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科学美国人60秒 SSS 海水淡化可引发海洋生态变化

时间:2019-12-10 07:43:26

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This is Scientific American — 60-Second Science. I'm Christopher Intagliata.

Winter storms have walloped California this year, and snowpack is piling up. But just a few years back, the state was wrung1 dry by a record-breaking drought. And more dry spells will surely come.

"I think everybody agrees that we need more water resources." Adina Paytan, an oceanographer at the University of California, Santa Cruz. She points out that her home country, Israel, faced the same problem. "Israel had water issues for ever and ever. They don't have water issues anymore because they converted pretty much 90 percent of water use to desalination2."

Ocean desalination hasn't enjoyed as much traction3 in California due to its cost, and because of concerns that the plants would damage coastal4 ecosystems5—both when seawater is sucked in, and when leftover6 super-salty brines are released. Now, writing in the journal Water, Paytan and her team have assessed the environmental impact of the nation's largest plant: the Carlsbad Desalination Plant, north of San Diego.

Here's the good news. Scuba7 dives revealed that the communities of starfish, snails8, sea cucumbers and other creatures that live on the sandy ocean bottom offshore9 have not budged10 since the plant opened in 2015. But the bad news? The plume11 of salty runoff stayed intact much farther out than models predicted, rather than easily blending with closer seawater.

"When you have a pool of salty water that doesn't mix, it prevents oxygen from penetrating12, so it can cause lower oxygen levels close to the bottom and obviously, all the organisms that need oxygen are not going to be happy."

Ecosystems offshore from the Carlsbad plant were already disturbed by cooling water discharge from a power plant at the same site, she says, which could explain why the marine13 life was unfazed. But at more pristine14 sites, especially those rich in biodiversity like kelp forests, a salty plume might do more harm.

The state's already planning more ocean desalination projects up and down the coast. Paytan says her lesson is this: "There's tons of water in the ocean. We can use it but we just have to do it responsibly." First step: updating our models of how salty wastewater behaves offshore. To ensure that our thirst for drinking water doesn't cause an ecological15 sea change.

Thanks for listening for Scientific American — 60-Second Science. I'm Christopher Intagliata.


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1 wrung b11606a7aab3e4f9eebce4222a9397b1     
绞( wring的过去式和过去分词 ); 握紧(尤指别人的手); 把(湿衣服)拧干; 绞掉(水)
参考例句:
  • He has wrung the words from their true meaning. 他曲解这些字的真正意义。
  • He wrung my hand warmly. 他热情地紧握我的手。
2 desalination xwNxL     
n.脱盐(作用)
参考例句:
  • Crops can be grown on this land after desalination. 这片土地经过脱盐就可以种植庄稼了。
  • One source is by desalination-taking the salt out of salt water to make it drinkable. 淡水的来源之一是使水淡化--把含盐的水中的盐份去掉,使之能够饮用。
3 traction kJXz3     
n.牵引;附着摩擦力
参考例句:
  • I'll show you how the traction is applied.我会让你看如何做这种牵引。
  • She's injured her back and is in traction for a month.她背部受伤,正在作一个月的牵引治疗。
4 coastal WWiyh     
adj.海岸的,沿海的,沿岸的
参考例句:
  • The ocean waves are slowly eating away the coastal rocks.大海的波浪慢慢地侵蚀着岸边的岩石。
  • This country will fortify the coastal areas.该国将加强沿海地区的防御。
5 ecosystems 94cb0e40a815bea1157ac8aab9a5380d     
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
6 leftover V97zC     
n.剩货,残留物,剩饭;adj.残余的
参考例句:
  • These narrow roads are a leftover from the days of horse-drawn carriages.这些小道是从马车时代沿用下来的。
  • Wonder if that bakery lets us take leftover home.不知道那家糕饼店会不会让我们把卖剩的带回家。
7 scuba YjDzRf     
n.水中呼吸器
参考例句:
  • I first got hooked on scuba diving when I was twelve.12岁时我开始迷上了带水中呼吸器潜水。
  • While on honeymoon in Bali,she learned to scuba dive.她在巴厘岛度蜜月时学会了带水肺潜水。
8 snails 23436a8a3f6bf9f3c4a9f6db000bb173     
n.蜗牛;迟钝的人;蜗牛( snail的名词复数 )
参考例句:
  • I think I'll try the snails for lunch—I'm feeling adventurous today. 我想我午餐要尝一下蜗牛——我今天很想冒险。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • Most snails have shells on their backs. 大多数蜗牛背上有壳。 来自《简明英汉词典》
9 offshore FIux8     
adj.海面的,吹向海面的;adv.向海面
参考例句:
  • A big program of oil exploration has begun offshore.一个大规模的石油勘探计划正在近海展开。
  • A gentle current carried them slowly offshore.和缓的潮流慢慢地把他们带离了海岸。
10 budged acd2fdcd1af9cf1b3478f896dc0484cf     
v.(使)稍微移动( budge的过去式和过去分词 );(使)改变主意,(使)让步
参考例句:
  • Old Bosc had never budged an inch--he was totally indifferent. 老包斯克一直连动也没有动,他全然无所谓。 来自辞典例句
  • Nobody budged you an inch. 别人一丁点儿都算计不了你。 来自辞典例句
11 plume H2SzM     
n.羽毛;v.整理羽毛,骚首弄姿,用羽毛装饰
参考例句:
  • Her hat was adorned with a plume.她帽子上饰着羽毛。
  • He does not plume himself on these achievements.他并不因这些成就而自夸。
12 penetrating ImTzZS     
adj.(声音)响亮的,尖锐的adj.(气味)刺激的adj.(思想)敏锐的,有洞察力的
参考例句:
  • He had an extraordinarily penetrating gaze. 他的目光有股异乎寻常的洞察力。
  • He examined the man with a penetrating gaze. 他以锐利的目光仔细观察了那个人。
13 marine 77Izo     
adj.海的;海生的;航海的;海事的;n.水兵
参考例句:
  • Marine creatures are those which live in the sea. 海洋生物是生存在海里的生物。
  • When the war broke out,he volunteered for the Marine Corps.战争爆发时,他自愿参加了海军陆战队。
14 pristine 5BQyC     
adj.原来的,古时的,原始的,纯净的,无垢的
参考例句:
  • He wiped his fingers on his pristine handkerchief.他用他那块洁净的手帕擦手指。
  • He wasn't about to blemish that pristine record.他本不想去玷污那清白的过去。
15 ecological IrRxX     
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.

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