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旁白：请听一段环境科学课上的演讲。

Narrator: Listen to part of a lecture in an environmental science class.

演讲者：那么我们一直在讨论的话题是关于全球气候变化及其影响，在阿拉斯加，其北部考进北极的地方，在过去大概三十年间，气温以大概每十年一摄氏度的水平上涨。而科学家们已经注意到气温上涨时植被表面也发生了变化。

Lecturer: So since we're on the topic of global climate change and its effects, in Alaska, in the northern Arctic part of Alaska, over the last...oh...thirty years or so, temperatures have increased about half a degree Celsius per decade, and scientists have noticed that there's been a change in surface vegetation during this time.

Shrubs are increasing in the “tundra”.

Tundra is flat land with very little vegetation.

苔原上的植物种类不多，因为其气温非常低，降雨量少。

Just a few species of plants grow there because the temperature is very cold, and there's not much precipitation.

而由于气候非常寒冷，苔原有两层厚，上面一层叫做活土层，春冬两季是结冰状态，夏天解冻。

And because of the cold temperatures, the tundra has two layers: top layer, which is called the active layer, is frozen in the winter and spring, but thaws in the summer.

下面第二层叫做”永久冻土层“，全年冰冻，水也渗透不进去。

Beneath this active layer is a second layer called “permafrost”, which is frozen all year around, and is impermeable to water.

女学生：那么由于永久冻土层的存在，没有植物可以将根长到里面去是吗？

Female Stu: So because of the permafrost, none of the plants that grow there can have deep roots, can they?

演讲者：是的，而这也是为什么灌木丛能够在北极存活的原因。

Lecturer: No, and that's one of the reasons that shrubs survive in the Arctic.

距离地面的高度不高，这使得其不受风寒所害。

They're not tall and being low to the ground protects them from the cold and wind.

而它们的根也不会长得很深，这样永久冻土层便不会阻碍了其生长。是吧？

And their roots don't grow very deep, so the permafrost doesn't interfere with their growth. OK?

那么由于北极阿拉斯加气温逐渐上涨，灌木丛也随之生长。

Now since the temperatures have been increasing in Arctic Alaska, the growth of shrubs has increased.

而这就给气候科学家带来了难题。

And this has presented climate scientists with a puzzle...

男同学：不好意思，当你说到灌木丛生长加剧的时候，你是说灌木丛变得越来越大还是越来越多？

Male Stu: Um...I'm sorry, when you say the growth of shrubs has increased, um...do you mean that the shrubs are bigger, or that there are more shrubs?

演讲者：问得好！答案是两者兼具。

Lecturer: Good question! And the answer is both.

灌木丛的尺寸增大，蔓延到原先是没有灌木丛的苔原地区。

The size of the shrubs has increased and shrub cover has spread to what was previously shrub-free tundra.

气温上升应该导致植被生长的加剧，对吧？

Warmer temperatures should lead to increased vegetation growth, right?

冬春两季气温上升，夏天却不变。

The temperature increase has occurred during the winter and spring, not during the summer.

而灌木丛生长加剧则发生在夏天。

But the increase in shrubs has occurred in the summer.

那么冬春两季气温上涨是怎么导致夏天灌木丛的生长加剧的呢？

So how can increase temperatures in the winter and spring result in increased shrub growth in the summer?

嗯，这也许是一个发生在冬天土壤里的生物过程，导致夏天灌木丛生长加剧。现在说说是怎样的过程：土壤中有微生物即微小的有机体。

Well, it may be biological processes that occur in the soil in the winter, that cause increased shrub growth in the summer, and here's how: there are “microbes”, microscopic organisms that live in the soil.

这些微生物可以让土壤中的氮含量增加。氮是植物生长所需，而冬天的时候微生物会保持活跃状态。

These microbes enable the soil to have more nitrogen, which plants need to live and they remain quite active during the winter.

有两个原因：首先，微生物在活土层中生长，记住，活土层中所含水分是不能渗透到永久冻土层的。

There're two reasons for this: first, they live in the active layer, which, remember, contains water that doesn't penetrate the permafrost.

