Frankincense under threat, says study

Frankincense(乳香) is burned in religious(宗教的) ceremonies(儀式) throughout(整個) the world. The sweet-smelling incense(香味的) is produced from resin(樹脂) tapped(挖掘) from the Boswellia tree, which grows in the drylands(旱地) of Africa and the Arabian peninsula(半島).

But this delicate(嬌嫩的) tree is struggling(奮鬥的) to sustain(維持) itself.

The team monitored the survival(生存) and growth(增長) of more than 6,000 Boswellia trees in Ethiopia. They used the data to model the changing population(人口變化) of the trees and discovered that this was declining(下降) dramatically(顯著地).

Tapping(竊聽) trees for resin doesn't affect(影響) their survival at all. Instead(相反), young trees often fail(失敗) to get established(悠久) as they're eaten by livestock(家畜) or pushed out(被排擠) by faster-growing species(物種).

The scientists say that Boswellia plantations(種植園) should be carefully protected for up to 10 years while the saplings(樹苗) mature(成熟). Measures(措施) like this could safeguard(維護, 保護) the future of a product that's been traded(交易) since long before the time of the Christmas story.

Victoria Gill