英國一項研究發現，路燈擾亂夜間飛蛾的行為，使毛蟲數量減少一半，其中LED路燈似乎帶來最大影響。（法新社）
◎陳成良
Streetlights － particularly those that use white light-emitting diodes (LEDs) － not only disrupt insect behavior but are also a culprit behind their declining numbers, a new study carried out in southern England showed Wednesday.
一項在英格蘭南部進行的新研究週三指出，路燈—特別是使用白色發光二極體 （LED），不僅會干擾昆蟲行為，也是導致昆蟲數量下 降的背後元凶。
Artificial lights at night had been identified as a possible factor behind falling insect populations around the world, but the topic had been under-researched.
夜間人工照明已被認為是世界各地昆蟲棲群減少的可能因素，但這個議題的研究仍不足。
To address the question, scientists compared 26 roadside sites consisting of either hedgerows or grass verges that were lit by streetlights, against an equal number of nearly identical sites that were unlit.
為了解這個問題，科學家比較街燈照亮的灌木或草地邊緣組成的26個路邊站點，對照相同數量、幾乎相同但沒有街燈的站點
The team chose moth caterpillars as a proxy for nocturnal insects more broadly, because they remain within a few meters of where they hatched during the larval stage of their lives, before they acquire the ability to fly.
研究團隊選擇蛾毛蟲來替代廣泛的夜行性昆蟲，因為牠們在孵化後成為幼蟲，到取得飛行能力前都棲息在幾公尺距離。
The results were eye-opening, with a 47 percent reduction in insect population at the hedgerow sites and 37 percent reduction at the roadside grassy areas.
研究結果令人大開眼界，在灌木叢的昆蟲棲群減少47％，路邊草地減少37％
新聞辭典
culprit：名詞，罪犯、元凶。例句：Obesity is thought to be the primary culprit for children’s diabetes.（肥胖被認為是兒童罹患糖尿病的主因。）
nocturnal：形容詞，夜行性的，夜間出沒的。例句：Most bats are nocturnal.（大部分蝙蝠都是夜行性。
華客新聞 | 時事與歷史：中英對照讀新聞》LED streetlights contribute to insect population declines: study 研究：LED路燈光害 致昆蟲數量銳減
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