2023-10-09 Study shows significant decline in British plants 研究显示英国本土植物数量大幅下降

一项大型植物调查研究显示，对于70年前长大的人来说，如今英国的部分植物景观已面目全非，无法辨识。

For 20 years, volunteers examined the UK and Ireland kilometre-by-kilometre, writing down the flora they found. This so-called plant atlas, made by the Botanical Society of Britain and Ireland, is the most complete picture of plant life ever recorded in the UK.

二十年来，志愿者们对英国和爱尔兰一公里一公里地统计，记录下了所发现的植物群。由英国和爱尔兰植物学会编制，这本 “植物图集” 是英国有记录以来最完整的植物图集。

What it shows is a catastrophic decline in flora. The scientists involved say parts of the landscape have changed so much that someone growing up 70 years ago would struggle to recognise them today.

这本图集中显示了植物群数量的灾难性减少。参与研究的科学家们表示，部分地区的景观已发生了巨大的变化，以至于70年前长大的人在今天很难认出这些景观。

Invasive species are spreading after being planted in gardens and escaping into the wild, threatening native plants. Intensive farming and climate change are reducing the range of many of the nation’s well-known plants like heather. In northern mountains, less snowfall means some plants may only survive for a few more years. But in the south, some plants are expanding northwards.

非本土物种被种在花园里后扩散到野外，成为入侵物种，威胁本土植物。集约化农业和气候变化减少了许多英国知名植物的生长范围，如石南花。在北部山区，降雪量减少意味着一些植物或许只能再存活几年。而在南方，一些植物的生长范围正向北扩展。

词汇表

atlas 图册，图表册
catastrophic 灾难性的
struggle 无法、难以（做某事）
invasive （来自其它地区的）入侵的
intensive farming 集约化农业
snowfall 降雪（量）

阅读理解：请在读完上文后，回答下列问题。

1. How long did the scientists examine the flora of the UK and Ireland?

2. True or False? Someone growing up 70 years ago would not see much difference in parts of the landscape today.

3. Where did invasive species that have escaped into the wild spread from?

4. Why might some plants in northern mountains only survive a few more years?

答案 

1. How long did the scientists examine the flora of the UK and Ireland?

For 20 years, volunteers examined the UK and Ireland kilometre-by-kilometre, writing down the flora they found.

2. True or False? Someone growing up 70 years ago would not see much difference in parts of the landscape today.

False. Someone growing up 70 years ago would struggle to recognise parts of the landscape today.

3. Where did invasive species that have escaped into the wild spread from?

Invasive species are spreading into the wild after being planted in gardens.

4. Why might some plants in northern mountains only survive a few more years?

Because there is less snowfall which means some plants may only survive for a few more years.