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Triona McGrath: How pollution is changing the ocean's chemistry
崔里歐納．瑪格拉思: 環境污染如何改變海洋化學
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當我們繼續將二氧化碳排入大氣時，溶解到海洋裡的二氧化碳濃度就愈來愈高，導致海水化學急遽的改變。崔里歐納．瑪格拉思研究有關的化學改變過程，稱之為「海洋酸化」，她的演講引領我們深入海洋學家的世界，讓我們更了解「氣候變遷的邪惡雙胞胎」，及其如何影響海洋和那些賴以為生的生命。
Triona McGrath - Chemical oceanographer
Triona McGrath researches how the oceans are changing due to human activities. Full bio
Triona McGrath researches how the oceans are changing due to human activities. Full bio
Double-click the English transcript below to play the video.
00:13
Do you ever think about how important
the oceans are in our daily lives?
the oceans are in our daily lives?
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請問你們是否知道，
海洋對我們的生活有多重要嗎？
海洋對我們的生活有多重要嗎？
00:19
The oceans cover two-thirds of our planet.
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地球有 2/3 的面積是海洋。
00:23
They provide half the oxygen we breathe.
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我們呼吸的氧氣，
有一半是它們提供的。
有一半是它們提供的。
00:26
They moderate our climate.
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它們調節氣候。
00:28
And they provide jobs
and medicine and food
and medicine and food
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提供人類就業機會和醫藥、食物，
00:32
including 20 percent of protein
to feed the entire world population.
to feed the entire world population.
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包括 20% 全人類食用的蛋白質。
00:38
People used to think
that the oceans were so vast
that the oceans were so vast
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人們認為海洋這麼的浩瀚，
00:40
that they wouldn't be affected
by human activities.
by human activities.
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應該不會受到人類活動的影響。
00:44
Well today I'm going to tell you
about a serious reality
about a serious reality
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但今天我想告訴各位，
00:47
that is changing our oceans
called ocean acidification,
called ocean acidification,
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關於「海洋酸化」的嚴重現實，
00:52
or the evil twin of climate change.
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或稱之為「氣候改變的邪惡雙胞胎」。
00:55
Did you know that the oceans have absorbed
25 percent of all of the carbon dioxide
25 percent of all of the carbon dioxide
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你是否知道海洋可以吸收
人類釋放到大氣中二氧化碳的 25%。
人類釋放到大氣中二氧化碳的 25%。
01:01
that we have emitted to the atmosphere?
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01:03
Now this is just another great service
provided by the oceans
provided by the oceans
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這是海水提供的極大貢獻，
01:07
since carbon dioxide
is one of the greenhouse gases
is one of the greenhouse gases
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因為二氧化碳，
是一種溫室效應氣體，
是一種溫室效應氣體，
01:10
that's causing climate change.
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會造成地球氣候的變遷。
01:13
But as we keep pumping
more and more and more
more and more and more
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由於我們繼續製造
更多的二氧化碳，
更多的二氧化碳，
01:17
carbon dioxide into the atmosphere
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並且釋放到空氣中，
01:20
more is dissolving into the oceans.
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海洋就吸收了更多的二氧化碳。
01:22
And this is what's changing
our ocean chemistry.
our ocean chemistry.
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所以這是海洋化學正在改變的主因。
01:27
When carbon dioxide dissolves in seawater,
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當二氧化碳溶解在海裡時，
01:29
it undergoes a number
of chemical reactions.
of chemical reactions.
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它會產生一連串的化學反應。
01:32
Now lucky for you,
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今天你們很幸運，
01:33
I don't have time to get into
the details of the chemistry for today.
the details of the chemistry for today.
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我不需要在此詳述化學的細節。
01:37
But I'll tell you as more
carbon dioxide enters the ocean,
carbon dioxide enters the ocean,
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但我可以告訴你多一點，
有關二氧化碳溶入海水的事，
有關二氧化碳溶入海水的事，
01:40
the seawater pH goes down.
