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AConservationists have put the final touches to a giant artificial reef they have been assembling at the world-renowned Zoological Society of London (London Zoo). Samples of the planet's most spectacular corals – vivid green branching coral, yellow scroll, blue ridge and many more species – have been added to the giant tank along with fish that thrive in their presence: blue tang, clownfish and many others. The reef is in the zoo's new gallery, Tiny Giants, which is dedicated to the minuscule invertebrate creatures that sustain life across the planet. The coral reef tank and its seven-metre-wide window form the core of the exhibition.

A 环保主义者近日为伦敦动物园内建造的大型人工珊瑚礁完成了最后工序。这座世界知名动物园的新展馆"微小巨人"中，七米宽的观景窗前，一个巨型水族箱里引入了地球上最绚丽的珊瑚样本--翠绿的分枝珊瑚、黄色的卷曲珊瑚、蓝色的脊状珊瑚等众多品种，以及与之共生的鱼类:蓝倒吊鱼、小丑鱼等。该展馆专门展示维系地球生命的无脊椎微小生物，珊瑚礁水族箱是其核心展项

'Coral reefs are the most diverse ecosystems on Earth and we want to show people how wonderful they are,' said Paul Pearce-Kelly, senior curator of invertebrates and fish at the Zoological Society of London. 'However, we also want to highlight the research and conservation efforts that are now being carried out to try to save them from the threat of global warming.' They want people to see what is being done to try to save these wonders.

"珊瑚礁是地球上最多样化的生态系统，我们想向人们展示它们的奇妙，"伦敦动物园无脊椎动物和鱼类高级策展人保罗·皮尔斯-凯利表示，"但更重要的是揭示当前为拯救它们免受全球变暖威胁所开展的研究和保护工作。"他们希望公众了解这些自然奇观的抢救进展。

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BCorals are composed of tiny animals, known as polyps, with tentacles for capturing small marine creatures in the sea water. These polyps are transparent but get their brilliant tones of pink, orange, blue, green, etc. from algae that live within them, which in turn get protection, while their photosynthesising of the sun's rays provides nutrients for the polyps. This comfortable symbiotic relationship has led to the growth of coral reefs that cover 0.1% of the planet's ocean bed while providing homes for more than 25% of marine species, including fish, molluscs, sponges and shellfish.

B 珊瑚由名为珊瑚虫的微小动物构成，这些带触手的生物通过捕捉海水中的微生物为生。珊瑚虫本身透明，其呈现的粉、橙、蓝、绿等艳丽色彩源自体内共生的藻类--藻类获得庇护所的同时通过光合作用为珊瑚虫提供养分。这种完美的共生关系造就了覆盖全球海床0.1%的珊瑚礁，却为超过25%的海洋物种(包括鱼类、软体动物、海绵和贝类)提供栖息地。

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CAs a result, coral reefs are often described as the 'rainforests of the sea', though the comparison is dismissed by some naturalists, including David Attenborough. 'People say you cannot beat the rainforest,' Attenborough has stated. 'But that is simply not true. You go there and the first thing you think is: where are the birds? Where are the animals? They are hiding in the trees, of course. No, if you want beauty and wildlife, you want a coral reef. Put on a mask and stick your head under the water. The sight is mind-blowing.'

C 因此珊瑚礁常被称为"海洋雨林"，但包括大卫·爱登堡在内的自然学家认为这种类比并不恰当。"人们总说雨林无可比拟，"爱登堡指出，"但这并非事实。当你亲临雨林，首先疑惑的是:鸟兽都藏在哪里?它们当然躲在树丛中。若论生物多样性的直观呈现，珊瑚礁才是终极选择--只需戴上面罩将头浸入水中，震撼景象便扑面而来。

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DUnfortunately, these majestic sights are now under very serious threat, with the most immediate problem coming in the form of thermal stress. Rising ocean temperatures are triggering bleaching events that strip reefs of their colour and eventually kill them. And that is just the start. Other menaces include ocean acidification, sea level increase, pollution by humans, deoxygenation and ocean current changes, while the climate crisis is also increasing habitat destruction. As a result, vast areas – including massive chunks of Australia's Great Barrier Reef – have already been destroyed, and scientists advise that more than 90% of reefs could be lost by 2050 unless urgent action is taken to tackle global heating and greenhouse gas emissions.

D 遗憾的是，这些壮丽景观正面临严峻威胁，最迫在眉睫的是热应激反应。海水温度上升导致珊瑚白化事件频发，最终使礁体死亡。这仅是开端，其他威胁还包括海洋酸化、海平面上升、人为污染、海水脱氧和洋流变化，而气候危机更在加剧栖息地破坏。澳大利亚大堡礁等大面积礁体已经消亡，科学家警告若不立即采取行动应对全球变暖和温室气体排放，到2050年超过90%的珊瑚礁或将消失。

Pearce-Kelly says that coral reefs have to survive really harsh conditions – wave erosion and other factors. And 'when things start to go wrong in the oceans, then corals will be the first to react. And that is exactly what we are seeing now. Coral reefs are dying and they are telling us that all is not well with our planet.'

皮尔斯-凯利指出，珊瑚礁本就承受着海浪侵蚀等严酷自然考验，"当海洋生态系统开始失衡，珊瑚总是最先发出警报。我们此刻目睹的珊瑚大规模死亡，正是地球生态恶化的明确信号。”

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EHowever, scientists are trying to pinpoint hardy types of coral that could survive our overheated oceans, and some of this research will be carried out at London Zoo. 'Behind our … coral reef tank we have built laboratories where scientists will be studying coral species,' said Pearce-Kelly. One aim will be to carry out research on species to find those that can survive best in warm, acidic waters. Another will be to try to increase coral breeding rates. 'Coral spawn just once a year,' he added. 'However, aquarium-based research has enabled some corals to spawn artificially, which can assist coral reef restoration efforts. And if this can be extended for all species, we could consider the launching of coral-spawning programmes several times a year. That would be a big help in restoring blighted reefs.'

E 科学家正试图筛选能适应变暖海洋的顽强珊瑚品种，部分研究将在伦敦动物园开展。"珊瑚礁水族箱后方我们建立了实验室，"皮尔斯-凯利介绍道。研究目标包括筛选耐高温酸性水体的珊瑚物种，以及提升珊瑚繁殖率。"珊瑚每年仅产卵一次，"他补充说，"但水族馆研究已实现部分品种人工产卵，这有助于珊瑚礁修复。若技术能推广至所有物种，我们或可实现每年多次珊瑚产卵计划，这对修复受损礁体将大有裨益。"

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FResearch in these fields is being conducted in laboratories around the world, with the London Zoo centre linked to this global network. Studies carried out in one centre can then be tested in others. The resulting young coral can then be displayed in the tank in Tiny Giants. 'The crucial point is that the progress we make in making coral better able to survive in a warming world can be shown to the public and encourage them to believe that we can do something to save the planet's reefs,' said Pearce-Kelly. 'Saving our coral reefs is now a critically important ecological goal.'

F 相关研究正在全球实验室网络中展开，伦敦动物园中心与之紧密联动。某地的研究成果可在其他机构验证，培育的幼珊瑚则能在"微小巨人"展馆展示。"关键在于，我们提升珊瑚适应暖化环境的研究进展能直观呈现给公众，"皮尔斯-凯利强调，"这能增强人们拯救珊瑚礁的信心。保护珊瑚礁已成为当今最紧迫的生态目标之一。