UNPRecedented¹ coral bleaching² in consecutive³ years has damaged two-thirds of Australia's Great Barrier Reef, aerial surveys have shown.

航空勘测发现，近年连续发生的珊瑚白化问题空前严重，澳大利亚三分之二的大堡礁已遭到重创。

The bleaching - or loss of algae⁴ - affects a 1,500km (932 miles) area of the reef, according to scientists.

科学家指出，白化现象，即藻类的缺失，其影响范围达到1500千米（900英里）。

The latest damage is concentrated in the middle section, whereas last year's bleaching hit mainly the north.

这次白化集中于大堡礁中部，去年则主要在北部。

Experts fear the proximity⁵ of the two events will give damaged coral little chance to recover.

有关专家担心两次白化的发生时间如此接近，会使受伤的珊瑚没有机会恢复。

Prof Terry Hughes, from James Cook University, said governments must urgently address climate change.

詹姆斯库克大学教授特里-休斯指出，政府必须尽快解决气候变化问题。

"Since 1998, we have seen four of these events and the gap between them has varied⁶ substantially, but this is the shortest gap we have seen," Prof Hughes told the BBC.

休斯教授对BBC说道：“自1998年以来，共发生过四次珊瑚白化，其间隔时间相差很多，但这次却是史上间隔最短的一次。”

"The sooner we take action on global greenhouse gas emissions⁷ and transition away from fossil fuels to renewables, the better."

“全球范围内限制温室气体排放、寻找替代化石燃料的可再生能源，这些举措越早实施越好。”

Almost 800 coral reefs over an 8,000km area were assessed in the surveys by the Australian Research Council's Centre of Excellence⁸ for Coral Reef Studies.

澳大利亚研究理事会卓越中心在其开展的珊瑚礁研究项目中，测评了8000千米范围内的珊瑚礁，数量接近800座。

The findings showed only the southern section was relatively⁹ unscathed.

结果显示只有南部的珊瑚礁还相对完好。

Researcher Dr James Kerry said the damage was uNPRecedented.

研究员詹姆斯-克里博士指出此次白化空前严重。

"For those reefs that were hit two years in a row, it's effectively a double whammy. They have had no chance to recover from last year's events."

“对连续两年遭到重创的珊瑚礁来说，这无疑是雪上加霜，根本没有机会恢复。”

Mass coral bleaching

大规模珊瑚白化

Coral bleaching is caused by rising water temperatures resulting from two natural warm currents.

两股自然界的暖流使海水温度上升，造成了珊瑚白化。

It is exacerbated¹⁰ by man-made climate change, as the oceans are absorbing about 93% of the increase in the Earth's heat.

人类活动导致气候变化，而海洋将吸收93%的地球增温，加剧了珊瑚白化。

Bleaching happens when corals under stress drive out the algae known as zooxanthellae that give them colour.

珊瑚在压力的作用下，会逐出一种赋予其颜色的虫黄藻，从而发生白化现象。

If normal conditions return, the corals can recover, but it can take decades, and if the stress continues the corals can die.

如果回归正常状态，珊瑚能够自我恢复，但通常需要数十年的时间，而如果压力持续下去，就会导致珊瑚死亡。

The latest damage happened without the assistance of El Niño, a weather pattern previously¹¹ associated with bleaching events.

厄尔尼诺现象此前曾与珊瑚白化有关，但此次白化却与厄尔尼诺现象无关。

The reef - a vast collection of thousands of smaller coral reefs stretching from the northern tip of Queensland to the state's southern city of Bundaberg - was given World Heritage status in 1981.

大堡礁北起昆士兰州最北端，南达南部城市班德堡，成千上万种小型珊瑚礁聚集于此，于1981年成为世界遗产。

The UN says it is the "most biodiverse" of all the World Heritage sites, and of "enormous scientific and intrinsic importance".

联合国赞大堡礁为“物种最为多样性”的世界遗产地，“具有极大的科学价值和内在价值。”