's ecosystem5, according to new research by an international team of ecologists, including a University of Guelph professor. The study by John Fryxell, a Guelph integrative biology professor, and four other scientists from the United States and Canada appears in a recent issue of PLoS ONE, a peer-reviewed international journal published by the Public Library of Science.

The researchers studied the effects of a proposal by the Tanzanian government to build a road that would bisect(平分) the northern portion of Serengeti National Park.

The Serengeti is one of few remaining places where large-scale migrations still occur, with nearly two million wildebeest(牛羚) , antelope6(羚羊) and zebras looping the plains from Tanzania to Kenya and back each year.

The researchers found that the road may cause a 35-per-cent reduction in wildebeest herds7, plus direct and indirect effects on many other species and ecosystem processes.

The study did not consider other potential negative effects, such as car accidents, development or increased poaching(非法狩猎) , which would reduce herd numbers even further.

"This project has the potential to transform one of the greatest wonders in the world and one of the world's most iconic national parks," said Fryxell, who worked on the study with lead author Ricardo Holdo from the University of Missouri and professors from the University of British Columbia, Princeton University and the University of Florida.

The researchers used simulation models of wildebeest movement and population dynamics8 to predict the effects of the proposed highway, which could block the northern part of the migration3 route and access to water in the dry season.

Fryxell said that fragmenting(破碎,分割) the landscape disrupts movement patterns and the wildebeest's ability to track changes in forage9(饲料,草料) resources across the landscape. The effect would be a one-third reduction in herd size.

"The wildebeest migration plays an important role in a number of key ecological10 processes, so this finding has important ramifications11(分枝,分叉) for ecosystem biodiversity, structure and function," Fryxell said.

Fryxell has studied migration for more than 30 years. Last fall, his research was featured in National Geographic's epic12 Great Migrations. The seven-part series took three years to produce and was filmed in 20 countries on all seven continents. Fryxell appeared in a segment on the science of migration that included his extensive footage shot in the Serengeti.



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1 devastate PZRzy     
v.使荒芜,破坏,压倒
参考例句:
  • A few days before,a fire had devastated large parts of Windsor Castle.几天前,温莎城堡的大部分被一场大火烧毁。
  • Earthquakes can also cause tsunamis,which devastate coastal regions.地震还引发海啸,它直接破坏海岸地区。
2 herd Pd8zb     
n.兽群,牧群;vt.使集中,把…赶在一起
参考例句:
  • She drove the herd of cattle through the wilderness.她赶着牛群穿过荒野。
  • He had no opinions of his own but simply follow the herd.他从无主见,只是人云亦云。
3 migration mDpxj     
n.迁移,移居,(鸟类等的)迁徙
参考例句:
  • Swallows begin their migration south in autumn.燕子在秋季开始向南方迁移。
  • He described the vernal migration of birds in detail.他详细地描述了鸟的春季移居。
4 migrations 2d162e07be0cf65cc1054b2128c60258     
n.迁移,移居( migration的名词复数 )
参考例句:
  • It foundered during the turmoils accompanying the Great Migrations. 它在随着民族大迁徙而出现的混乱中崩溃。 来自辞典例句
  • Birds also have built-in timepieces which send them off on fall and spring migrations. 鸟类也有天生的时间感应器指导它们秋春迁移。 来自互联网
5 ecosystem Wq4xz     
n.生态系统
参考例句:
  • This destroyed the ecosystem of the island.这样破坏了岛上的生态系统。
  • We all have an interest in maintaining the integrity of the ecosystem.维持生态系统的完整是我们共同的利益。
6 antelope fwKzN     
n.羚羊;羚羊皮
参考例句:
  • Choosing the antelope shows that China wants a Green Olympics.选择藏羚羊表示中国需要绿色奥运。
  • The tiger was dragging the antelope across the field.老虎拖着羚羊穿过原野。
7 herds 0a162615f6eafc3312659a54a8cdac0f     
兽群( herd的名词复数 ); 牧群; 人群; 群众
参考例句:
  • Regularly at daybreak they drive their herds to the pasture. 每天天一亮他们就把牲畜赶到草场上去。
  • There we saw herds of cows grazing on the pasture. 我们在那里看到一群群的牛在草地上吃草。
8 dynamics NuSzQq     
n.力学,动力学,动力,原动力;动态
参考例句:
  • In order to succeed,you must master complicated knowledge of dynamics.要取得胜利,你必须掌握很复杂的动力学知识。
  • Dynamics is a discipline that cannot be mastered without extensive practice.动力学是一门不做大量习题就不能掌握的学科。
9 forage QgyzP     
n.(牛马的)饲料,粮草;v.搜寻,翻寻
参考例句:
  • They were forced to forage for clothing and fuel.他们不得不去寻找衣服和燃料。
  • Now the nutritive value of the forage is reduced.此时牧草的营养价值也下降了。
10 ecological IrRxX     
adj.生态的,生态学的
参考例句:
  • The region has been declared an ecological disaster zone.这个地区已经宣布为生态灾难区。
  • Each animal has its ecological niche.每种动物都有自己的生态位.
11 ramifications 45f4d7d5a0d59c5d453474d22bf296ae     
n.结果,后果( ramification的名词复数 )
参考例句:
  • These changes are bound to have widespread social ramifications. 这些变化注定会造成许多难以预料的社会后果。
  • What are the ramifications of our decision to join the union? 我们决定加入工会会引起哪些后果呢? 来自《简明英汉词典》
12 epic ui5zz     
n.史诗,叙事诗;adj.史诗般的,壮丽的
参考例句:
  • I gave up my epic and wrote this little tale instead.我放弃了写叙事诗,而写了这个小故事。
  • They held a banquet of epic proportions.他们举行了盛大的宴会。
TAG标签: species road migrations
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