For many scientists, a species'success is measuredby sheer numbers.
對很多科學(xué)家來說，一個(gè)物種的成功完全取決于數(shù)量。

In that case, the most successful species knowntoman is a type of bacterium known as S-A-R-11, orSAR-11 for short.

如果是那樣是話，為人類所知的最成功的物種就是一種簡稱“SAR-11”的細(xì)菌。

Scientists estimate that there are two-hundred andforty times a billion billion billion SAR11 cells floatingaround in the oceans.

科學(xué)家們估計(jì)海洋中的SAR11細(xì)胞的數(shù)量超過2 x 10的28次方個(gè)。

Now that makes six-billion humans sound like a merehandful.

那讓60億人類聽起來屈指可數(shù)。

SAR11 bacteria are known for their ability to transform one substance into another, which iswhythey are such an important part of the Earth's chemical cycles.

SAR11細(xì)菌以其轉(zhuǎn)換物質(zhì)的能力為人所知。而這也使得它們成為地球化學(xué)循環(huán)中重要的部分。

Although scientists are stilluncertain about SAR11's specific role, it appears to produce carbondioxide using the oxygen andcarbon from organic matter that's derived from photo synthesis.

盡管科學(xué)家不能確定SAR11的具體作用。但它似乎可以使來自于光合作用的氧氣和有機(jī)物種的碳發(fā)生作用，產(chǎn)生二氧化碳。

Scientists speculate that SAR11plays a major role in the way the ocean's surface acts as agiant carbon pump that removescarbon dioxide from the atmosphere.

科學(xué)家推測SAR11在海洋表面扮演著重要的作用，作為一個(gè)巨大的碳泵移除空氣中的二氧化碳。

The catch is that SAR11 is what is known as an uncultured organism, which means thatscientistshaven't been able to cultivate it under laboratory conditions.

但目前SAR11是為培養(yǎng)生物，也就是說科學(xué)家不能在實(shí)驗(yàn)室里培養(yǎng)出這種細(xì)菌。