密歇根新闻广播 小溪透漏出的生态系统的知识

 

Streams can tell us a lot about the health of an ecosystem¹. But some researchers say we can do a better job of paying attention to those streams.

Jay Zarnetske is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences at Michigan State University. He’s an author of a paper in the journal Ecology Letters.

"We need to do a better job monitoring streams because most nutrients² and pollutants³ enter our waterways upstream of large rivers, in those headwaters, the smallest streams. So diagnosing problems in large rivers where we typically monitor, and our rules and regulations are imposed, requires actually studying those small streams," he says.

"Our new methods are illustrating⁴ that it’s very informative⁵ to periodically travel around the watershed⁶, see what’s going on, grab samples from all those stream sizes from the smallest to the largest," says Zarnetske.

Streams are excellent sensors⁷, according to Zarnetske.

"Because they collect and integrate what’s occurring on the landscape around them. The real challenge for us is deciphering what that signal is that we see in the stream chemistry," he explains.

He compares it to what happens when we get sick. We go to the doctor, and sometimes the doctor will take a blood sample.

"In that blood sample, we see indications of different issues that might be causing us to not feel great, but more importantly, it tells the doctor where to target their next test, and where the problem might be arising in the body," Zarnetske says. "So that’s what we’re seeking to do with some of our new methods ... is say, 'Where can we most effectively address the root cause of these water quality issues?'"

1 ecosystem   

n.生态系统

参考例句：

• This destroyed the ecosystem of the island.这样破坏了岛上的生态系统。
• We all have an interest in maintaining the integrity of the ecosystem.维持生态系统的完整是我们共同的利益。

2 nutrients   

n.（食品或化学品）营养物，营养品( nutrient的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• a lack of essential nutrients 基本营养的缺乏
• Nutrients are absorbed into the bloodstream. 营养素被吸收进血液。 来自《简明英汉词典》

3 pollutants   

污染物质（尤指工业废物）( pollutant的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Pollutants are constantly being released into the atmosphere. 污染物质正在不断地被排放到大气中去。
• The 1987 Amendments limit 301(g) discharges to a few well-studied nonconventional pollutants. 1987年的修正案把第301条（g）的普通排放限制施加在一些认真研究过的几种非常规污染物上。 来自英汉非文学 - 环境法 - 环境法

4 illustrating   

给…加插图( illustrate的现在分词 )； 说明； 表明； （用示例、图画等）说明

参考例句：

• He upstaged the other speakers by illustrating his talk with slides. 他演讲中配上幻灯片，比其他演讲人更吸引听众。
• Material illustrating detailed structure of graptolites has been etched from limestone by means of hydrofluoric acid. 表明笔石详细构造的物质是利用氢氟酸从石灰岩中侵蚀出来。

5 informative   

adj.提供资料的，增进知识的

参考例句：

• The adverts are not very informative.这些广告并没有包含太多有用信息。
• This intriguing book is both thoughtful and informative.这本引人入胜的书既有思想性又富知识性。

6 watershed   

n.转折点，分水岭，分界线

参考例句：

• Our marriage was at a watershed.我们的婚姻到了一个转折关头。
• It forms the watershed between the two rivers.它成了两条河流的分水岭。

7 sensors   

n.传感器，灵敏元件( sensor的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• There were more than 2000 sensors here. 这里装有两千多个灵敏元件。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Significant changes have been noted where sensors were exposed to trichloride. 当传感器暴露在三氯化物中时，有很大变化。 来自辞典例句