其次，北极的降水大多是以下雪的形式出现的。

Second, most of the precipitation in the Arctic is in the form of snow.

而冬天的雪会覆盖整个地面，实际上还会对雪下面的土壤产生隔绝效果。

And the snow, which blankets the ground in the winter, actually has an insulating effect on the soil beneath it.

这就让雪下土壤的温度得到保持，微生物便可以活跃生长。

And it allows the temperature of the soil to remain warm enough for microbes to remain active.

So there's been increased nutrient production in the winter.

而这就说明了为什么夏天灌木丛会加剧生长并蔓延到苔原的新区域中去。

And that's what's responsible for the growth of shrubs in the summer and their spread to new areas of the tundra.

营养物多的地方即灌木丛生长最多的地区。

Areas with more new nutrients are the areas with the largest increase in shrubs.

女同学：那么，春天的时候雪一融化。

Female Stu: But, what about run-off in the spring, when the snow finally melts?

春天雪融化一般都会造成水土流失，不是吗？

Spring thaw always washes away soil, doesn't it?

演讲者：在雪融化高峰期的时候大多数土壤还处在结冻期。

Lecturer: Well, much of the soil is usually still frozen during peak run-off.

而营养物处于活土层底部，不是在最容易被冲刷掉的土层表面。

And the nutrients are deep down in the active layer anyway, not high up near the surface, which is the part of the active layer most affected by run-off.

但正如我刚要说的，这背后还有很多原因。

But as I was about to say, there's more to the story.

苔原上风大，雪被吹过苔原地区，落在灌木丛上。

The tundra is windy, and the snow is blown across the tundra, it's caught by shrubs.

这样灌木丛上经常有厚厚的积雪。

And deep snow drifts often form around shrubs.

而我们已经说过关于雪的隔绝效果。

And we've already mentioned the insulating effect of snow.

所以土壤中没有散发的热气意味着更多的微生物活动，也就是给灌木丛提供更多食物，更多的灌木丛，更多的积雪等等。

So that extra warmth means even more microbial activity, which means even more food for the shrubs, which means even more shrubs and more snow around them etc..

而正由于这样的循环，其在冬春两季气温变暖加剧了该循环，这样，苔原看起来就像是被转换为灌木林地。

And because of this loop, which is promoted by warmer temperatures in winter and spring, well, it looks like the tundra may be turning into shrub land.

女同学：那这样循环持续的时间长吗？

就是也许几年间灌木丛会长得很茂密，之后又回到苔原的状态。

I mean maybe the shrubs will be abundant for a few years, and then it'll change back to tundra.

在其他的自然环境中也会发生灌木丛扩张的现象，例如在半酸性草原和草丛草原环境中。

Lecturer: Well, shrub expansion has occurred in other environments, like semiarid grassland, and tall grass prairies.

而且，这些环境下的灌木丛扩张现象看起来是会继续持续下去，几乎要达到引发灌木丛发生转移的程度。

And shrub expansion in these environments does seem to persist, almost to the point of causing a shift.

一旦扎根土壤，灌木林地就会生长茂盛，特别是在北极地区，因为北极地区的灌木丛比其他植物更善于利用土壤中的营养成分。

Once is established, shrub land thrives, particularly in the Arctic, because Arctic shrubs are good at taking advantage of increased nutrients in the soil, better than other Arctic plants.

According to the professor, what are two features of shrubs that allow them to grow well in Arctic regions?

What is one reason for the increase in shrub growth in Arctic Alaska?

Why are nutrients in the soil NOT carried away by spring runoff?

Why does the professor mention shrub expansion into other environments, such as semiarid grasslands?

