The vast ocean stages countless miracles of life, but none are quite as awe-inspiring as the phenomenon of a “whale fall.” When a giant whale reaches the end of its life, its immense body gently descends and eventually lands in the inky abyss. This moment, which might seem like the end, ignites a burst of new life on the ocean floor.
Deep beneath the ocean’s surface, where sunlight is unable to venture and nutrients are scarce, a whale fall is like an oasis in a barren landscape. Over decades, even centuries, the remains of a single whale can sustain thousands of organisms, from bacteria to larger marine creatures. This process not only supports the complex food web, but also enriches the biodiversity of the deep sea.
Throughout their lives, whales absorb an average of 33 tons of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, storing it within their bodies, much like the great trees of the forest. When a whale perishes and sinks to the ocean floor, the absorbed carbon goes down with it. If undisturbed, this carbon can remain sequestered for hundreds or even thousands of years, playing a significant role in combating global warming.
Photo: Freepik 照片：Freepik提供
However, human interference, through commercial whaling and habitat disruption, has led to a rapid decline in whale populations. This not only threatens the whale fall rate and geographical distribution, but also endangers species that rely solely on these carcasses for survival. Moreover, the reduction in carbon storage is equivalent to cutting down millions of large trees, magnifying the climate crisis.
It is imperative that we advocate for the protection of whales by supporting whale conservation efforts and promoting sustainable practices. This is not just because they are wise and beautiful animals, but because in death, they leave behind a valuable gift for our world.
浩瀚的海洋中上演著無數生命的奇蹟，但沒有一種現象能像鯨落一樣令人敬畏。當一頭巨鯨到達生命的盡頭時，牠龐大的身軀會緩緩下沉，最終落在漆黑的深淵中。這個看似是終結的時刻，卻在海底點燃了新生命的火花。
在陽光無法抵達、營養匱乏的深海中，鯨落就像荒地裡的一片綠洲。在數十年甚至數百年的時間裡，一頭鯨魚的遺體可以養活成千上萬的生物，從細菌到較大的海洋生物都有。這個過程不僅支撐著複雜的食物網，還豐富了深海的生物多樣性。
鯨魚在其一生中平均能從大氣中吸收33噸二氧化碳，並將其儲存在體內，就像森林中的大樹一樣。當鯨魚死亡並沉入海底時，被吸收的碳也隨之下沉。在未經干擾的情況下，這些碳得以被封存數百甚至數千年，在對抗全球暖化上發揮重要作用。
然而，人類的干擾，如商業捕鯨和棲息地破壞，已使鯨魚的數量迅速下滑。這不僅威脅到鯨落的頻率和地理分佈，還危及到那些完全依靠這些屍骸生存的物種。此外，碳存量的減少也相當於砍伐了數百萬棵大樹，更加劇氣候危機。
我們必須倡導保護鯨魚，支持鯨魚保育工作及推廣永續行動。這不僅是因為牠們是聰明又美麗的生物，更因為即便是死亡，牠們也為我們的世界留下了寶貴的禮物。
MORE INFORMATION
inky adj. 漆黑的
abyss n. 深淵
biodiversity n. 生物多樣性
carbon dioxide 二氧化碳
sequester vt. 封存
whaling n. 捕鯨
carcass n. 屍體；殘骸
remains n. 遺骸；殘餘物（恆用複數）
feces n. 糞便（恆用複數）
phytoplankton n. 浮游植物
ignite v. 點燃；激發
KEY VOCABULARY
1. descend v. 下降
As the sun began to set, temperatures started to descend rapidly in the desert.
當太陽開始下山時，沙漠中的溫度開始迅速下降。
2. oasis n. 綠洲
The tired travelers were relieved to find an oasis in the middle of the vast desert.
疲憊的旅行者很高興在廣闊的沙漠中央發現了一個綠洲。
3. barren adj. 貧瘠的
The astronauts landed on a barren planet with no signs of water or life.
太空人降落在一個貧瘠的星球上，沒有水或生命的跡象。
4. perish vi. 死亡；毀滅
The ancient civilization perished when a severe drought lasted for several decades.
當嚴重乾旱持續數十年時，這個古老的文明滅亡了。
5. interference n. 干涉；阻礙
Kelly started to resent her mother’s constant interference in her marriage.
凱莉開始對她母親持續干涉她的婚姻感到憤恨不滿。
6. geographical adj. 地理的
The geographical features of a region often influence its climate and natural resources.
一個地區的地理特徵通常會影響其氣候和自然資源。
7. solely adv. 僅僅；單獨地
The charity relies solely on donations from the public to fund its important community projects.
這個慈善機構僅依靠公眾捐款來資助其重要的社區專案。
8. magnify vt. 加強；放大
Stress tends to magnify small problems, making them seem much worse than they really are.
壓力往往會放大小問題，使它們看起來比實際情況糟糕得多。
9. imperative adj. 必要的；緊急的
The doctor emphasized that it was imperative for the patient to take the medication as prescribed.
這名醫生強調病人按照處方服藥是必要的。
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