中国的鄱阳湖处于危机之中

February 2nd marks World Wetlands Day, and this year it's taking on special meaning. Poyang Lake, located in eastern China's Jiangxi province, used to get all the attention on this day with its remarkable ecological diversity.
2月2日是世界湿地日，今年它有特殊的意义。过去，位于中国东部江西省的鄱阳湖在这一天都因其显著的生态多样性而受到各方的关注。

The area is an important habitat for one of the largest concentrations of migratory birds in East Asia. It’s also home to the world’s only freshwater porpoise. But, as our reporter Wu Haojun finds out, all of this is now under threat.
这个地区是东亚最大候鸟聚集的一个重要栖息地。它也是世界上唯一的淡水海豚的生息地。但是，正如我们记者Wu Haojun了解到的，所有这些现在正受到威胁。

China’s largest freshwater lake no more. Poyang Lake once had a surface area of 3,500 square kilometers. And now this is all that’s left.
不再是中国最大的淡水湖。曾经，鄱阳湖的表面积是3500平方千米。现在，这些都不见了。

Ge Gang, Professor of Wetlands Studies, Nanchang Univ., said, "When there’s ample rainfall, the whole area’s covered by water. Boats can sail through. But during such periods of drought, all this land emerges."
南昌大学湿地研究教授Ge Gang表示：“当雨量充沛的时候，整个地区都被水覆盖。船可以通过。但是在干旱时期，这样的土地就出现了。”

Once a favourite habitat for migratory birds, animals might now have to look elsewhere.
曾经是候鸟最喜爱的栖息地，现在，动物们可能要到别处去找。

Jiangxi province has endured a prolonged drought that started last year. In September, water levels in Poyang Lake had fallen to less than 12 meters, as the drought period started 4 months earlier than normal.
去年开始，江西省遭受一场持久的干旱。由于干旱期比往年提早4个月，九月份鄱阳湖的水位降到12米以下。

Pan Hanming, Jiangxi Water Bureau, said, "Since 2003, water levels at Poyang have been about one to two grades lower than previous years. This indicates that the drought situation is getting more severe."
江西水利局的Pan Hanming称：“自2003年以来，鄱阳湖的水位比前些年低一至二级。这表明旱情越来越严重。”

Professor Ge has conducted research on Poyang Lake for many years. He sees every day how the drought has impacted the area.
Ge教授对鄱阳湖进行了多年的研究。他每天都见证干旱是如何影响这个地区的。

Ge said, "It used to be that vegetation here is about 70 centimeters tall. Sometimes it can be as tall as a person. But because of the drought, water covers the land for only 1 month a year. It used to be at least 3 to 4 months."
Ge表示：“过去，这里的草木高约70厘米。有时这里有一人高。但是因为干旱，每年水只覆盖土地一个月。过去是3到4个月。”

While animals who depend on the land may feel the pinch when it comes to food, for local residents, it’s lost business.
说到食物的时候，依赖这片土地的动物可能都感到处境困难，对当地居民来说，他们失去了生意。

According to the local bureau of fisheries and aquatic resources, the prolonged drought has reduced fish stocks by more than 60 percent.
据当地渔业与水产资源局的报道，持久的干旱使鱼类资源减少60%以上。

Xiong Haibing, local resident, said, "I remember in the past, when there was a strong wind, the waves would carry fish on shore. All the villagers needed to do was pick them up."
当地居民Xiong Haibing称：“我还记得，过去有强风的时候，波浪可以把鱼带到岸边。村民们要做的就是把它们捡起来。”

Amid all the signs of distress at Poyang Lake, migratory birds seem to be the only stable factor. According to an investigation at the end of last year, migratory birds still numbered about 50,000. But whether they’ll choose to stay as the drought lingers on, is still an open question.
在鄱阳湖所有危险迹象中，候鸟似乎是唯一稳定的因素。根据去年年底的一项调查，候鸟的数目约为5万只。但是在干旱持续的时候，它们是否会选择留在这里仍然是一个未解决的问题。