返回首页

KateSlabosky_MarineDeadZone_2020E-_海洋中的氧气有可能会耗尽吗？_-
For most of the year, the Gulf of Mexico is teeming with marine life, from tiny crustaceans to massive baleen whales. 一年中大部分的时候, 墨西哥湾里满是海洋生命, 从小型的甲壳纲动物 到大型的长须鲸都有。
But every summer, disaster strikes. 但每到夏天,灾难就会来袭。
Around May, animals begin to flee the area. 大约五月时,动物开始逃离该地区。
And soon, creatures that can’t swim or can’t swim fast enough begin to suffocate and die off in massive numbers. 很快地,不会游泳 或游泳不够快的生物 就会开始大量窒息死亡。
Gulf:n.海湾;深渊;分歧;漩涡;vt.吞没; teeming:adj.多产的,丰富的;热闹的;v.充满(teem的现在分词); marine:adj.海的;海产的;海生的;海船的;n.(尤指美国或英国皇家)海军陆战队士兵; crustaceans:n.甲壳类;甲壳纲动物(crustacean的复数); massive:adj.大量的;巨大的,厚重的;魁伟的; baleen:n.鲸须; disaster:n.灾难,灾祸;不幸; flee:v.逃走;迅速离开;逃避,逃跑 creatures:n.生物;动物;(具有某种特征的)人(creature的复数) suffocate:v.受阻,受扼制;窒息;
From late spring to early autumn, thousands of square kilometers along the coast become a marine dead zone— unable to support most forms of aquatic life. 从晚春到初秋, 沿岸会有数千平方公里的面积 变成海洋死亡区—— 无法提供海洋生命形式的维生所需。
This strange annual curse isn’t unique; dead zones like this one have formed all over the world. 这种每年一次的奇特诅咒 并非独一无二的; 全世界各地都有像这样的死亡区。
But to explore what’s creating these lethal conditions, we first need to understand how a healthy marine ecosystem functions. 但若要探究是什么原因 造成这些致命的条件, 我们得先了解
aquatic:adj.水生的;水栖的;在水中或水面进行的;n.水上运动;水生植物或动物; annual:n.年报;年鉴;年刊;adj.每年的;年度的;一年的; curse:n.诅咒;咒骂;v.诅咒;咒骂; explore:v.探索:探测:探险: lethal:adj.致命的,致死的;n.致死因子; ecosystem:n.生态系统;
In any body of water that receives sufficient sunlight , plant-like organisms such as algae and cyanobacteria thrive . 在任何有足够阳光的水体中, 类似植物的生物,
Clouds of algae streak the surface of deep waters, and in shallower regions , large seaweeds and seagrass cover the ground. 深水区域的表面会有成群的水藻, 在比较浅的区域,
Not only do these organisms form the foundation of local food chains, their photosynthesis provides the oxygen necessary for aquatic animals to survive. 这些生物不仅形成了 当地食物链的基础, 它们的光合作用也提供
sufficient:adj.足够的;充分的; sunlight:n.日光; organisms:n.[生物]生物体(organism的复数);[生物]有机体; algae:n.[植]藻类;[植]海藻; cyanobacteria:n.蓝藻细菌; thrive:v.繁荣;茁壮成长;蓬勃发展;兴旺发达; streak:n.条纹,线条;倾向;v.飞跑,疾驶;加上条纹; regions:n.地区;地域;行政区;左近;(region的复数) seaweeds:n.[植]海藻(seaweed的复数);海藻类; seagrass:n.海草; foundation:n.基础;地基;基金会;根据;创立; photosynthesis:n.光合作用;
Besides sunlight and C02, algae growth also depends on nutrients like phosphorus and nitrogen . 除了阳光和二氧化碳, 水藻的生长也要仰赖营养物,
While such resources are typically in short supply, sometimes the surrounding watershed can flood coastal waters with these nutrients. 虽然这些资源经常供应不足, 有时周围的分水岭可以
For example, a large rainstorm might wash nutrient-rich sediment from a forest into a lake. 比如,一場暴雨可能會將森林裡 營養豐富的沉積物沖到湖中。
Besides:adv.此外;而且;prep.除…之外; nutrients:营养盐;[食品]营养素; phosphorus:n.磷; nitrogen:n.氮;氮气; resources:n.[计][环境]资源; v.向…提供资金(resource的第三人称单数); typically:adv.代表性地;作为特色地; watershed:n.(美)流域;分水岭;集水区;转折点;adj.标志转折点的; coastal:adj.沿海的;海岸的; nutrient-rich:营养的; sediment:n.沉积;沉淀物;
