密歇根新闻广播 绿色湖泊不是好迹象的原因

 

When you think about greenhouse gasses that are driving our warming climate, maybe you think about power plants or your car. But lakes can release greenhouse gasses, too, and the amount of nutrients¹ that get into lakes from farms and cities matters.

John Downing directs the University of Minnesota Sea Grant and he's a scientist at the Large Lakes Observatory². He says lakes release a lot of gas normally.

"Lake Erie, for example, gives off about as much carbon dioxide, right now, as all the cars in Detroit do," Downing says. "So the carbon dioxide coming out of lakes is really important globally."

In a new study, Downing, along with coauthors Tonya DelSontro and Jake Beaulieu, found eutrophication -- excessive plant and algae³ growth -- in lakes increases the amount of greenhouse gasses that are emitted.

"The effect gets really large," he says. "So large that, in fact, maybe some of our efforts to curb⁴ greenhouse gasses would be sort of negated⁵ by the increase from green lakes. It's another reason to keep lakes from getting green, basically, is that it can have a big effect on the atmosphere."

Downing says phosphorous that runs into lakes from farms, yards, and sewage, is what concerns him most. He says cutting back on fertilizer, adding buffer⁶ strips near waterways, and making sure septic systems at lake cottages are working properly are all good things to do.

1 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》

2 observatory   

n.天文台，气象台，瞭望台，观测台

参考例句：

• Guy's house was close to the observatory.盖伊的房子离天文台很近。
• Officials from Greenwich Observatory have the clock checked twice a day.格林威治天文台的职员们每天对大钟检查两次。

3 algae   

n.水藻，海藻

参考例句：

• Most algae live in water.多数藻类生长在水中。
• Algae grow and spread quickly in the lake.湖中水藻滋蔓。

4 curb   

n.场外证券市场，场外交易；vt.制止，抑制

参考例句：

• I could not curb my anger.我按捺不住我的愤怒。
• You must curb your daughter when you are in church.你在教堂时必须管住你的女儿。

5 negated   

v.取消( negate的过去式和过去分词 )；使无效；否定；否认

参考例句：

• Our historical right to rule ourselves as a people had been negated. 我们被剥夺了作为一个民族治理自己国家的历史权利。 来自辞典例句
• Thus far we have negated frictional effects in the harmonic oscillator. 到现在为止，我们一直没有考虑谐和振荡器中的摩擦效应。 来自辞典例句

6 buffer   

n.起缓冲作用的人(或物)，缓冲器；vt.缓冲

参考例句：

• A little money can be a useful buffer in time of need.在急需时，很少一点钱就能解燃眉之急。
• Romantic love will buffer you against life's hardships.浪漫的爱会减轻生活的艰辛。