Solved: the mystery of why locusts swarm
Neurochemical transforms loner insects into collective menace
By Steve Connor, Science Editor
Friday, 30 January 2009
They first became famous in the Book of Exodus as the eighth of the 10 plagues of Egypt, but it has taken another few thousand years – and the skills of modern scientists – to work out why desert locusts suddenly swarm in vast numbers.
Desert locusts usually live shy, solitary lives. But every now and again they join together in gregarious bands that actively seek out each other until they form hungry swarms. These can contain a billion or more individuals that each day can devour their own body weight, with devastating consequences for crops and vegetation.
How this dramatic transformation comes about has been a mystery since biblical times – which is why locust plagues were often seen as acts of God. Now scientists have discovered a link to a neurochemical called serotonin, found in the brains of many animals including humans.
A study by the universities of Oxford, Cambridge and Sydney has found a build-up of serotonin in the nerves of the middle part of the locust's body controlling its legs and wings causes, within the space of a couple of hours, the solitary locust to turn into its swarming alter-ego.
The finding opens the possibility of stopping the process long before it happens, by blocking the action of serotonin.
This could be used to prevent the massive destruction of crops that occurs when locusts swarm – a threat affecting the livelihoods of one-tenth of the world's population. Globally there are about a dozen species of swarm-forming locust in a belt covering some 20 per cent of the world's landmass, from north Africa to China.
Last November, a locust swarm 3.7 miles long devastated agricultural production in parts of Australia, and in 2004 half the crops of Mauritania were lost as a result of similar locust swarms.
The transition usually happens after rainfall has caused an explosion in numbers. During a subsequent drought, the solitary locusts are forced closer together on smaller patches of remaining vegetation. It is this enforced mingling that triggers the physical change from solitary to gregarious, said Steve Rogers of Cambridge University, a member of the group behind the study, which is published in the journal Science.
"The gregarious phase is a strategy born of desperation and driven by hunger – swarming is a response to find pastures new," said Dr Rogers.
"We have now found the mechanism that controls the process. We've opened the black box of how this works," he said.
Swidbert Ott, a member of the Cambridge team, said: "Serotonin profoundly influences how humans behave and interact, so to find the same chemical causes a normally shy insect to form huge groups is amazing."
4 則留言:
My reference translation:
Solved: the mystery of why locusts swarm
蝗蟲為什麼會遮天蔽日的謎終於揭曉
Neurochemical transforms loner insects into collective menace
神經化學作用使得原本喜愛獨處的蝗蟲蝟集成災
By Steve Connor, Science Editor
Friday, 30 January 2009
記者史蒂芬柯樂報導
2009年一月三十日星期五
They first became famous in the Book of Exodus as the eighth of the 10 plagues of Egypt, but it has taken another few thousand years – and the skills of modern scientists – to work out why desert locusts suddenly swarm in vast numbers.
”出埃及記”一書中曾記載，當時埃及十大災難中的第八個災難是突然蝟集遮天蔽日的蝗蟲，這種蝗災因而聞名於世，然而，它的原因卻一直到數千年後的今天，才被科學家們找出。
Desert locusts usually live shy, solitary lives. But every now and again they join together in gregarious bands that actively seek out each other until they form hungry swarms. These can contain a billion or more individuals that each day can devour their own body weight, with devastating consequences for crops and vegetation.
沙漠中的蝗蟲通常過著害羞孤獨的生活，但是，每隔一段時間，它們會呼群引伴，進而蝟集成上萬成億的蝗群，狼吞虎嚥荘稼與草木，每隻蝗蟲每天可吃掉與它們的體重相當的作物，對農作造成毀滅性的影響。
How this dramatic transformation comes about has been a mystery since biblical times – which is why locust plagues were often seen as acts of God. Now scientists have discovered a link to a neurochemical called serotonin, found in the brains of many animals including humans.
從聖經時代起，蝗蟲蝟集成災的真正原因始終是一個謎，以致人們常常認為，這是上帝對人類犯罪的一種懲罰。現在，科學家終於解開了這千古之謎，發現蝗災係肇因於一種稱為血清素的神經化學物質，這種物質存在於許多動物(包含人類)的腦中。
A study by the universities of Oxford, Cambridge and Sydney has found a build-up of serotonin in the nerves of the middle part of the locust's body controlling its legs and wings causes, within the space of a couple of hours, the solitary locust to turn into its swarming alter-ego.