These additional resources lead to a massive increase in algae growth known as eutrophication . 这些额外的资源 就是所谓的「优养化」。
But rather than providing more food and oxygen, this surge of growth has deadly consequences . 但这种激增的状况 并没有提供更多食物和氧气, 反而有致命的後果。
As more algae grows on the surface, it blocks sunlight to the plants below. 随着表面长出更多水藻,
additional:adj.附加的,额外的; eutrophication:n.(常因雨水带来的化肥造成水体的)富营养化; surge:n.汹涌;大浪,波涛;汹涌澎湃;巨涌;v.汹涌;起大浪,蜂拥而来; deadly:adj.致命的;非常的;死一般的;adv.非常;如死一般地; consequences:n.后果,结果;影响(consequence的复数);
These light-deprived plants die off and decompose in a process which uses up the water’s already depleted oxygen supply. 这些被剥夺阳光的植物 会死亡,接着分解, 这个过程会用掉
Over time, this can reduce the oxygen content to less than 2 milligrams of oxygen per liter , creating an uninhabitable dead zone . 随时间,这个现象 可能会把水中的含氧量 减少到低于每公升二毫克的氧气, 造成不适居住的死亡区。
There are rare bodies of water that rely on natural eutrophication. 有很少数的水体
decompose:v.腐烂;(使)分解; process:v.处理;加工;列队行进;n.过程,进行;方法,adj.经过特殊加工(或处理)的; depleted:v.大量减少;耗尽;使枯竭;(deplete的过去分词和过去式) content:n.内容,目录;满足;容量;adj.满意的;vt.使满足; milligrams:[计量]毫克; liter:n.(计量)公升(容量单位) uninhabitable:adj.不适宜居住的; dead zone:n.盲区;空白地带;隔离带;死水区(因缺氧而使动物无法生存); rely:vi.依靠;信赖;
Regions like the Bay of Bengal are full of bottom-dwelling marine life that has adapted to low-oxygen conditions. 像孟加拉湾这样的地区 这些生物已适应低氧的条件。
But human activity has made eutrophication a regular and widespread occurrence . 但人类活动让优养化
Nutrient-rich waste from our sewage systems and industrial processes often end up in lakes, estuaries and coastal waters. 我们污水系统和工業制造过程 它们通常最后会进入 湖泊、河口,及沿岸水域。
bottom-dwelling:底栖生物; adapted:adj.适于…的; v.使适应,使适合; (adapt的过去分词和过去式) widespread:adj.普遍的,广泛的;分布广的; occurrence:n.发生;出现;存在;发生的事情; sewage:n.污水;下水道;污物; industrial:adj.工业的,产业的; n.工业股票; processes:n.过程; v.处理(process的第三人称单数形式); estuaries:n.河口(estuary的复数);
And the Gulf of Mexico is one of the largest dumping zones on earth for one particular pollutant : fertilizer . 墨西哥湾是世界上 最大的倾倒区之一, 它特定的污染物是:肥料。
American agriculture relies heavily on nitrogen and phosphate-based fertilizers . 美国农業极度仰赖 氮肥料和磷肥料。
31 states, including America’s top agricultural producers, are connected to the Mississippi River Basin , and all of their runoff drains into the Gulf of Mexico. 三十一个州,包括美国 最大的农業制造者, 和密西西比河流域相连, 它们的径流通通流入墨西哥湾。
dumping:n.倾倒,倾卸;v.丢弃,扔掉;抛弃;抛售;(dump的现在分词) pollutant:n.污染物; fertilizer:n.[肥料]肥料;受精媒介物;促进发展者; relies:信任; fertilizers:n.[肥料]肥料(fertilizer的复数形式);化肥;底肥; agricultural:adj.农业的;农艺的; Basin:n.水池;流域;盆地;盆; runoff:n.[水文]径流;决赛;流走的东西;adj.决胜的; drains:n.排水沟(drain的复数);吸血;v.放出,排出(drain的第三人称单数);
Farmers apply most of this fertilizer during the spring planting season, so the nutrient flood occurs shortly after. 农民施肥的时间 通常是春天的播种季, 所以没多久之后就会出现营养洪流。
In the Gulf, decomposing algae sinks into the band of cold saltwater near the seafloor . 在墨西哥湾,分解掉的水藻 會沉入接近海底冰冷的鹹水帶。
