Global warming threatens Qinghai-Tibet plateau

时间：2007-01-02 00:43:13

（单词翻译:单击）


 
Dec. 30 - The environmental condition of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, seen as a barometer1 for the world's health, is worsening due in large part to global warming, according to a geological survey.

 

The survey, conducted by the Remote Sensing Department of the China Aero Geophysical Survey, showed the plateau has shrinking glaciers2, a rising snow line, dwindling3 wetlands, and more serious desertification compared with 30 years ago.

 

The Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, which accounts for nearly one quarter of China's landmass, stretches into the Tibet Autonomous4 Region, Qinghai, Sichuan and Yunnan provinces and the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region.

 

It is the highest and youngest plateau in the world and has been dubbed5 "the third pole." It is also home to the source of many big rivers in Asia, such as the Yangtze, Yellow and Lancang rivers, giving it the nickname the "water tower" of China.

 

"As the 'thermometer' of the global environment, any slight environmental change in the plateau is a reflection for the globe," said Zhang Hongtao, deputy director of the China Geological Survey.

 

The survey, which used remote sensor6 technology, is intended to provide an overview7 of the plateau's geological conditions and help its future economic development, Zhang said.

 

"The direct harm is the threat of the loss of the country's fresh water resources," said Fang8 Hongbin, senior engineer at the Remote Sensing Department. "Furthermore, we won't have any shield to protect ourselves from the sand blowing from the plateau if the desertification trend is not checked."

 

Fang suggested speeding up a project called "return the land to green" in the western part of the country, as well as strictly9 controlling the raising of livestock10 and mining activity on the plateau.

 

Even if the world's global climate does not continue to get warmer, researchers estimate the plateau's glacial areas will shrink to 72 per cent of the current area by 2050 and 50 per cent by 2090, Fang said.

 

"The melting of the glaciers and snow has provided huge water resources for the plateau and its surrounding area and led to a temporary increase of wetlands and lakes in some regions," said Fang. "But with the constant decrease of glaciers and the raising of the snow line, the total water reserve of the plateau keeps declining."

 

The glaciers on the plateau show an obvious trend of diminishing, especially on the edge of the plateau. The trend has gained momentum11 in recent years, the survey showed. The snow line on the edge of the plateau also saw drastic reduction, with an average retreating distance of 100 to 150 metres, with the largest being 350 metres.

 

Although the desert region of the area is just slightly changed, areas of medium and heavy desertification saw a huge increase, which means more desertification in the future.

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1 barometer fPLyP     
n.气压表，睛雨表，反应指标
参考例句：
  • The barometer marked a continuing fall in atmospheric pressure.气压表表明气压在继续下降。
  • The arrow on the barometer was pointing to"stormy".气压计上的箭头指向“有暴风雨”。
2 glaciers e815ddf266946d55974cdc5579cbd89b     
冰河，冰川( glacier的名词复数 )
参考例句：
  • Glaciers gouged out valleys from the hills. 冰川把丘陵地带冲出一条条山谷。
  • It has ice and snow glaciers, rainforests and beautiful mountains. 既有冰川，又有雨林和秀丽的山峰。 来自英语晨读30分（高一）
3 dwindling f139f57690cdca2d2214f172b39dc0b9     
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
4 autonomous DPyyv     
adj.自治的；独立的
参考例句：
  • They proudly declared themselves part of a new autonomous province.他们自豪地宣布成为新自治省的一部分。
  • This is a matter that comes within the jurisdiction of the autonomous region.这件事是属于自治区权限以内的事务。
5 dubbed dubbed     
v.给…起绰号( dub的过去式和过去分词 )；把…称为；配音；复制
参考例句：
  • Mathematics was once dubbed the handmaiden of the sciences. 数学曾一度被视为各门科学的基础。
  • Is the movie dubbed or does it have subtitles? 这部电影是配音的还是打字幕的？ 来自《简明英汉词典》
6 sensor sz7we     
n.传感器，探测设备，感觉器（官）
参考例句：
  • The temperature sensor is enclosed in a protective well.温度传感器密封在保护套管中。
  • He plugged the sensor into a outlet.他把传感器插进电源插座。
7 overview 8mrz1L     
n.概观，概述
参考例句：
  • The opening chapter gives a brief historical overview of transport.第一章是运输史的简要回顾。
  • The seminar aims to provide an overview on new media publishing.研讨会旨在综览新兴的媒体出版。
8 fang WlGxD     
n.尖牙，犬牙
参考例句：
  • Look how the bone sticks out of the flesh like a dog's fang.瞧瞧,这根骨头从肉里露出来，象一只犬牙似的。
  • The green fairy's fang thrusting between his lips.绿妖精的尖牙从他的嘴唇里龇出来。
9 strictly GtNwe     
adv.严厉地，严格地；严密地
参考例句：
  • His doctor is dieting him strictly.他的医生严格规定他的饮食。
  • The guests were seated strictly in order of precedence.客人严格按照地位高低就座。
10 livestock c0Wx1     
n.家畜，牲畜
参考例句：
  • Both men and livestock are flourishing.人畜两旺。
  • The heavy rains and flooding killed scores of livestock.暴雨和大水淹死了许多牲口。
11 momentum DjZy8     
n.动力，冲力，势头；动量
参考例句：
  • We exploit the energy and momentum conservation laws in this way.我们就是这样利用能量和动量守恒定律的。
  • The law of momentum conservation could supplant Newton's third law.动量守恒定律可以取代牛顿第三定律。

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