Coral reefs are some of the most spectacular ecosystems on the planet.
珊瑚礁是世界上最壮丽的生态系统之一。
They're also some of the most vulnerable.
同时也是最脆弱的。
But how can we protect the reefs and the animals and plants who rely on them?
我们该如何保护珊瑚礁和与之相依的动植物呢？
And how can we make sure our protected areas aren't hurting those who use reefs to survive?
又如何能让保护区不会影响当地人的生存？
These are some of the big questions facing marine conservation biologists today.
这些对于现今的海洋保育生物学家而言，都是不容忽视的问题。
Let's take Fiji, for example. Fiji is series of islands in the South Pacific Ocean.
我们用斐济举个例子。斐济是南太平洋上的一系列小岛。
To help balance the need for conservation and making a living,
为了均衡保育和经济发展，
scientists had suggested that instead of one big park which provides a lot of coverage for one reef system while leaving the rest unprotected,
科学家建议，与其在珊瑚礁区设立一个幅员辽阔的国家公园，而让其他地方失去保障，
a better way is to create a system of protected areas nested together like pearls on a string.
不如在整个珊瑚礁区设立一系列如珍珠般的小保留区。
This idea is called connectivity.
这个概念称之为“连接性”保护。
In this way, scientists can protect lots of different habitats while not excluding people from their traditional fishing grounds.
这让科学家可以保障许多不同的栖息地，又不会让人民失去传统渔场。
Now, the only way this string-of-pearls kind of reserve network is going to work is if each park is connected to other parks.
要使如珍珠项链般的保护网顺利运作，保留区间必须彼此联系。
There are two main benefits to this. First of all, insurance.
这会带来两个好处。第一是保险。
If something bad happens to one park, say, an oil spill or coral bleaching, then because that park is part of a system,
如果其中一区发生不幸事件，例如漏油或是珊瑚白化，但由于它只是整个系统中的一部分，
it can be reseeded from other parks that escaped the event.
所以仍可通过其他完好的保留区得到修复。
The second benefit is representation.
另外一个优点则是代表性。
By conserving many different areas, scientists ensure that lots of different habitats get protected.
通过保护不同的地区，科学家能保全不同的栖息地。
This way, they can make sure all the different marine habitats in Fiji,
借此，他们可以确保斐济所有的海洋栖地，
such as coral reefs, mangroves, and sea-grass beds, are all represented.
例如，珊瑚礁、红树林和海底海藻森林，都能受到保护。
This way, we don't unduly settle any particular village or group of people with the economic burden of having their fishing grounds off-limits.
如此，就不需要因为限制捕鱼带给特定村庄或人民经济上的任何负担。
By sharing the cost around the communities, they can also share the benefits.
平均分担保育代价，也可以让他们共享由此带来的利益。

So if we agree that rather than one big park,
所以，如果我们同意把一个巨大的保留区
we should have lots of parks of different sizes and covering different habitats,
用许多大小不同的保留区取代，以保全不同栖地，
then scientists need to make sure those smaller parks are connected,
科学家必须确定这些小保留区能够彼此交流，
because if they're not, they probably won't be self-sustaining.
如果不能，它们就可能无法自给自足。
But how do we know that? That's where genetics and DNA come in.
但我们又如何确认这一点呢？这就要依赖遗传学和DNA研究。
By looking at how closely related the fish in each one of these small reserves in Fiji are to each other,
研究斐济各小保留区中鱼类基因接近的程度，
scientists can figure out how much migration is going on among the reserves within the system.
科学家可以了解它们在不同保留区间交流的程度如何。
Now it's important to look at a variety of different species
观察多样化的物种也是很重要的，
because there's no guarantee that what's going on with these guys is what's going on with these guys.
因为无法确保不同的物种共享同样的生存环境。
But if we look closely and at enough species, we can see whether or not the necklace is working.
但仔细观察大量的物种，我们就能确定这个新的策略是否成功。
What scientists have found so far is that, in general, there's a fair amount of connectivity amongst the parks within Fiji.
目前为止，科学家已经知道在斐济的小保留区之间有一定程度的交流。
But it's not just a big free-for-all; rather, it seems that, for some species,
但交流不一定轻松，事实上对有些物种而言，
babies born in the far west are having a hard time making it to the islands in the far east.
出生于西部的鱼苗需要历经千辛万苦才能抵达东部的岛屿。
To help deal with that, conservation biologists are suggesting that
为应付这种情况，保育生物学家建议
there be enough parks in both the east and the west to keep the populations healthy.
在东西两边都建立足够的小保留区，以确保族群健全。
This isn't just in Fiji, either. Lessons about reserve connectivity can help across the world.
并不是针对斐济岛，这份保育连通性的经验可以借鉴给全世界各地区。
In places like Indonesia, Papua New Guinea and the Bahamas,
像是印度尼西亚、巴布亚新几内亚和巴哈马，
scientists are using a variety of tools to help understand how individual parks can function together,
科学家利用不同的工具，帮助我们了解不同的保留区如何一起达到保育目的，
so that their sum is greater than their whole.
以达到一加一大于二的效果。
And this way, we can keep the beautiful necklace that is our coral reefs, intact.
这样我们就能用珍珠链般的保留区网络，保护珊瑚礁生态系的完整。