What does the professor imply when she says this:

Listen to a part of lecture in an environmental science class.P: So since we are on the topic of global climate change and its effects, in Alaska, in the northern arctic part of Alaska, over the last oh.. thirty years or so, temperatures have increased about half the degree Celsius per decade. And scientists have noticed that there’s been a change in surface vegetation during this time. Shrubs are increasing in the Tundra. Tundra is a flat land with very little vegetation. Just a few species of plants grow there because the temperature is very cold and there’s not much precipitation. And because of the cold temperatures, the Tundra has two layers. Top layer which is called the active layer is frozen in the winter and spring but falls in the summer. Beneath this active layer is a second layer called permafrost. which is frozen all year around and is impermeable to water. A(girly): So, because the permafrost, none of the plants that grow there can have deep roots, can they? P: No, and that’s one of the reasons that shrubs survived in the Arctic. Shrubs are little bushes. They are not tall and being loaded to ground to protect them from the cold and wind. And their roots don’t grow very deep. So the permafrost doesn’t interfere with their growth. Okay? Now, since the temperature has been increasing in Arctic Alaska, the growth of shrubs has increased. And this has presented climate scientists with a puzzle. B: Um.. I’m sorry. When you say the growth of shrubs has increased, um..do you mean that the shrubs are bigger? Or that there are more shrubs? P: Good question. And the answer is both. The size of the shrubs has increased., and shrub cover has spread to what was previously shrub-free Tundra. Okay. So what’s the puzzle. Warmer temperatures should lead to increase vegetation growth, right? Well, the connection’s not so simple. The temperature increase has occurred during the winter and spring, not during the summer. But the increase in shrubs has occurred in the summer. So, how can increase temperatures in the winter and spring result in increased shrub growth in the summer ? Well, it maybe biological processes that occurred in the soil in the winter that cause increase shrub growth in the summer. And here’s how. There are microbes. Microscopic organisms deliver in the soil. And here’s how. There are microbes. Microscopic organisms deliver in the soil. These microbes enable the soil to have more nitrogen which plants need to live and they remain quite active during the winter. There are two reasons for this. First, they live in the active layer which, remember, contains water that doesn’t penetrate the permafrost. Second, most of the precipitation in the Arctic is in the form of snow. And the snow which blankets the ground in the winter actually has an insulating effect on the soil beneath it. And it allows the temperature of the soil to remain warm enough for microbes to remain active. So there’s been increase nutrient production in the winter and that’s what’s responsible for the growth of shrubs in the summer and the spread to new areas of the Tundra. Areas with more nutrients are the areas with the largest increase in shrubs. A: But, what about runoff in the spring? When the snow finally melts. Won’t the nutrients get washed away? Spring thaw always washes away soil, doesn’t it? P: Well, much of the soil is usually still frozen during peak runoff. And the nutrients are deep down in the active layer anyway, not high up near the surface which is the part of the active layer most affected by runoff. But, as I was about to say, there’s more to the story. The Tundra is windy and the snow is blown across the Tundra is caught by shrubs. And deep snowdrifts often form around shrubs. And we’ve already mentioned the insulating effect of snow. So, that extra warmth means even more microbe activity, which means even more food for the shrubs which means even more shrubs and more snow around them etc. It’s a circle, a loop. And because of this loop which is promoted by warmer temperatures in the winter and spring, well, it looks like the Tundra maybe turning into shrub land. A: But, will it be long term? I mean, maybe the shrubs will be abundant a few years and then it will change back to Tundra. P: Well, shrub expansion has occurred in other environments like semiarid grassland and tall grass prairies. And shrub expansion in these environments does seem to persist, almost to the point of causing a shift. Once it’s established, shrub land thrives, particularly in the Arctic. Because Arctic shrubs are good at taking advantage of increased nutrients in the soil, better than other Arctic plants. P: Good question. And the answer is both. The size of the shrubs has increased., and shrub cover has spread to what was previously shrub-free Tundra. Okay. So what’s the puzzle. Warmer temperatures should lead to increase vegetation growth, right? Well, the connection’s not so simple. The temperature increase has occurred during the winter and spring, not during the summer. But the increase in shrubs has occurred in the summer. So, how can increase temperatures in the winter and spring result in increased shrub growth in the summer ? Well, it maybe biological processes that occurred in the soil in the winter that cause increase shrub growth in the summer. And here’s how. There are microbes. Microscopic organisms deliver in the soil.