Insect numbers have plunged by half in some parts of the world due to climate change and intensive agriculture， a study has found.

The combined pressures of global heating and farming are driving a “substantial decline” of insects across the globe， according to UK researchers.

They say we must acknowledge the threats we pose to insects， before some species are lost forever.

Preserving habitat for nature could help ensure vital insects thrive.

Lead researcher， Dr Charlie Outhwaite of University College London （UCL）， said losing insect populations could be harmful not only to the natural environment， but to “human health and food security， particularly with losses of pollinators”.

“Our findings highlight the urgency of actions to preserve natural habitats， slow the expansion of high-intensity agriculture， and cut emissions to mitigate climate change，” she added.

Plummeting populations of insects around the world—a so-called “insect apocalypse”—have caused widespread concern.

一項研究發(fā)現(xiàn)，受氣候變化和集約化農(nóng)業(yè)的影響，世界部分地區(qū)的昆蟲數(shù)量已減半。

英國的研究人員發(fā)現(xiàn)，全球變暖和農(nóng)耕的雙重壓力正導致全球各地的昆蟲數(shù)量“劇減”。

研究人員表示，人類必須承認自己給昆蟲造成的威脅，否則一些物種將會永遠消失。

保護昆蟲的自然棲息地能幫助一些重要的昆蟲繁衍生息。

英國倫敦大學學院的首席研究員查莉·奧斯維特博士指出，昆蟲數(shù)量減少不僅對自然環(huán)境有害，而且會危及“人類健康和食品安全，傳粉昆蟲數(shù)量減少對人類的危害尤其大”。

她補充道：“我們的發(fā)現(xiàn)凸顯了采取措施保護自然棲息地、減緩高強度農(nóng)業(yè)生產(chǎn)的擴張和減排以減緩氣候變化的迫切性?！?/p>

世界各地昆蟲數(shù)量劇減——所謂的“昆蟲末日”——引發(fā)了普遍的擔憂。

However， scientific data gives a mixed picture， with some types of insects showing drastic declines， while others are staying steady.

In the study， the researchers pulled together data on the range and number of nearly 20，000 insect species， including bees， ants， butterflies， grasshoppers and dragonflies， at about 6，000 different locations.

In areas with high-intensity agriculture and substantial warming， insect numbers have plunged by 49% and the number of different species by 27%， compared with relatively untouched places that have so far avoided the most severe impacts of climate change， according to the research， published in Nature.

But the researchers said there was some cause for hope in that setting aside areas of land for nature created a refuge for insects， which need shade to survive in hot weather.

“Careful management of agricultural areas， such as preserving natural habitats near farmland， may help to ensure that vital insects can still thrive，” said Dr Tim Newbold， also of UCL.

Study researcher， Peter McCann， added： “We need to acknowledge how important insects are for the environment as a whole， and for human health and wellbeing， in order to address the threats we pose to them before many species are lost forever.”

不過，科學數(shù)據(jù)反映的情況好壞參半，某些種類的昆蟲數(shù)量急劇減少，而其他種類的昆蟲數(shù)量卻保持穩(wěn)定。

在這項研究中，研究人員在約6 000個不同的地點收集了近兩萬種昆蟲的活動范圍和數(shù)量的數(shù)據(jù)，其中包括蜜蜂、螞蟻、蝴蝶、蚱蜢和蜻蜓。

發(fā)表在《自然》雜志上的這篇研究報告指出，和氣候變化影響最輕微、耕作相對較少的地區(qū)相比，在高強度農(nóng)業(yè)生產(chǎn)為主和氣候變暖顯著的地區(qū)，昆蟲數(shù)量減少了49%，昆蟲種類減少了27%。

但是研究人員表示，那些自然的“保留地”給炎熱天氣下需要綠蔭才能存活的昆蟲營造了庇護所，給昆蟲的生存提供了一線希望。

同樣來自英國倫敦大學學院的蒂姆·紐博爾德博士表示：“農(nóng)業(yè)區(qū)的精細化管理，比如保護農(nóng)田附近的自然棲息地，或許有助于保證重要昆蟲的存活。”

參與該研究的彼得·麥肯補充道：“我們需要承認昆蟲對整體環(huán)境以及對人類健康和幸福的重要性，從而積極應(yīng)對我們給昆蟲造成的威脅，以免許多昆蟲就此永遠消失?！?/p>

Word Bank

plunge /pl?nd?/ v. 暴跌；驟降

preserve /pr?'z??v/ v. 保護

thrive /θra?v/ v. 茁壯成長

expansion /?k'sp?n?n/ n. 擴張；發(fā)展

refuge /'refju?d?/ n. 避難所

address /?'dres/ v. 處理；應(yīng)對