一項由牛津、劍橋與雪梨三所大學共同進行的研究發現，當蝗蟲控制翅膀與腿神經的身體中央部位的血青素含量上升時，在幾小時間，這種原本獨居的昆蟲會改變習性，轉為群居。
The finding opens the possibility of stopping the process long before it happens, by blocking the action of serotonin.
這項發現使科學家們相信，如果我們能阻止蝗蟲的血青素含量上升，將有可能在第一時間，防止蝗蟲蝟集成災。
This could be used to prevent the massive destruction of crops that occurs when locusts swarm – a threat affecting the livelihoods of one-tenth of the world's population. Globally there are about a dozen species of swarm-forming locust in a belt covering some 20 per cent of the world's landmass, from north Africa to China.
蝗災對農作物造成的大量破壞，常會對全球高達十分之一人口的生計形成威脅，此項研究有助於防範蝗災。全球大概有十幾種會蝟集成災的蝗蟲，分佈在占地球近五分之一土地的一個條狀地帶上，這個地帶從北非一直延伸到中國。
Last November, a locust swarm 3.7 miles long devastated agricultural production in parts of Australia, and in 2004 half the crops of Mauritania were lost as a result of similar locust swarms.
去年十一月，一條長達3.7英里的蝗蟲蝟集帶，吃掉了澳大利亞許多地區的農作；在2004年間，蝗災也吃掉了非洲茅利塔尼亞國一半以上的農作。
The transition usually happens after rainfall has caused an explosion in numbers. During a subsequent drought, the solitary locusts are forced closer together on smaller patches of remaining vegetation. It is this enforced mingling that triggers the physical change from solitary to gregarious, said Steve Rogers of Cambridge University, a member of the group behind the study, which is published in the journal Science.
天雨會造成蝗蟲數量暴增，而煌蟲一反常態開始蝟集，則常發生在數量暴增後。如果接著發生乾旱，這些原本性屬獨居的蝗蟲，將被迫向仍有可食植物的一些地塊集中，此將觸發煌蟲的群聚性，英國劍橋大學的研究員史帝夫羅傑在科學期刊上發表了以上的研究結果。
"The gregarious phase is a strategy born of desperation and driven by hunger – swarming is a response to find pastures new," said Dr Rogers.
「蝗蟲之所以會蝟集，其實是它們在饑餓與恐慌時，所採取的求生策略，為的是藉著群聚，共同尋找新的食物來源」，羅傑博士說。
"We have now found the mechanism that controls the process. We've opened the black box of how this works," he said.
「目前我們已經發現了蝗蟲身上產生血青素的機制，也終於打開了蝗蟲為何會突然蝟集的黑盒子」，他說。
Swidbert Ott, a member of the Cambridge team, said: "Serotonin profoundly influences how humans behave and interact, so to find the same chemical causes a normally shy insect to form huge groups is amazing."
劍橋大學研究小組的另一成員史威德伯特說，「血青素是影響人類行為與人際關係的重要化學物質，然而，這種物質竟然也會造成原本害羞的昆蟲突然群聚，另人相當驚訝。」
2009/02/08翻
Solved: the mystery of why locusts swarm
解答蝗蟲過境之謎
Neurochemical transforms loner insects into collective menace
神經化學品把孤軍奮鬥變為集體行動
By Steve Connor, Science Editor
Friday, 30 January 2009
史蒂夫康納/科學編輯
2009年1月30號星期五
They first became famous in the Book of Exodus as the eighth of the 10 plagues of Egypt, but it has taken another few thousand years – and the skills of modern scientists – to work out why desert locusts suddenly swarm in vast numbers.
他們第一次出名，是在《出埃及記》埃及十災中的第八災，而它發生在幾千年後，而現代科學技術證實為何沙漠蝗蟲會突然大量成群出現。
Desert locusts usually live shy, solitary lives. But every now and again they join together in gregarious bands that actively seek out找出 each other until they form hungry swarms. These can contain a billion or more individuals that each day can devour their own body weight, with devastating consequences for crops and vegetation.
