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A new study has found that devices used to measure air quality in the environment also take in DNA material from the local area.
一项新的研究发现，用于监测环境中空气质量的设备也会吸收当地的DNA物质。
Scientists say this collected DNA can be useful in identifying what plants and animals have been in the area.
科学家表示，收集到的DNA可以用于识别该地区的动植物。
It could also help document changes in the environment over time.
它还可以帮助记录环境随时间推移而发生的变化。
Researchers say the finding suggests air quality measuring devices have collected large amounts of biodiversity data.
研究人员表示，这一发现表明，空气质量监测设备收集了大量的生物多样性数据。
But the collection efforts have not been recognized until now, said Elizabeth Clare.
但伊丽莎白·克莱尔说，直到现在，收集工作才得到认可。
She is a biologist at Canada's York University and a lead writer of the study.
她是加拿大约克大学的生物学家，也是这项研究的主要作者之一。
As animals and plants go through their life cycles, they leave small pieces of themselves in the environment.
当动物和植物经历它们的生命周期时，它们会在环境中留下自己的一小部分。
This includes materials such as fur, feathers or pollen that identify their genetic makeup.
其中包括毛皮、羽毛或花粉等识别其基因构成的材料。
Scientists have long known this kind of environmental DNA can float in water.
科学家早就知道这种环境DNA可以漂浮在水中。
They have even used it to follow, or track, different species in lakes and rivers.
他们甚至用它来跟踪湖泊和河流中的不同物种。
But it has been much harder to get a genetic picture of animals living on land, said Kristine Bohmann.
克里斯汀·博曼说，但要获得陆地上动物的基因图谱要困难得多。
She studies environmental DNA at the University of Copenhagen.
她在哥本哈根大学研究环境DNA。
She was not involved in the latest study.
她没有参与最新的研究。
In 2021, both Bohmann and Clare worked on similar projects to see whether they could pull animal DNA from the air.
2021年，博曼和克莱尔都进行了类似的项目，看看他们是否能从空气中提取动物的DNA。
After setting up collection equipment in local zoos, the teams were able to capture and examine DNA from many different species.
在当地动物园设置了收集设备后，研究小组能够捕获和检查许多不同物种的DNA。
After seeing success in that process, the researchers wanted to expand their efforts to larger areas.
在看到这一过程取得成功后，研究人员希望将他们的研究扩展到更大的领域。
In the latest study, Clare and her team tested air filters from two measuring stations, one in London and one in Scotland.
在最新的研究中，克莱尔和她的团队测试了两个监测站的空气过滤器，这两个监测站分别在伦敦和苏格兰。
The two places are part of a large network that tests for pollution.
这两个地方是一个大型污染检测网络的一部分。
After getting DNA from pieces inside the air filters, the team was able to identify more than 180 different kinds of plants and animals, study writer Joanne Littlefair said.
研究作者乔安妮·利特费尔说，在从空气过滤器内的碎片中提取DNA后，研究小组能够识别出180多种不同的动植物。
She is a biologist at Queen Mary University of London.
她是伦敦玛丽女王大学的生物学家。
The filter data identified many different life forms, including grasses, fungi, deer, hedgehogs and songbirds, Littlefair said.
利特费尔说，从过滤器中获取的数据识别了许多不同的生命形式，包括草、真菌、鹿、刺猬和鸣鸟。
Now, the team hopes to capture DNA data on ecosystems all over the world.
如今，研究小组希望能捕获世界各地生态系统的DNA数据。
Clare noted that even though biodiversity issues affect the whole world, it is hard to carry out widespread testing.
克莱尔指出，即使生物多样性问题影响到整个世界，也很难进行广泛的测试。
James Allerton is an air quality scientist at Britain's National Physical Laboratory.
詹姆斯·艾勒顿是英国国家物理实验室的空气质量科学家。
He told The Associated Press that it is much easier to use capturing systems that are already in place.
他告诉美联社，使用现有的捕获系统要容易得多。
Allerton noted that many countries have networks to measure air quality.
艾勒顿指出，许多国家都有监测空气质量的网络。
Some also store their old filters for many years.
有些人还会把旧过滤器保存很多年。
He said such data could help demonstrate how ecosystems have changed over time.
他说，这些数据可以帮助证明生态系统是如何随着时间的推移而变化的。
Fabian Roger is working on a similar project at ETH Zurich in Switzerland.
法比安·罗杰正在瑞士苏黎世联邦理工学院进行类似的项目。
He wrote in an email to the AP that more research will be needed to see if data from the filters can show real biodiversity changes over time.
他在给美联社的一封电子邮件中写道，需要进行更多的研究，以证明来自过滤器的数据是否能显示出生物多样性随着时间推移而发生的真正变化。
Roger added that he finds it exciting that an existing system could help track wildlife across large areas in the environment.
罗杰补充说，他发现现有的系统可以帮助跟踪环境中大片区域的野生动物，这是令人兴奋的。
I'm Bryan Lynn.
布莱恩·林恩为您播报。
译文为可可英语翻译，未经授权请勿转载！