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它會造成海水酸鹼值 (pH) 的下降。
01:43
And this basically means that there
is an increase in ocean acidity.
is an increase in ocean acidity.
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基本上來說就是海水會愈來愈酸。
01:48
And this whole process
is called ocean acidification.
is called ocean acidification.
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整個過程稱之為「海洋酸化」。
01:52
And it's happening
alongside climate change.
alongside climate change.
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同時也造成氣候的改變。
01:56
Scientists have been monitoring
ocean acidification for over two decades.
ocean acidification for over two decades.
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科學家偵測海水酸化的時間，
已經長達 20年。
已經長達 20年。
這是對夏威夷很重要的
一張時間序列圖，
一張時間序列圖，
02:00
This figure is an important
time series in Hawaii,
time series in Hawaii,
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02:03
and the top line shows steadily increasing
concentrations of carbon dioxide,
concentrations of carbon dioxide,
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最上面那條棕色曲線，
顯示二氧化碳濃度，
顯示二氧化碳濃度，
或大氣中的 CO2 氣體含量，
02:08
or CO2 gas, in the atmosphere.
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呈現出穩定上升的趨勢。
02:11
And this is directly as a result
of human activities.
of human activities.
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直接來自人類活動造成的結果。
02:15
The line underneath shows the increasing
concentrations of carbon dioxide
concentrations of carbon dioxide
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下面那藍色條線，
顯示 CO2 溶解在海洋表面的濃度，
02:19
that is dissolved
in the surface of the ocean
in the surface of the ocean
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02:22
which you can see is increasing
at the same rate
at the same rate
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可看出它也是以同樣速率在增加，
02:25
as carbon dioxide in the atmosphere
since measurements began.
since measurements began.
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與開始測量大氣 CO2 含量時
具有相同的增加速率。
具有相同的增加速率。
02:28
The line on the bottom shows
then shows the change in chemistry.
then shows the change in chemistry.
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最底下的綠色曲線，
顯示化學反應的變化。
顯示化學反應的變化。
02:31
As more carbon dioxide
has entered the ocean,
has entered the ocean,
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當更多二氧化碳進入海洋時，
02:34
the seawater pH has gone down,
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海水酸鹼值也降低，
02:37
which basically means there has been
an increase in ocean acidity.
an increase in ocean acidity.
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代表海水的酸度增加了。
02:43
Now in Ireland, scientists are also
monitoring ocean acidification --
monitoring ocean acidification --
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愛爾蘭的科學家
現在也在監視海洋酸化，
現在也在監視海洋酸化，
02:47
scientists at the Marine
Institute and NUI Galway.
Institute and NUI Galway.
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他們是愛爾蘭高威大學
海洋學院的研究員，
海洋學院的研究員，
02:50
And we, too, are seeing
acidification at the same rate
acidification at the same rate
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我們也看到
海洋以相同速度在酸化中，
海洋以相同速度在酸化中，
02:54
as these main ocean time-series
sites around the world.
sites around the world.
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跟全球其他海洋時間序列一樣。
02:57
So it's happening right at our doorstep.
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所以它的問題迫在眉睫。
03:01
Now I'd like to give you an example
of just how we collect our data
of just how we collect our data
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我給你們一個
關於我們如何收集資料，
關於我們如何收集資料，
03:04
to monitor a changing ocean.
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監測海洋變化的例子。
03:07
Firstly we collect a lot of our samples
in the middle of winter.
in the middle of winter.
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首先我們會在冬季中期取樣。
03:10
So as you can imagine,
in the North Atlantic
in the North Atlantic
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你們知道北大西洋，
03:12
we get hit with some seriously
stormy conditions --
stormy conditions --
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常常被暴風雨襲擊……
03:15
so not for any of you
who get a little motion sickness,
who get a little motion sickness,
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這工作不適合會暈船的人，
03:17
but we are collecting
some very valuable data.
some very valuable data.