沙漠蝗蟲通常離群索居，但他們偶爾會結伴群居積極地找出彼此，直到組成飢餓的群體。這個群體包含多於十億或更多的個體，他們每天能吃掉相當於自己重量的東西，造成毀壞農作物和植物的後果。
How this dramatic transformation comes about has been a mystery since biblical times – which is why locust plagues were often seen as acts of God. Now scientists have discovered a link to a neurochemical called serotonin, found in the brains of many animals including humans.
這個引人注目的轉變的發生如何從聖經時代就成為一個謎，也就是為何蝗災是常見的天災。現在科學家已經發現鏈接神經化學品的物質，稱為血清素，能在許多動物包含人類的腦中發現。
A study by the universities of Oxford, Cambridge and Sydney has found a build-up of serotonin in the nerves of the middle part of the locust's body controlling its legs and wings causes, within the space of a couple of hours, the solitary locust to turn into its swarming alter-ego.
牛津大學、劍橋大學及雪梨大學的一項研究中，找到在蝗蟲身體中間部分的血清素組織，它控制腳及翅膀的活動，每兩三個小時，獨居的蝗蟲就會變成另一個群體。
The finding opens the possibility of stopping the process long before it happens, by blocking the action of serotonin.
此項發現開闢了這個可能性：由阻斷血清素的作用，在它發生反應之前停止這個程序。
This could be used to prevent the massive destruction of crops that occurs when locusts swarm – a threat affecting the livelihoods of one-tenth of the world's population. Globally there are about a dozen species of swarm-forming locust in a belt covering some 20 percent of the world's landmass, from north Africa to China.
這可能被用來防止當蝗蟲過境時，造成大規模的毀壞莊稼，這個威脅影響十分之一世界人口的生計。在全球範圍內，大約有12種蝗蟲群體，面積約達世界陸地的百分之二十，從北非到中國。
Last November, a locust swarm 3.7 miles long devastated agricultural production in parts of Australia, and in 2004 half the crops of Mauritania were lost as a result of similar locust swarms.
去年11月，有一3.7英里長的蝗蟲群，破壞澳大利亞地區的農業生產，而在2004年，毛理塔尼亞一半的農作物，由於類似的蝗群侵襲而造成損失。
The transition usually happens after rainfall has caused an explosion in numbers. During a subsequent drought, the solitary locusts are forced closer together on smaller patches of remaining vegetation. It is this enforced mingling that triggers the physical change from solitary to gregarious, said Steve Rogers of Cambridge University, a member of the group behind the study, which is published in the journal Science.
這個過渡時期，通常會發生在降雨量產生遽變之後。在隨後的乾旱期間，獨居蝗蟲被迫更加緊密的在有剩餘蔬菜的更小土地聚在一起。「正是這種強迫，使其混合，引發了獨居變成群居的物理變化。」劍橋大學研究小組的成員─史蒂夫˙羅傑斯說，此說發表在《Science》雜誌中。
"The gregarious phase is a strategy born of desperation and driven by hunger – swarming is a response to find pastures new," said Dr Rogers.
「群居狀態，是由於絕望而產生的策略，並由飢餓驅使，蝗蟲群尋找新的覓食地點。」羅傑博士說。
"We have now found the mechanism that controls the process. We've opened the black box of how this works," he said.
「我們現在已經發現了控制這個現象的辦法，我們打開了如何控制的神祕盒子。」他說。
Swidbert Ott, a member of the Cambridge team, said: "Serotonin profoundly influences how humans behave and interact, so to find the same chemical causes a normally shy insect to form huge groups is amazing."
