Rising temperatures due to climate change could mean wild Arabica coffee will be extinct in 70 years, posing a risk to the genetic sustainability of one of the world’s basic commodities, scientists said.
Although commercial coffee growers would still be able to cultivate crops in plantations designed with the right conditions, experts say the loss of wild Arabica, which has greater genetic diversity, would make it harder for plantations to survive in the long-term and beat threats like pests and disease.
A study by researchers at Britain’s Royal Botanic Gardens at Kew in collaboration with scientists in Ethiopia found that 38 to 99.7 percent of the areas suitable for wild Arabica will disappear by 2080 if predictions of rising temperatures pan out.
Photo: Lin Ya-ti, Taipei Times
照片:台北時報記者林亞蒂
Because coffee is a highly climate-dependent crop, the increase of a few degrees of average temperature in growing regions can put at risk the future of Arabica coffee and the livelihood of millions of people who grow and produce it.
“The extinction of Arabica coffee is a startling and worrying prospect,” said Aaron Davis, head of coffee research at the Royal Botanic Gardens, who led the study.
In a telephone interview, he said the findings made it even more important for organizations such as the World Coffee Research collaboration to continue work to improve the genetic strength of cultivated Arabica by preserving wild types.
Photo: Lin Ya-ti, Taipei Times
照片:台北時報記者林亞蒂
Researchers used computer modeling to analyze the influence of rising temperatures on the geographical distribution of wild Arabica coffee.
The results, published in a Public Library of Science (PLOS) journal, showed a “profoundly negative influence” on the number and extent of wild Arabica populations, the researchers said.
(Reuters)
Photo: Lin Ya-ti, Taipei Times
照片:台北時報記者林亞蒂
科學家表示,氣候變遷導致的氣溫上升,意味野生阿拉比卡咖啡豆可能在七十年內絕跡,也可能威脅咖啡此一全球基本商品的基因永續性。
雖然商業咖啡種植者仍可在專為咖啡種植打造的農場環境培植該作物,但專家表示,野生阿拉比卡咖啡的流失,將更不利開闢能種植長期生存的咖啡農地,亦不易抵抗像是病蟲等侵害,因為野生阿拉比卡咖啡具備更廣泛的基因多樣性。
一份由英國皇家植物園之裘園研究員與衣索比亞科學家合作的研究發現,若溫度如預期上升,有百分之三十八至百分之九十九點七適合種植野生阿拉比卡咖啡豆的地區,將於二○八○年之前匿跡。
由於咖啡是相當容易受到氣候影響的作物,種植區域的平均溫度只要增加幾度,就可以威脅到阿拉比卡咖啡豆的未來,並不利種植及生產線上數百萬人的生計。
主導這項研究的皇家植物園咖啡研究主任艾倫‧戴維斯說:「阿拉比可咖啡可能絕跡的預測,令人吃驚且憂心。」戴維斯在接受電話訪問中表示,這些發現讓像是「世界咖啡研究」等機構,更加緊腳步藉由保存野生物種的方法,繼續改善培植阿拉比卡咖啡的基因播種能力。
研究員用電腦模擬,分析氣溫上升對於野生阿拉比卡咖啡在地理分佈上的影響。
研究員表示,這項刊登在《公共科學圖書館》(PLOS)一份期刊的結果顯示,這將對野生阿拉比卡的所有品種的數量以及分佈地區的幅員廣狹,造成「顯著負面的影響」。
(路透/翻譯:林亞蒂)
The strongest earthquake to hit Taiwan in 25 years killed at least 16 people and damaged dozens of buildings, but the destruction was largely contained thanks to decades of preparedness work. Taiwan sits on the “Ring of Fire,” an arc of intense seismic activity along the Pacific Rim, and — much like neighboring Japan — has a long history of catastrophic quakes. How does April 3 compare with other recent quakes? The April 3 earthquake, which measured 7.4 on the moment magnitude scale, was felt across Taiwan. It was the most severe since a 7.6 magnitude quake in 1999 killed
Around the time of the Dragon Boat Festival in June, the streets of Taiwan are filled with the delightful aroma of zongzi, a traditional snack made of sticky rice wrapped in leaves. The leaves are folded into a cone and then filled with sticky rice and other ingredients such as braised pork belly, peanuts and salted duck egg yolks. The filled leaves are then tightly tied with kitchen twine and ready for cooking. 每到六月端午時節,街頭巷尾就會飄出粽子的香氣。粽子是將糯米包進粽葉的傳統美食,先將粽葉折成圓錐狀塞入糯米,以及紅燒肉、花生、鹹鴨蛋黃等配料,用棉線綁緊後即可烹煮。 Dragon Boat Festival (n. phr.) 端午節 aroma
Everyone has seen a piece of fruit turn brown after being cut. Have you ever wondered why that happens? It is a common phenomenon that occurs due to a chemical reaction called enzymatic browning. The appearance, flavor and nutritional value of the fruit are all affected by this reaction. Some fruits, such as apples, pears, bananas, avocados and peaches, are more prone to enzymatic browning than others. These fruits contain high levels of an enzyme called polyphenol oxidase, or PPO for short. __1__ This causes a chain of chemical reactions that ultimately transforms the phenolic compounds into
There are several methods to prevent or slow down enzymatic browning in fruit. __3__ This lowers the pH level of the fruit tissue, causing the PPO to be far less active. Another method is to store the fruit in an airtight container or to wrap it tightly with plastic wrap. Doing this will reduce its exposure to oxygen. __4__ Although fruit that has undergone enzymatic browning may look less appealing, it is still safe to eat. However, by using one of these simple methods, you can enjoy fresh-looking fruit for a longer period. 有一些方法能避免或減緩水果的酶促褐變。其中一個有效的方式就是在切片水果的表面塗上酸性物質,像是檸檬汁或醋。這樣做能降低水果組織的酸鹼值,讓 PPO 更不為活躍。另一個方式是將水果存放在密封的容器內,或用保鮮膜將其緊緊包住。這樣做會減少水果與氧氣的接觸。快速蒸一下切片水果或將其短暫浸泡在滾水中也能使PPO失去活性,並終止 PPO 與空氣的作用。 雖然經歷酶促褐變的水果可能看起來較不吸引人,但仍然可以安全食用。然而,藉由採用這些簡單方法中的其中一個,你就能在更長的一段時間享用看起來新鮮的水果。 What Did You