全球变暖使动物数量下降
文章来源:未知 文章作者:enread 发布时间:2011-09-29 02:25 字体: [ ]  进入论坛
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The way in which global warming causes many of the world's organisms to shrink has been revealed by new research from Queen Mary, University of London. Almost all cold-blooded organisms are affected1 by a phenomenon known as the 'temperature-size rule', which describes how individuals of the same species reach a smaller adult size when reared at warmer temperatures. But until now, scientists have not fully2 understood how these size changes take place.

Writing in the journal The American Naturalist3, Dr Andrew Hirst and colleagues from Queen Mary's School of Biological and Chemical Sciences explore this unusual shrinking effect in more detail, and show conclusively4(最后地) how it occurs.

Funded by the Natural Environment Research Council, the study was carried out using data on marine5 planktonic7(浮游生物的) copepods. These tiny crustaceans8 are the main animal plankton6 in the world's oceans and are important grazers of smaller plankton and a food source for larger fish, birds and marine mammals.

By gathering9 together more than 40 years of research studying the effect of temperature on these organisms, their results show that growth rate (how fast mass is accumulated) and development rate (how fast an individual passes through its life stages) are consistently decoupled in a range of species, with development being more sensitive to temperature than growth.

Dr Hirst explains: "We've shown that growth and development increase at different rates as temperatures warm. The consequences are that at warmer temperatures a species grows faster but matures even faster still, resulting in them achieving a smaller adult size.

"Decoupling of these rates could have important consequences for individual species and ecosystems10," he added.

The team's findings suggest that rates fundamental to all organisms (such as mortality, reproduction and feeding), may not change in synch(同时,同步) with one another in a warming world. This could have profound implications for understanding how organisms work, and impact on entire food webs and the world's ecosystems.

Although the team's findings disagree with earlier assertions(断言,认定) of many macro-ecologists, they clearly explain the smaller sizes associated with the 'temperature-size rule'. They hope their work will help those investigating the potential impacts of climate change on the natural world.



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1 affected TzUzg0     
adj.不自然的,假装的
参考例句:
  • She showed an affected interest in our subject.她假装对我们的课题感到兴趣。
  • His manners are affected.他的态度不自然。
2 fully Gfuzd     
adv.完全地,全部地,彻底地;充分地
参考例句:
  • The doctor asked me to breathe in,then to breathe out fully.医生让我先吸气,然后全部呼出。
  • They soon became fully integrated into the local community.他们很快就完全融入了当地人的圈子。
3 naturalist QFKxZ     
n.博物学家(尤指直接观察动植物者)
参考例句:
  • He was a printer by trade and naturalist by avocation.他从事印刷业,同时是个博物学爱好者。
  • The naturalist told us many stories about birds.博物学家给我们讲述了许多有关鸟儿的故事。
4 conclusively NvVzwY     
adv.令人信服地,确凿地
参考例句:
  • All this proves conclusively that she couldn't have known the truth. 这一切无可置疑地证明她不可能知道真相。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • From the facts,he was able to determine conclusively that the death was not a suicide. 根据这些事实他断定这起死亡事件并非自杀。 来自《简明英汉词典》
5 marine 77Izo     
adj.海的;海生的;航海的;海事的;n.水兵
参考例句:
  • Marine creatures are those which live in the sea. 海洋生物是生存在海里的生物。
  • When the war broke out,he volunteered for the Marine Corps.战争爆发时,他自愿参加了海军陆战队。
6 plankton B2IzA     
n.浮游生物
参考例句:
  • Plankton is at the bottom of the marine food chain.浮游生物处于海洋食物链的最底层。
  • The plankton in the sea feeds many kinds of animals. 海的浮游生物成为很多种动物的食物。
7 planktonic 2c5a613b77b0c07117d54f76116dec2a     
[医] 浮游生物的
参考例句:
  • Warmer Winters: Are Planktonic Algal Populations in Sweden's Largest Lakes Affected? 暖冬:瑞典最大湖泊的浮游藻类种群是否受到影响?
  • They eat planktonic crustaceans and fish larvae. 以浮游的甲壳动物和鱼类幼体为食。
8 crustaceans 37ad1a9eb8e9867969edd084ce8032d5     
n.甲壳纲动物(如蟹、龙虾)( crustacean的名词复数 )
参考例句:
  • These crustaceans provide a valuable food source for some fish. 这些甲壳纲动物是某些鱼类重要的食物来源。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • When the tide ebbs it's a rock pool inhabited by crustaceans. 退潮时,它便成为甲壳动物居住的岩石区潮水潭。 来自辞典例句
9 gathering ChmxZ     
n.集会,聚会,聚集
参考例句:
  • He called on Mr. White to speak at the gathering.他请怀特先生在集会上讲话。
  • He is on the wing gathering material for his novels.他正忙于为他的小说收集资料。
10 ecosystems 94cb0e40a815bea1157ac8aab9a5380d     
n.生态系统( ecosystem的名词复数 )
参考例句:
  • There are highly sensitive and delicately balanced ecosystems in the forest. 森林里有高度敏感、灵敏平衡的各种生态系统。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • Madagascar's ecosystems range from rainforest to semi-desert. 马达加斯加生态系统类型多样,从雨林到半荒漠等不一而足。 来自辞典例句
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