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但我們必須收集一些有價值的數據。
03:20
So we lower this instrument
over the side of the ship,
over the side of the ship,
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所以我們把偵測儀器
放到船身一側下方，
放到船身一側下方，
03:23
and there are sensors
that are mounted on the bottom
that are mounted on the bottom
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另外船底也有偵測儀器，
03:25
that can tell us information about
the surrounding water,
the surrounding water,
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可以告訴我們周遭海裡的資訊，
03:28
such as temperature
or dissolved oxygen.
or dissolved oxygen.
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例如溫度和溶氧量。
03:31
And then we can collect our seawater
samples in these large bottles.
samples in these large bottles.
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這樣就可以用
巨大的瓶子收集海水樣本。
巨大的瓶子收集海水樣本。
03:35
So we start at the bottom,
which can be over four kilometers deep
which can be over four kilometers deep
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首先由 4 公里深的海水層開始，
03:38
just off our continental shelf,
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作業地點在大陸棚外面一點，
03:40
and we take samples at regular intervals
right up to the surface.
right up to the surface.
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每隔一段深度收集一個樣本，
一路往上直到海水表面。
一路往上直到海水表面。
03:44
We take the seawater back on the deck,
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收集到的海水被帶回甲板上，
03:47
and then we can either
analyze them on the ship
analyze them on the ship
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然後直接在船上分析，
03:49
or back in the laboratory
for the different chemicals parameters.
for the different chemicals parameters.
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或是帶回實驗室，
研究相關的化學參數。
研究相關的化學參數。
03:53
But why should we care?
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但為什麼我們要關心這些？
03:54
How is ocean acidification
going to affect all of us?
going to affect all of us?
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海洋酸化如何影響我們的未來？
04:00
Well, here are the worrying facts.
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以下是令人擔心的事實。
04:04
There has already been an increase
in ocean acidity of 26 percent
in ocean acidity of 26 percent
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海洋酸化已經增加了26%，
04:10
since pre-industrial times,
which is directly due to human activities.
which is directly due to human activities.
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相對於革命工業開始前，
可見這是由人類活動導致的。
04:15
Unless we can start slowing down
our carbon dioxide emissions,
our carbon dioxide emissions,
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除非我們能把二氧化碳
排放的速度減緩下來，
排放的速度減緩下來，
04:20
we're expecting an increase
in ocean acidity of 170 percent
in ocean acidity of 170 percent
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否則到本世紀末的時候，
我們預期海洋的酸度
會增加 170%。
會增加 170%。
04:26
by the end of this century.
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04:29
I mean this is within
our children's lifetime.
our children's lifetime.
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我的意思是到了我們下一代，
04:33
This rate of acidification
is 10 times faster
is 10 times faster
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此種酸化的速度，
比五千五百萬年前，
海水酸化速度還快十倍。
海水酸化速度還快十倍。
04:39
than any acidification in our oceans
for over 55 million years.
for over 55 million years.
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04:46
So our marine life have never,
ever experienced
ever experienced
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這是海洋生物從未有過的經驗，
04:50
such a fast rate of change before.
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那種急遽的變化。
04:53
So we literally could not know
how they're going to cope.
how they're going to cope.
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快速到我們無從知道，
牠們要如何去適應。
牠們要如何去適應。
04:59
Now there was a natural acidification
event millions of years ago,
event millions of years ago,
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數百萬年前，
曾發生過一件天然酸化事件，
曾發生過一件天然酸化事件，
05:03
which was much slower
than what we're seeing today.
than what we're seeing today.
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比今日看到的速度緩慢了很多。
05:06
And this coincided with a mass extinction
of many marine species.
of many marine species.
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這事件恰好是
很多海洋物種大滅絕的時間。
很多海洋物種大滅絕的時間。
05:12
So is that what we're headed for?
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所以這是我們正在邁入的現象嗎？
05:15
Well, maybe.
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或許是的。
05:17
Studies are showing
some species are actually doing quite well
some species are actually doing quite well
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研究顯示有些物種適應得很好，
05:20
but many are showing a negative response.
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但有些則顯出負面的反應。
05:25
One of the big concerns is
as ocean acidity increases,
as ocean acidity increases,
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海洋酸化的大問題之一是；
05:29
the concentration of carbonate
ions in seawater decrease.
ions in seawater decrease.
