圖1. 澳洲雪梨大學的研究人員們開發了一種，藉由使用模仿使食草哺乳動物，避開植物氣味之人造氣味，來保護植物免遭此些動物侵害的方法。
Researchers at the University of Sydney have developed a method to protect plants from herbivorous mammals by using artificial odors that mimic the smell of plants these animals avoid.
此策略經證實，減少植物消耗的可能性達20倍。為傳統保護措施提供了一種，人道且具成本效益的替代方案。這在全球保護及農業方面，具有諸多潛在應用。
This strategy, proven to reduce the likelihood of plant consumption by 20 times, offers a humane and cost-effective alternative to traditional protective measures, with potential applications in conservation and agriculture worldwide.
A novel approach by the University of Sydney utilizes artificial scents to deter herbivores from consuming valuable plants, showing significant promise in ecological conservation and agricultural protection.
一種由澳洲雪梨大學利用人造氣味，來阻止食草動物吃食有價值植物的新方法，在生態保育及農業保護方面，顯示出顯著的指望。
University of Sydney researchers have shown it is possible to shield plants from the hungry maws of herbivorous mammals by fooling them with the smell of a variety they typically avoid.
藉由使用，通常食草哺乳動物避開的各種植物氣味，來愚弄牠們。雪梨大學的研究人員們已經證實，保護植物免於食草哺乳動物飢餓之胃的侵害，這是可能的。
Findings from the study published in Nature Ecology & Evolution show tree seedlings planted next to the decoy smell solution were 20 times less likely to be eaten by animals.
來自發表於《自然•生態學暨演化》期刊的研究發現證實，種植於誘餌氣味溶液旁的樹苗，被動物吃掉的可能性，較少20倍。
“This is equivalent to the seedlings being surrounded by actual plants that are unpalatable to the herbivore. In most cases it does trick the animals into leaving the plants alone,” said PhD student Patrick Finnerty, the study’s lead author from the School of Life and Environmental Sciences Behavioural Ecology and Conservation Lab.
該項研究，來自生命暨環境科學學院，行為生態學暨保育實驗室的首要撰文人，博士生Patrick Finnerty宣稱：「這相當於幼苗，遭食草動物不喜歡的實際植物所包圍。在大多數情況下，這確實瞞了此些動物，使之不去觸及此些植物。」
圖2. 於澳洲，雪梨庫靈蓋國家公園(Kuringai National Park)，澳洲沼澤小袋鼠嗅聞難吃的植物，而忽視尤加利樹幼苗。
Australian swamp wallaby sniffing unpalatable plant and ignoring eucalypt seedling. Kuringai National Park, Sydney, Australia.
“Herbivores cause significant damage to valuable plants in ecological and economically sensitive areas worldwide, but killing the animals to protect the plants can be unethical,” he said.
他宣稱：「食草動物，在全球生態及經濟敏感地區，對寶貴植物造成重大損害。不過，殺死此些動物來保護植物，會是不道德的。
So, we created artificial odors that mimicked the smell of plant species they naturally avoid, and this gently nudged problematic herbivores away from areas we didn’t want them to be.
因此，我們創造了，模仿牠們自然避開之植物物種的氣味。於是，這緩和地將難以處置的食草動物，推離我們不希望它們出現的區域。
Given that many herbivores use plant odor as their primary sense to forage, this method provides a new approach that could be used to help protect valued plants globally, either in conservation work or protecting agricultural crops.”
鑑於諸多食草動物，使用植物氣味作為其覓食的主要感覺。這種方式提供了一種，能被用來協助保護全球有價值植物的新方法。」
The experiment, conducted in Ku-ring-gai Chase National Park in Sydney, used the swamp wallaby as a model herbivore. The researchers selected an unpalatable shrub in the citrus family, Boronia pinnata, and a palatable canopy species, Eucalyptus punctata, to test the concept.
該項於澳洲雪梨庫靈蓋國家公園進行的實驗，使用了沼澤小袋鼠作為一種食草動物模型。此些研究人員選擇了，於柑橘科中，一種難吃的灌木(Boronia pinnata)，及一種美味的樹冠層物種(Eucalyptus punctata)，來試驗此概念。
The study compared using B. pinnata solution and the real plant and found both were equally successful at protecting eucalypt seedlings from being eaten by wallabies.
