DNA 研究發現無尾熊在 10 萬年前曾遭遇大規模的種群崩潰
DNA study finds koalas suffered massive population collapse 100,000 years ago
Updated at: July 19, 2026 at 03:00 AM
一項近期的基因體研究揭示了澳洲指標性動物無尾熊歷史中一段驚人的篇章。
A recent genomic study has unveiled a surprising chapter in the history of Australia's iconic koala.
發表於《分子生物學與演化》(Molecular Biology and Evolution) 期刊的研究指出，無尾熊族群在大約十萬年前曾經歷嚴重的崩潰，遠在人類抵達該大陸之前。
Published in Molecular Biology and Evolution, the research reveals that koala populations suffered a dramatic collapse around 100,000 years ago, long before humans arrived on the continent.
透過分析四百五十七隻野生無尾熊的基因組並建立該物種特定的突變率，科學家確認這場崩潰是由於更新世晚期的劇烈氣候變遷所導致。
By analyzing the genomes of 457 wild koalas and establishing a specific mutation rate for the species, scientists determined that the crash was caused by severe climate changes during the late Pleistocene.
隨著澳洲變得更加乾燥與寒冷，棲息地縮減，迫使該物種經歷了遺傳瓶頸。
As Australia became drier and colder, habitats shrank, forcing the species through a genetic bottleneck.
這項發現修正了先前將人口減少歸咎於早期人類活動的理論，並證明所有現代無尾熊皆源自於一小群在這些嚴酷古代環境中倖存下來的個體。
This finding corrects previous theories that blamed early human activity for the population decline, proving that all modern koalas descended from a small group that survived these harsh ancient conditions.
儘管這項研究突顯了無尾熊的歷史韌性，但也強調了現今保育工作刻不容緩。
While this study highlights the koala's historical resilience, it also underscores the urgency of current conservation efforts.
了解無尾熊的演化基準，現已成為在面臨持續氣候與人類引起的壓力下，制定有效策略以保護該物種免於進一步瀕危的關鍵步驟。
Understanding the koala's evolutionary baseline is now a crucial step in developing effective strategies to protect the species from further endangerment in the face of ongoing climate and human-induced pressures.