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海水中碳酸鹽離子的減少。
05:34
Now these ions are basically
the building blocks
the building blocks
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這些離子基本上像是一種建築材料，
05:37
for many marine species
to make their shells,
to make their shells,
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是很多海洋生物製造外殼的物質，
05:40
for example crabs or mussels, oysters.
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如螃蟹、孔雀蛤、牡蠣等。
05:45
Another example are corals.
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另一例是珊瑚。
05:47
They also need these carbonate
ions in seawater
ions in seawater
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牠們也需要這些碳酸鹽離子，
05:51
to make their coral structure
in order to build coral reefs.
in order to build coral reefs.
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來組成珊瑚的結構和製造珊瑚礁。
05:56
As ocean acidity increases
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當海洋酸性升高時，
05:58
and the concentration
of carbonate ions decrease,
of carbonate ions decrease,
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碳酸鹽離子的濃度降低了，
06:02
these species first find it more difficult
to make their shells.
to make their shells.
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這些生物會更難製造外殼。
06:07
And at even even lower levels,
they can actually begin to dissolve.
they can actually begin to dissolve.
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當酸性降低至更低的時後，
它們甚至會溶解掉。
它們甚至會溶解掉。
06:12
This here is a pteropod,
it's called a sea butterfly.
it's called a sea butterfly.
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這是被喻為「海蝶」的
翼足類軟體動物。
翼足類軟體動物。
06:15
And it's an important food source
in the ocean for many species,
in the ocean for many species,
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牠是很多海洋生物的重要食物來源，
06:18
from krill to salmon right up to whales.
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從磷蝦、鮭魚到鯨魚都靠它生存。
06:23
The shell of the pteropod
was placed into seawater
was placed into seawater
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將翼足軟體動物的外殼，
放進我們預估本世紀末的
酸性海水樣本中，
酸性海水樣本中，
06:26
at a pH that we're expecting
by the end of this century.
by the end of this century.
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06:31
After only 45 days
at this very realistic pH,
at this very realistic pH,
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在此種 pH 值非常酸的
海水裡只需 45 天，
海水裡只需 45 天，
06:37
you can see the shell
has almost completely dissolved.
has almost completely dissolved.
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就可以看到貝殼幾乎完全被溶解。
06:41
So ocean acidification could affect
right up through the food chain --
right up through the food chain --
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所以海洋酸化可以影響食物鏈，
06:45
and right onto our dinner plates.
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一路影響到你和我的餐盤。
06:48
I mean who here
likes shellfish? Or salmon?
likes shellfish? Or salmon?
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我是說誰願意像貝類？鮭魚？
或很多其他魚種，
06:52
Or many other fish species
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06:54
whose food source
in the ocean could be affected?
in the ocean could be affected?
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牠們海洋中的食物來源受到影響？
06:58
These are cold-water corals.
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這些是冷水珊瑚礁。
07:00
And did you know we actually have
cold-water corals in Irish waters,
cold-water corals in Irish waters,
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你知道愛爾蘭的外海，
也有冷水珊瑚礁嗎？
也有冷水珊瑚礁嗎？
07:03
just off our continental shelf?
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就在大陸棚外面一點的地方。
07:06
And they support rich biodiversity,
including some very important fisheries.
including some very important fisheries.
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它們支撐豐富多樣生態的存活，
包括非常重要的漁業。
包括非常重要的漁業。
07:10
It's projected that
by the end of this century,
by the end of this century,
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預估到了本世紀末，
07:14
70 percent of all known cold-water corals
in the entire ocean
in the entire ocean
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全球 70% 已知的所有冷水珊瑚礁，
在整個海洋裡，
將會通通被海水溶解掉。
將會通通被海水溶解掉。
07:20
will be surrounded by seawater
that is dissolving their coral structure.
that is dissolving their coral structure.
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07:28
The last example I have
are these healthy tropical corals.
are these healthy tropical corals.
