VOA常速英语2018--千篇一律的城市草坪不利于生物多样性（在线收听）

Butterflies are as beautiful as the flowers they feed on. But they appear to be less abundant than in years past and that has scientists worried. Because butterflies, bees and other beneficial bugs pollinate plants and are crucial to as much as eighty percent of what we eat.

蝴蝶和其所栖息的花朵一样美丽。但跟数年前相比，蝴蝶的数量已经大为减少，这让科学家深为担忧。因为蝴蝶、蜜蜂等益虫会给植物授粉，人类摄入的食物中，有80%都要依赖于蝴蝶。

Our ecosystems depend not just in a minor way but in a major way on a diversity of insects doing a diversity of things. And when we decrease the number of individuals and the number of species, we were devastating ecosystem function. Why does that matter because it is ecosystems that support humans.

各种各样的昆虫承担着各种各样的工作，我们的生态系统十分依赖这一点。一旦我们让昆虫的个体数量和种类数量减少，就会破坏生态系统的机能。生态系统遭到破坏为什么会很重要呢，因为生态系统是人类赖以生存的根基。

But those life support systems that keep us alive even if we live in a city are produced by healthy ecosystems and none of those ecosystems will run well without insects. Insects rely on weeds and native plants for food and shelter. And both of those are dwindling in the United States as manicured lawns and single crop agriculture spread across the landscape. But entomologist Doug Ptolemy says more and more Americans are following his lead by letting their gardens go wild. A lot of homeowners are interested in doing this: how can I increase the ecological integrity of my landscape.

这些生态支持系统可以保证我们的生命，即便我们住在城市里也离不开生态系统。但生态支持系统是由健康的生态系统产生的，而健康的生态系统要有昆虫才能运行良好。昆虫要有杂草和植物才能获得食物和庇护所。而杂草和植物在美国的数量越来越少，因为到处都是修剪整齐的草坪和单一作物的农业用地。不过，昆虫学家道格 托勒密(Doug Ptolemy)表示，越来越多的美国人都在跟随他的脚步，让花园自由生长。很多户主感兴趣的都是：我怎样才能提高花园的生态完整性。

How can I get my landscape to contribute to local ecosystems instead of degrading them? That’s growing interest. And many US states are trying to help by creating bug friendly habitats along highways. As part of a three-year study, Maryland is seeing how roadsides which are often just grassy strips can come back to life with less mowing, be friendly native wildflowers and targeted herbicide use. We’re also seeing a lot of bees coming back. Many we’ve had over seventy different species that we’ve reported on the roadsides now and a couple new county records. The efforts to support a healthy and diverse ecosystem will help bees, butterflies and people.

我怎样才能为当地的生态系统做贡献，而非唱反调。这是越来越多户主关心的点。美国的很多州都想要尽一份力，方式就是在高速公路上营造对昆虫友好的栖息环境。在3年的研究历程中，马里兰州见证了经常长满草的地带在除草少了之后是如何恢复生机的。这些地带开始长满了本土才有的野花，环境十分宜人，除草剂的使用也变得有针对性了。我们发现很多蜜蜂都回到这里来了。我们发现道路两旁出现了70多种不同的昆虫物种，创下了数项县级记录。如果我们能为支持健康、多样化的生态系统尽一份力，就是在帮助蜜蜂、蝴蝶乃至人类自己。