劍橋大學團隊中的成員史偉柏奧特說：「血清素，深深影響人類是如何做出行為和相互影響，所以發現這個相同的化學成分會使通常離群索居的昆蟲形成龐大的群體，是很驚人的。」
F4A . 1094301044 . Yu En
揭開蝗蟲遮天蓋地之謎
神經化學作用使原本喜歡獨行的蝗蟲蝟集成災
記者史蒂芬卡諾,科學報導
2009年 1月30 星期五
在《出埃及記》一書中，首次記載了蝗蟲蝟集成害一事，此乃當時埃及十大災難中的第八個災難，但遲遲找不出原因為何，一直到數千年後的今天，當代科學家才找出蝗蟲成群過境的真相。
沙漠蝗蟲通常過著幽僻的生活且離群索居，但每隔一段時間，牠們會呼群引伴，積極地找到彼此，蝟集成十億多隻的飢餓蝗群，一同吃下農作物以及草木，每隻蝗蟲一天可吃掉相當於自己重量的作物，使農田荒蕪，造成毀滅性的影響。
在聖經時代，造成蝗蟲蝟集成害的原因一直是個謎，以致於常被認為是神對人類的一種懲罰。現在，科學家終於揭曉了這千古之謎，他們發現蝗災是肇因於神經化學的一種物質，稱血清素，此物質能在許多動物，包含人類的腦中發現。
在一項由牛津大學、劍橋大學及雪梨大學的共同研究中發現，蝗體中央部位的血清素，是負責控制蝗蟲腳部與翅膀的神經，當血清素含量上升時，在幾小時間，這些原本獨行的蝗蟲們就會改變習性，轉為群居。
這項發現使科學家們相信，如果能停止蝗體中血清素的上升，將能在第一時間內防止蝗蟲所帶來的災害。
蝗蟲過境對農作物所造成的大量破壞，對全球十分之一的人口生計構成威脅。全球約有十二多種蝗蟲會蝟集成災，牠們分佈的所在地，是占地球陸地百分之二十的條狀地帶，此地帶從北非一直延伸到中國大陸。
去年十一月，一條長３.7英里的蝗蟲蝟集地帶，蝗蟲過境澳大利亞，造成農業生產的極大損害；２００４年間，蝗蟲也吃掉非洲茅利塔尼亞一半以上的農作物。
蝗蟲過境的數量通常會在雨後劇增，若隨後發生乾旱，這些原本獨行的蝗蟲們將會飛往一些仍有作物的地塊上覓食，這會觸發蝗蟲的群聚性，以上是劍橋大學的研究員羅傑斯在科學期刊中所發表的內容。
「蝗蟲蝟集的原因，是牠們在絕望與饑餓時所採取的求生策略，藉由族群，一起找尋新的食物來源」，羅傑斯博士說。
「現在我們發現了蝗蟲體內，血清素的物理機制，也就是打開蝗蟲蝟集的謎底黑盒子」，他說。
另一位劍橋大學的研究員史威德伯說：「血清素對人類的行為與人際互動有極大的影響，然而，這種物質竟然會使原本害羞的昆蟲，一轉離群索居的天性，成為群居性，令人非常驚訝。」
To Joe:
1. swarm 譯為"過境"似顯不當
2. "神經化學品把孤軍奮鬥變為集體行動" seems to deviate from the source text
(神經化學物質將形隻影單變成集體威脅)
3. "而它發生在幾千年後，"seems to be incorrect.
(而在幾千年後 ((花費了好幾千年後))，)
4. "離群索居"?
5. "現在科學家已經發現鏈接神經化學品的物質，稱為血清素" seems to be incorrect.
(現代科學家發現，這種現象與神經化學物質有關，這種物質稱為血清素)
6. "每兩三個小時，獨居的蝗蟲就會變成另一個群體。" seems to be incorrect.
(在兩三個小時內，獨居的蝗蟲就會改變習性，蝟集群居。)
7. "這個過渡時期，通常會發生在降雨量產生遽變之後。" seems to be erroneous.
(此一轉變，通常會發生在大雨後。)
8. "「正是這種強迫，使其混合，引發了獨居變成群居的物理變化。」" seems to be erroneous.
(「正是這種強迫性的聚集，引發了蝗蟲體內的變化，驟而由獨居變成群居。」)
9. "深深影響人類是如何做出行為和相互影響，所以發現這個相同的化學成分會使通常離群索居的昆蟲形成龐大的群體，是很驚人的。」" is mistaken.
(see my reference translation above)
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