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我最近發現的例子
是這些熱帶海洋珊瑚，
是這些熱帶海洋珊瑚，
07:33
They were placed in seawater at a pH
we're expecting by the year 2100.
we're expecting by the year 2100.
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把牠放入預估的 2100 年
酸性海水樣本中時，
酸性海水樣本中時，
07:39
After six months, the coral
has almost completely dissolved.
has almost completely dissolved.
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經過六個月後，牠們幾乎完全溶解。
07:46
Now coral reefs support
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現在全球珊瑚礁支撐了
07:48
25 percent of all marine life
in the entire ocean.
in the entire ocean.
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整個海洋 25% 的生態。
07:55
All marine life.
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所有的海洋生物。
07:58
So you can see: ocean
acidification is a global threat.
acidification is a global threat.
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所以可想而知，
海洋酸化是全球性的威脅。
海洋酸化是全球性的威脅。
08:03
I have an eight-month-old baby boy.
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我有個八個月大的嬰兒。
08:05
Unless we start now to slow this down,
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除非我們現在開始減緩酸化速度，
08:10
I dread to think what our oceans
will look like when he's a grown man.
will look like when he's a grown man.
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我不敢想像未來他長大後，
海洋會變成怎樣。
海洋會變成怎樣。
08:15
We will see acidification.
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我們將會繼續看到海水的酸化。
08:17
We have already put too much
carbon dioxide into the atmosphere.
carbon dioxide into the atmosphere.
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因為釋放到空氣中的
二氧化碳已經太多了。
二氧化碳已經太多了。
08:23
But we can slow this down.
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但我們可以放慢酸化速度。
08:26
We can prevent the worst-case scenario.
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可以預防此種最壞的結局。
08:30
The only way of doing that
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要作到此點，唯一之道，
08:33
is by reducing our
carbon dioxide emissions.
carbon dioxide emissions.
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就是減少二氧化碳的排放量。
08:37
This is important for both you and I,
for industry, for governments.
for industry, for governments.
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這對你我、工業界，
和政府都是非常重要的。
和政府都是非常重要的。
08:41
We need to work together,
slow down global warming
slow down global warming
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我們必須同心協力減緩全球暖化，
08:45
slow down ocean acidification
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減緩海洋酸化，
08:48
and help to maintain a healthy ocean
and a healthy planet
and a healthy planet
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一起努力維持海洋和地球的健康，
08:52
for our generation
and for generations to come.
and for generations to come.
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為了這一代和未來的世代。
08:57
(Applause)
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（掌聲）
ABOUT THE SPEAKER
Triona McGrath - Chemical oceanographerTriona McGrath researches how the oceans are changing due to human activities.
Why you should listen
Dr. Triona McGrath researches how the oceans are changing due to human activities, particularly in relation to ocean acidification. Specifically, McGrath monitors levels of carbon dioxide in Irish marine waters to determine the accumulation and movement of carbon in the ocean and subsequent increase in ocean acidity. McGrath and her colleagues published the first rates of ocean acidification for Irish offshore waters and the first baseline dataset of carbon parameters in Irish coastal waters. This is crucial in our understanding of the future health of our oceans along with providing information to determine the impacts of ocean acidification on marine ecosystems.
McGrath is a post-doctorate researcher at the National University of Ireland, Galway, funded by the Marine Institute, Ireland. She has been researching ocean climate change since 2008; her latest research project started in February 2017, and for the next four years she will work with colleagues to further develop ocean acidification research in Ireland through the continuation of an ongoing time series in the Rockall Trough and the determination of seasonal and interannual variability of the carbon system in coastal waters. McGrath is a Fulbright Scholar, receiving a Fulbright Postdoctoral Scholarship in 2013 to visit Prof. Andrew Dickson’s laboratory at Scripps Institution of Oceanography, San Diego to further develop analytical skills in ocean carbon chemistry.
McGrath has a Ph.D. in Chemical Oceanography and Bachelor of Marine Science from the National University of Ireland, Galway.
Triona McGrath | Speaker | TED.com