英文阅读37——Sea ice loss linked to spread of deadly virus

文章中将出现的生词：

pathogen：n. 病菌，病原体

devastate：vt. 毁坏；使荒芜；在感情上(精神上、财务上等)压垮

Climate change: Sea ice loss linked to spread of deadly virus气候变化：海冰的流失与致命病毒的传播有关

By Matt McGrath

Environment correspondent

The decline in sea ice seen in the Arctic in recent decades has been linked by scientists to the spread of a deadly virus in marine mammals. 科学家发现，近几十年来北极海冰数量的减少与致命病毒在海洋哺乳动物中的传播有关。

Researchers found that Phocine distemper virus (PDV) had spread from animals in the North Atlantic to populations in the North Pacific. 研究人员发现，Phocine Distemper病毒（PDV）已从北大西洋的动物传播到北太平洋的种群。

The scientists say the spread of pathogens could become more common as ice declines further. 科学家们说，随着冰的进一步减少，病原体的传播可能会变得更加普遍。

The 15-year study tracked seals, sea lions and otters via satellite. 这项为期15年的研究通过卫星跟踪了海豹，海狮和水獭。

The loss of sea ice in the Arctic has been one of the most visible signs of climate change on the planet over the past four decades. According to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, the ice has been retreating by around 12% per decade between 1979 and 2018. 过去四十年来，北极海冰的流失一直是地球上气候变化最明显的迹象之一。根据政府间气候变化专门委员会的数据，1979年至2018年期间，冰每十年减少约12％。

"These sea ice changes in September are likely unprecedented for at least 1,000 years. Arctic sea ice has thinned, concurrent with a transition to younger ice. Between 1979 and 2018, the real proportion of multi-year ice that is at least five years old has declined by approximately 90%," the IPCC said in their report on the oceans and the cryospherepublished in September. “

9月份的这些海冰变化可能至少有1000年史无前例的历史。北极海冰变薄了，同时过渡到了更年轻的冰。在1979年至2018年期间，至少有5年历史的多年冰的真实比例下降了约90％。” IPCC 在9月份发表的有关海洋和冰冻圈的报告中说。

Against this changing background, researchers have investigated the likely spread of the PDV infection, which caused a large number of deaths among harbour seals in the North Atlantic in 2002. 在这种变化的背景下，研究人员调查了PDV感染的可能传播，该病毒在2002年导致北大西洋海豹之间大量死亡。

But outbreaks of the virus had not been seen in marine creatures in the North Pacific until 2004 when PDV was found in northern sea otters in Alaska. 但是直到2004年才在北太平洋的海洋生物中发现这种病毒的爆发，当时在阿拉斯加的北海獭中发现了PDV。

Samples were collected from 2,500 marine mammals in a variety of locations over the course of the study. Satellite data from tagged animals recorded locations. This was correlated with data on sea ice loss. 在研究过程中，从不同地点的2500个海洋哺乳动物中采集了样本。来自标记动物的卫星数据记录了位置。这与有关海冰损失的数据相关。

The scientists say that the record melt in August 2002 was followed by widespread exposure and infection with PDV in Steller sea lions in the North Pacific in 2003 and 2004 with over 30% of animals testing positive. PDV prevalence then declined until it peaked again in 2009, following on from the presence of open water routes in 2008.

科学家们说，在2002年8月创纪录的融化之后，2003年和2004年在北太平洋斯特勒海狮中广泛暴露和感染了PDV，超过30％的动物测试呈阳性。之后，PDV的流行率下降，直到2008年开放水路出现之后，2009年再次达到峰值。

"The loss of sea ice is leading marine wildlife to seek and forage in new habitats and removing that physical barrier, allowing for new pathways for them to move," said author Dr Tracey Goldstein, from the University of California, Davis. 加州大学戴维斯分校的特蕾西·戈德斯坦博士说：“海冰的流失正在导致海洋野生动植物在新的栖息地寻找和觅食，并消除了这种物理障碍，为它们的移动提供了新的途径。”

"As animals move and come in contact with other species, they carry opportunities to introduce and transmit new infectious disease, with potentially devastating impacts." “随着动物移动并与其他物种接触，它们带来了引入和传播新的传染病的机会，具有潜在的破坏性影响。”

The authors warn that this trend could continue as they believe climate driven changes in the Arctic ocean will increase. The opportunities for the spread of pathogens will likely grow, with uncertain health outcomes for many species. 作者警告说，这种趋势可能会持续下去，因为他们相信北冰洋的气候驱动变化将会增加。病原体传播的机会可能会增加，许多物种的健康结果尚不确定。

The study has been publishedin the journal, Scientific Reports. 该研究已经发表在《科学报告》杂志上。