VOA常速英语2018--千篇一律的城市草坪不利于生物多样性

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 bugs² 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 ecosystems⁴ depend not just in a minor⁵ 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 devastating⁶ ecosystem³ 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 dwindling⁷ 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 ecological⁸ 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 bug¹ friendly habitats along highways. As part of a three-year study, Maryland is seeing how roadsides which are often just grassy⁹ strips can come back to life with less mowing¹⁰, 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。

1 bug   

n.虫子；故障；窃听器；vt.纠缠；装窃听器

参考例句：

• There is a bug in the system.系统出了故障。
• The bird caught a bug on the fly.那鸟在飞行中捉住了一只昆虫。

2 bugs   

adj.疯狂的，发疯的n.窃听器( bug的名词复数 )；病菌；虫子；[计算机]（制作软件程序所产生的意料不到的）错误

参考例句：

• All programs have bugs and need endless refinement. 所有的程序都有漏洞，都需要不断改进。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The sacks of rice were swarming with bugs. 一袋袋的米里长满了虫子。 来自《简明英汉词典》

3 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。

4 ecosystems   

n.生态系统( ecosystem的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• There are highly sensitive and delicately balanced ecosystems in the forest. 森林里有高度敏感、灵敏平衡的各种生态系统。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Madagascar's ecosystems range from rainforest to semi-desert. 马达加斯加生态系统类型多样，从雨林到半荒漠等不一而足。 来自辞典例句

5 minor   

adj.较小(少)的，较次要的；n.辅修学科；vi.辅修

参考例句：

• The young actor was given a minor part in the new play.年轻的男演员在这出新戏里被分派担任一个小角色。
• I gave him a minor share of my wealth.我把小部分财产给了他。

6 devastating   

adj.毁灭性的，令人震惊的，强有力的

参考例句：

• It is the most devastating storm in 20 years.这是20年来破坏性最大的风暴。
• Affairs do have a devastating effect on marriages.婚外情确实会对婚姻造成毁灭性的影响。

7 dwindling   

adj.逐渐减少的v.逐渐变少或变小( dwindle的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• The number of wild animals on the earth is dwindling. 地球上野生动物的数量正日渐减少。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• He is struggling to come to terms with his dwindling authority. 他正努力适应自己权力被削弱这一局面。 来自辞典例句

8 ecological   

adj.生态的，生态学的

参考例句：

• The region has been declared an ecological disaster zone.这个地区已经宣布为生态灾难区。
• Each animal has its ecological niche.每种动物都有自己的生态位.

9 grassy   

adj.盖满草的；长满草的

参考例句：

• They sat and had their lunch on a grassy hillside.他们坐在长满草的山坡上吃午饭。
• Cattle move freely across the grassy plain.牛群自由自在地走过草原。

10 mowing   

n.割草，一次收割量，牧草地v.刈，割( mow的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• The lawn needs mowing. 这草坪的草该割了。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
• "Do you use it for mowing?" “你是用它割草么？” 来自汉英文学 - 中国现代小说