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Floating among these reef systems, a pair of Scottish scientists discover what might be the key to saving the world's coral reefs.
畅游在这些珊瑚礁中，两名苏格兰科学家发现了能够拯救珊瑚礁的关键。
It is this little piece of coral called the corallith that is unique in that it does not stay in the same place.
就是这种名为块状珊瑚石的珊瑚，它的独特之处在于它不会一直停留在一个地方。
A coral larvae settles on a small pebble or a dead piece of coral rubble and then it will encrust it and then grow and grow and grow
珊瑚幼虫寄居在一块小卵石或死掉的珊瑚碎石上，然后它们会结成石头的外壳，并且不断地长大，
and at this point, it will be a mobile coral, so just like this one and it will be tissue and skeleton all around
最后会变成一个移动的珊瑚，就像这个一样，它有骨架也有组织，
and it can be moved by the waves and roll around and even when fish come and graze on it, it will move.
并且可以随着海浪漂移滚动，即使有鱼过来找寻食物，它也会移动。
And because of that movement, coralliths can help expand the range of a coral reef.
因此，珊瑚石的这种运动可以帮助扩大珊瑚礁的范围。
They roll around and they get bigger and bigger and bigger and at some point, they'll be so big that they will stop being mobile.
它们四处滚动，变得越来越大，越来越大，在某一时刻，它们会停止移动。
They'll stop being blown about by the waves and they'll be stable.
难以被海浪推动，它们就稳固下来。
At this point, a part of the corallith may die
这时候部分珊瑚石会死亡，
and then this bare substrate, this bare piece of rock is then perfect for other coral species to come in, land on and then grow.
然后这块裸露的基层或岩石，就能够为其他珊瑚物种在此扎根，成长提供绝佳的条件。
But coralliths are also important because they're tough
块状珊瑚石很重要，还在于它们很坚硬，
and might be able to withstand the rising temperatures and acidification that is killing the world's coral reefs so quickly.
大量珊瑚因海温上升和酸化现象而死亡，但它能够抵御这一灾难。
They might not be so pretty to look at, but they are incredibly resilient to things like changes in the light environment, changes in temperature.
它可能不太好看，但却对光线环境变化以及温度的变化有着惊人的适应性。
The proof of their toughness shows up in the fossil record.
化石记录证明了它们的坚固。
So these coralliths have been around for many many years and we find them throughout the fossil record
这些珊瑚石已经存在很久，在整个化石记录中都能找到它们，
and because they're so resilient to environmental change and so resilient to processes such as coral bleaching.
因为它们能够抵御环境变化，能够抵御像珊瑚白化等现象。
They're one of the survivors when we see these catastrophic events.
所以它们能够在灾难中幸存下来。
But it is not clear if even the coralliths can withstand the speed of change being brought about by global warming.
珊瑚石是否可以抵御因全球变暖带来的加速变化，目前还不清楚。
But now everything is happening much quicker, so the ocean temperature and the ocean acidification,
现在一切发生的如此之快，像海洋温度上升和海洋酸化等
everything like that is happening a much much faster events than ever before.
它们的发展速度超过了以往任何时候。
The researchers are now working to see how they respond to events like coral bleaching.
研究人员目前正致力于解决像珊瑚白化等现象。
Kevin Enochs, VOA news
美国之音凯文·埃尼克斯为您报道。
