メキシコ市の象徴「ヤシの木」撤去　気候変動と食害で

【メキシコ市ＡＦＰ＝時事】メキシコの首都メキシコ市当局はこのほど、街の象徴として市民に愛されてきたヤシの木を撤去すると発表した。気候変動と昆虫による食害が理由だという。（写真はメキシコの首都メキシコ市で行われる、病害を受けたヤシの木の撤去作業）
　撤去されるのはスペイン領カナリア諸島原産のナツメヤシで、樹齢が２００年を超えることもある。
　だが、本来青々としている葉は黄変してしまっている。専門家は甲虫「ヤシオオオサゾウムシ」が原因だと指摘する。
　ヤシオオオサゾウムシはアジアの熱帯地域に生息する種だが、現在は世界各地に分布し、ヤシの木に深刻な被害をもたらしている。
　植物病害を専門とするレイナ・ロハス氏は、気候変動により樹木が昆虫に対してこれまで以上に脆弱（ぜいじゃく）になっていると指摘する。「気温上昇は、植物により大きなストレスをもたらす」とし、その結果、昆虫がひきつけられると語った。
　市内ナルバルテ地区の中心部では、枯れたヤシの木の撤去作業が進められていた。
　住民の男性（５５）は「この地区の本質がなくなってしまう」と話した。「ヤシの木がなければナルバルテはナルバルテではなくなる」
　市当局は７月、ヤシの木１５５本を撤去すると発表した。ヤシが「世界各地で起きている気候変動の影響を受けやすいことが証明された」と述べている。
　７月の市内の気温は３０度を超え、平年を上回った。【翻訳編集ＡＦＰＢＢＮｅｗｓ】
〔ＡＦＰ＝時事〕（2023/09/01-16:17）

Climate change and a deadly disease spread by insects have forced authorities in Mexico City to chop down palm trees beloved by residents as an emblem of the capital.
The Canary Island date palms, which are endemic to the Spanish archipelago off the coast of northwestern Africa, can sometimes live for more than 200 years.
But the ones providing shade and a splash of green in Mexico City are suffering from lethal yellowing, which experts say is caused by the red palm weevil, a type of beetle.
The pest is native to tropical Asia but has spread around the world, causing irreversible damage to palm trees in various countries.
Climate change is making the trees more vulnerable to such insects, according to Reyna Rojas, an expert in plant disease.
The increase in temperatures causes much more stress for a plant, she told AFP.
As a result, they attract insects, she added.
Tree surgeons have been cutting down wilting palms in the central Narvarte neighborhood, ripping out part of Mexico City's history.
It's taking away the essence of the neighborhood, said 55-year-old resident Ivan Felipe.
Narvarte will no longer be Narvarte without the palm trees, he added.
Irma Gutierrez, 68, mourned the loss of the trees she has known since childhood.
As long as I have been here, the palm trees have been there, she said.
Announcing the removal of 155 palm trees in July, the Mexico City government said that the species has proven to be susceptible to climate change currently occurring worldwide.
At the time, temperatures in the city were above 30 degrees Celsius (86 degrees Fahrenheit) -- higher than normal in the Mexican capital.
Although it is located in the tropics, the city has relatively mild summers due to its altitude of 2,240 meters (7,350 feet) above sea level.
One of the capital's most iconic palm trees, located on a roundabout on its main avenue Paseo de la Reforma, was removed in April 2022 after it was attacked by fungus.
A native cypress tree was planted in its place, but wilted and withered just weeks later and had to be removed.