VOA慢速英语2015 研究表明气候变化影响鸟类迁徙

 

Study Shows Climate Change Is Affecting Bird Migration 研究表明气候变化影响鸟类迁徙

Recently, a small group of birdwatchers spent three weeks around Mount¹ Vernon, the home of the first president of the United States, George Washington. They were busy counting wild birds on Mount Vernon’s wetlands, south of Washington, D.C. They began in the middle of December and worked until the beginning of January.

The birdwatchers were among 70,000 volunteers who collected information for the National Audubon Society, a U.S. conservation group. They counted birds in more than 2,400 areas in the United States, Canada, the Caribbean Sea and other parts of the Americas.

The Audubon Society’s first “Christmas Bird Count” took place 115 years ago in 1900. At that time, a man named Frank Chapman suggested a new Christmas tradition -- that people count birds instead of shooting them around the holiday.

American Stuart Davis is a long-time birdwatcher and has even traveled to other countries in search of birds. He was excited about the birds he saw at Mount Vernon.

“They come in so many different shapes and sizes. Their feathers are so beautiful. They do remarkable² things, like their acrobatic flying.”

In the trees across the Potomac River, the small group of birdwatchers saw a bald eagle -- the national symbol of the United States. The bald eagle was once considered endangered, but its population has grown in recent years.

Harry³ Glasgow has taken part in the Christmas Bird Count for the past 10 years. This year, he was one of the volunteer birdwatchers at Mount Vernon.

“I think it’s a tremendous use of a lot of unofficial talent around the nation to keep track of birds. Birds are one of the surest indicators⁵ -- or barometers⁶ -- of the health of the ecology.”

Last year, the bird count recorded over 66 million birds of 2,403 different species⁷.

Gary Langham is chief scientist with the National Audubon Society.

“The Audubon climate report says that half the birds in North America -- 314 out of 588 species -- are seriously threatened by climate change. The impacts sort of cut across all birds, all sizes, all kinds, all places.”

Information from the bird counts has shown that birds are staying farther north during the winter months because of warmer weather. Birdwatcher Jaime Reidy has noted⁸ the difference close to Washington, in the state of Virginia.

“You get to see them at odd times of the year, a little earlier, staying a little later.”

Gary Langham says other conditions are affecting bird populations.

“You can imagine the birds that live along the beach or along the rocky shore line as sea levels are rising around the world. That is impacting them, you know, doubly so.”

David Yarnold is president of the Audubon Society. In his words, “Christmas Bird Count data is becoming important not only in documenting current climate change, but in predicting the future effects of climate change on North American bird populations. If we know what to expect, we can start taking actions now to do something about it.”

Words in This Story

conservation – n. the protection of animals, plants and natural resources

indicator⁴ - n. a sign that shows the condition or existence of something

species - n. a group of related animals or plants that is smaller than a genus

impacting - v. having a strong and often bad effect

doubly - adv. much more than usual or previously⁹; to a much higher degree than usual; twice as much

documenting - v. creating a record of something through writing, film or photography

1 mount   

n.山峰，乘用马，框，衬纸；vi.增长，骑上（马）；vt.提升，爬上，装备

参考例句：

• Their debts continued to mount up.他们的债务不断增加。
• She is the first woman who steps on the top of Mount Jolmo Lungma.她是第一个登上珠穆朗玛峰的女人。

2 remarkable   

adj.显著的，异常的，非凡的，值得注意的

参考例句：

• She has made remarkable headway in her writing skills.她在写作技巧方面有了长足进步。
• These cars are remarkable for the quietness of their engines.这些汽车因发动机没有噪音而不同凡响。

3 harry   

vt.掠夺，蹂躏，使苦恼

参考例句：

• Today,people feel more hurried and harried.今天，人们感到更加忙碌和苦恼。
• Obama harried business by Healthcare Reform plan.奥巴马用医改掠夺了商界。

4 indicator   

n.指标；指示物，指示者；指示器

参考例句：

• Gold prices are often seen as an indicator of inflation.黃金价格常常被看作是通货膨胀的指标。
• His left-hand indicator is flashing.他左手边的转向灯正在闪亮。

5 indicators   

（仪器上显示温度、压力、耗油量等的）指针( indicator的名词复数 )； 指示物； （车辆上的）转弯指示灯； 指示信号

参考例句：

• The economic indicators are better than expected. 经济指标比预期的好。
• It is still difficult to develop indicators for many concepts used in social science. 为社会科学领域的许多概念确立一个指标仍然很难。

6 barometers   

气压计，晴雨表( barometer的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Fixed cistern barometers are used as a standard for checking aneroid barometers. 固定槽式气压计可以作为标准件去检验无液气压计。
• Fixed cistern barometers are used as a standard for checking. 固定槽式气压计可以作为标准件去检验。

7 species   

n.物种，种群

参考例句：

• Are we the only thinking species in the whole of creation?我们是万物中惟一有思想的物种吗？
• This species of bird now exists only in Africa.这种鸟现在只存在于非洲。

8 noted   

adj.著名的，知名的

参考例句：

• The local hotel is noted for its good table.当地的那家酒店以餐食精美而著称。
• Jim is noted for arriving late for work.吉姆上班迟到出了名。

9 previously   

adv.以前，先前（地）

参考例句：

• The bicycle tyre blew out at a previously damaged point.自行车胎在以前损坏过的地方又爆开了。
• Let me digress for a moment and explain what had happened previously.让我岔开一会儿，解释原先发生了什么。