該項研究比較了，使用B. pinnata溶液及真實的植物。結果發現，在保護尤加利樹幼苗，不被小袋鼠吃掉上，兩者同樣是成功的。
As part of his doctoral research, Mr. Finnerty has also tested the method successfully with African elephants, but that fieldwork does not form part of this research paper.
作為Finnerty先生其博士研究的一部分，他也以非洲象成功試驗了該方法。不過，那野地實驗並不構成，該項研究論文的一部分。
Previous attempts to use repellent substances, such as chili oil or motor oil, to control animal consumption of plants have inherent limitations, Mr. Finnerty said.
Finnerty先生表示，先前諸多嘗試使用，諸如辣椒油或機油等驅蟲劑，來控制動物吃食植物，具固有的限制。
“Animals tend to habituate to these unnatural cues and so deterrent effects are only temporary,” he said. “By contrast, by mimicking the smell of plants herbivores naturally encounter, and avoid in day-to-day foraging, our approach works with the natural motivators of these animals, with herbivores less likely to habituate to these smells.”
他宣稱：「動物傾向習慣此些不自然的刺激，因此遏阻效果只是暫時的。相較下，藉由模仿食草動物，在日常覓食中，自然遇到並避開的植物氣味。除了食草動物較不可能習慣此些氣味之外，由於此些動物的自然激發因素，我們的方法起了作用。」
Researchers took this idea and used solutions that produced these undesired aromas.
研究人員們採取了此想法並使用了，產生此些不受歡迎之氣味的解決方法。
“As a management tool to protect palatable plants, our technique offers many advantages over real plants as a repellent,” Mr. Finnerty said. “Real plants compete for water and resources, which can outweigh protective effects in providing browsing refuge.
Finnerty先生宣稱：「作為保護美味植物的一種管理工具，我們的技術提供了，諸多超越真實植物作為一種驅蟲劑的優勢。真正的植物會競爭水及資源，因此在提供吃草安全區方面，這能勝過保護作用。
Our approach should be transferable to any mammalian, or potentially invertebrate, herbivore that relies primarily on plant odor information to forage and could protect valued plants globally, such as threatened species.”
我們的方法應該能轉移到，任何哺乳動物、或潛在上的無脊椎動物、主要仰賴植物氣味資訊，來覓食的食草動物。且可能保護全球有價值的植物，諸如遭威脅的物種。」
Current solutions to herbivore-related problems often involve costly and environmentally impactful measures such as lethal control or fencing.
The new research introduces an alternative low-cost, humane strategy based on understanding herbivores’ foraging cues, motivations, and decisions.
目前，有關食草動物相關問題的解決方法，通常涉及成本高昂及對環境有影響的措施，諸如致命的控制或圍欄。這項新研究引入一種，以瞭解食草動物的覓食線索、誘因及決策為基礎之低成本、人道的替代策略。
“Plant browsing damage caused by mammalian herbivore populations like deer, elephants, and wallabies is a growing global concern,” said senior study author Professor Clare McArthur.
資深研究撰文人，Clare McArthur教授宣稱：「由像鹿、大象及小袋鼠等，哺乳動物之食草動物種群造成的植物啃食損害，是一項日益全球關切的問題。
This damage is one of the greatest limiting factors in areas of post-fire recovery and revegetation, destroying more than half the seedlings in these areas. It also threatens endangered plants and causes billions of dollars of damage in forestry and agriculture globally.
這種損害，是火災後恢復及植被重生的最大限制因素之一。在此些地區，摧毀半數以上的樹苗。這也威脅著瀕臨滅絕的植物，並全球性地在林業及農業方面，造成數十億美元的損失。
Current methods to protect plants are expensive and increasingly limited by concerns over animal welfare, so alternate approaches are needed.”
目前，保護植物的諸多方法是不經濟的，且日益受到對於動物福利之關切的限制，因此需要替代的方法。」
網址：https://scitechdaily.com/unlocking-natures-secret-weapon-against-herbivores/
翻譯：許東榮
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