Since these dense lower waters don’t mix with the warmer freshwater above, it can take four months for tropical storms to fully circulate oxygenated water back into the gulf. 因为这些高密度且位置较低的水 热带暴风雨可能要花四个月的时间 才能将带氧的水透过循环 完全带到墨西哥湾。
apply:v.申请;涂,敷;应用;适用;请求; occurs:v.重现(occur的第三人称单数); decomposing:v.腐烂;(使)分解;(decompose的现在分词) band:n.带;波段;频带;箍;v.加彩条(或嵌条等);(将价格、收入等)划分档次; saltwater:adj.盐水的;海产的; seafloor:n.海底; dense:adj.稠密的;浓厚的;愚钝的; freshwater:adj.淡水的;无经验的;n.淡水;内河;湖水; tropical:adj.热带的;热情的;酷热的; circulate:v.循环;传播;流传;传阅; oxygenated:adj.氧化的;充了氧的;充满氧气的;v.使氧合(oxygenate的过去分词);充氧;
This dead zone currently costs U.S. seafood and tourism industries as much as $82 million a year, and that cost will only increase as the dead zone gets bigger. 目前,这片死亡区 每年会让美国的海鲜产業 和观光产業损失 高达八千两百万美金, 且随着死亡区越来越大, 损失也只会越来越多。
On average the gulf dead zone is roughly 15,000 square kilometers, but in 2019 it grew to over 22,000 square kilometers— approximately the size of New Jersey. 墨西哥湾的死亡区面积 但在 2019 年, 接近新泽西州的大小。
Human activity is similarly responsible for growing dead zones around the world. 同样地,人类的活动 导致世界各地的死亡区不断扩大。
currently:adv.当前;一般地; seafood:n.海鲜;海味;海产食品; roughly:adv.粗糙地;概略地; approximately:adv.大约,近似地;近于; similarly:adv.同样地;类似于; responsible:adj.负责的,可靠的;有责任的;
So what can be done? 所以,能怎么办？
In the short term, countries can set tighter regulations on industrial run-off , and ban the dumping of untreated sewage into ocean waters. 短期来说, 并禁止将未处理的污水 倾倒进海洋水域。
On farms, we can plant buffer zones composed of trees and shrubs to absorb runoff. 农田方面,我们可以 种植树木和灌木, 形成缓冲区来吸收径流。
However, long term solutions will require radical changes to the way we grow food. 然而,长期的解决方案
Farmers are currently incentivized to use techniques that reduce the health of the soil and rely heavily on nitrogen-rich fertilizers. 目前,农民被鼓励使用的技术 会对土壤健康有不良影响, 且非常仰赖氮肥。
regulations:n.章程;规则;法规;管理,控制;(regulation的复数) run-off:n.流量,溢流;决赛,决胜选举;溢放口; untreated:adj.未经处理的;未经治疗的; buffer:n.[计]缓冲区;缓冲器,[车辆]减震器;vt.缓冲; composed:adj.由…组成的; v.组成; (compose的过去分词和过去式) shrubs:n.[林]灌木;权木;矮树丛(shrub的复数); absorb:v.吸收;使并入;吞并;同化;理解;吸收;耗费;承受; radical:n.自由基;激进分子;游离基;adj.根本的;彻底的;完全的;全新的; incentivized:v.对…实行物质刺激;(incentivize的过去式和过去分词) techniques:n.技巧;技艺;工艺;技术;(technique的复数)
But there would be less need for these chemicals if we restore the soil’s natural nutrients by planting diverse crops that manage soil erosion and fertility . 但我们未必那么需要这些化肥, 倘若我们种植多样性的作物, 来管理土壤侵蚀和肥沃, 恢复土壤中的天然养份。
Hopefully we can make these fundamental changes soon. 希望我们能尽快实现 这些根本上的改变。
Because if we don’t, the future of our marine ecosystems may be dead in the water . 因为如果不快点, 海洋生态系统的未来 可能就会沉沦水中。
chemicals:n.化学制品;化学品;(chemical的复数) restore:v.恢复;修复;恢复(某种情况或感受);使复原; diverse:adj.不同的;多种多样的;变化多的; erosion:n.侵蚀,腐蚀; fertility:n.多产;肥沃;[农经]生产力;丰饶; fundamental:n.基础; adj.十分重大的; ecosystems:n.生态系统(ecosystem的复数); dead in the water:船河玩出火;死在水中;水中亡灵;