标签 珊瑚礁 下的文章

海水从古老的珊瑚礁上倾泻而下，杭莱，越南 Seawater cascades over an ancient coral reef, Hang Rai, Vietnam (© Thang Tat Nguyen/Getty Images)

潮汐探戈 A tidal tango

永希湾，越南

欢迎来到杭莱，这里既有古老的岩层，又有生机勃勃的珊瑚礁！这个洞穴也被称为獭洞，被努伊蔡国家公园包围着，是越南中南部海岸地区永希湾的一部分。该地区的天然珊瑚礁被岩层环绕，这些岩层堆叠在一起，形成了一组洞穴。“杭莱”或“獭洞”名称的由来之一，是人们偶尔会看到水獭在洞穴中栖息。另一种解释是由于该地区盛产莱树，这种树的油可以用于船只防水。无论是水下还是水上，这里都有令人惊叹的景观：深潜者可以观赏五颜六色的珊瑚，喜欢在海风中露营的游客可以欣赏美丽的日落。

Vinh Hy Bay, Vietnam

Welcome to Hang Rai, a blend of ancient rock formations and vibrant coral reefs. Also called Rai Cave, this cavern is part of the Vinh Hy Bay—enclosed by Nui Chua National Park—in the South Central Coast region of Vietnam. The area's natural coral reefs are surrounded by rock formations that are stacked upon each other to form a group of caves. One origin of the name 'Hang Rai' or 'Rai Cave' comes from otters (rai) that were occasionally seen seeking shelter in the caves. Another explanation is attributed to the abundance of rai trees in the area, whose oil was used to waterproof boats. The landscape is an awe-inspiring sight both under and above water: corals for deep divers and colorful sunsets for those who like camping in the sea breeze.

马罗沃泻湖中的珊瑚礁，所罗门群岛 Coral reef in Marovo Lagoon in the Solomon Islands (© WaterFrame/Alamy)

水下的奇妙景观 The beauty that lies below

World Reef Day

The Marovo Lagoon in the Solomon Islands is the largest saltwater lagoon in the world. Protected by a double barrier reef, it's home to unique marine life and coral, making it a bucket-list destination for divers. The beauty and diversity of life contained within its pristine, 270 square miles are the perfect inspiration for World Reef Day, observed every year on June 1 to bring awareness to this vital but largely unseen part of our natural world. Reef Day also kicks off World Oceans Month, a time to celebrate and learn more about these vital ecosystems.

Although coral reefs occupy less than 0.1% of the planet's oceans, they support up to 25% of the world's marine species. They have rightfully earned their nickname, 'Rainforests of the Sea.' Coral is not a plant, but part animal and part mineral, a marine invertebrate that secretes calcium carbonate to form a hard skeleton. They grow in colonies, usually in warm, shallow waters, and form vast colonies that we see as reefs, providing the basic platform for marine life to flourish around them. They even provide benefits to land, protecting shorelines from the forces of the ocean.

Unfortunately, coral reefs are under immense environmental pressure due to pollution, overfishing, and particularly from changing ocean temperatures. A warming ocean and acidification due to increased carbon dioxide have resulted in coral bleaching—when under stress, corals lose their color. The yellow whip and red gorgonian you see here are what healthy corals look like, but vibrant, hearty corals are swiftly becoming the exception rather than the rule. Recently, even the previously robust and thriving Marovo Lagoon began showing signs of bleaching, a sobering reminder that the beauty we see here is fragile and becoming more precious.

世界珊瑚礁日

所罗门群岛的马罗沃泻湖是世界上最大的咸水泻湖。受双堡礁保护，这里是独特海洋生物和珊瑚的家园，是潜水员的首选目的地。每年6月1日是世界珊瑚礁日，每年的6月1日是世界珊瑚礁日的纪念日，旨在让人们认识到这一自然世界中重要但基本上看不见的部分，其270平方英里的原貌中蕴含着美丽而多样的生命。珊瑚礁日也是世界海洋月的开始，是庆祝和了解这些重要生态系统的时候。

虽然珊瑚礁只占地球海洋的不到0.1%，但它们支持着世界上多达25%的海洋物种。他们理所当然地赢得了“海洋雨林”的绰号珊瑚不是植物，但部分是动物，部分是矿物，是一种海洋无脊椎动物，分泌碳酸钙形成坚硬的骨架。它们通常生长在温暖的浅水区，形成巨大的珊瑚礁群，为海洋生物在其周围繁衍生息提供了基本平台。它们甚至为陆地带来好处，保护海岸线不受海洋力量的影响。

不幸的是，由于污染、过度捕捞，尤其是海洋温度的变化，珊瑚礁面临着巨大的环境压力。海洋变暖和二氧化碳增加导致的酸化导致珊瑚白化。在压力下，珊瑚会失去颜色。你在这里看到的黄色鞭子和红色gorgonian珊瑚是健康的珊瑚的样子，但充满活力、饱满的珊瑚很快就会成为例外，而不是常规。最近，就连之前繁荣的马洛沃环礁湖也开始出现白化迹象，这提醒我们，我们在这里看到的美丽是脆弱的，越来越珍贵。