澳大利亚海洋生物学家在不久前的一次实地考察中发现，原本以珊瑚群为主体的大堡礁如今已被海草占据了其面积的百分之四十。导致这一令人担忧的现象的原因目前还在调查之中。

    Australian scientists revealed two weeks ago that more than 40 percent of the Great Barrier Reef ’s inshore areas are dominated by seaweed.

    Study co-author Dave Bellwood of James Cook University said the shift from a coral-dominated reef to a weed-dominated one was concerning and difficult to reverse. “We got quite a shock when we saw how much of the inner reefs were dominated by weed,” said Mr. Bellwood.

    The weed invasion could be caused by nutrients coming into the water from the land or by a decline in the weed-eating fish species that usually “mow” the seaweed.

    Mr. Bellwood called on the Australian government to do more to protect coral fish species such as the parrot, surgeon, rabbit and bat fish. However, he said scientists were not sure if the seaweed was spreading, given a lack of historical data.