Scientist had some
sobering news last week about the potential impact of climate
change, and it didn't come from the foot of a shrinking glacier in
Alaska or the shores of a tropical resort where the rising ocean is
threatening the beachfront bar.
It came from
a North Carolina forest, at an experimental plot where scientists
can precisely control the concentration of carbon dioxide in the
air. Duke researchers discovered that when exposed to higher levels
of CO2, the greenhouse gas released in ever-increasing quantities
from human activity, poison ivy goes haywire.
The researchers found that the
weedlike plant grew much faster under CO2 conditions similar to
those projected for the middle of the century. The plant also
produced a more noxious form of its rash-causing chemical: a more
poisonous poison ivy.
sobering使清醒的,
使冷静的
foot山脚
shrinking收缩的
glacier冰川
Alaska阿拉斯加
shores岸
tropical热带的
resort胜地，娱乐场
threaten恐吓，威胁
beachfront靠海滨的
bar沙洲，沙滩
Carolina卡罗莱纳州
forest森林
experimental试验性的
plot绘制，描绘
precisely精确地
concentration浓度
carbon
dioxide二氧化碳
expose to暴露于
greenhouse温室
release释放
ever-increasing不断增加的
quantity数量
poison
ivy毒葛 go
haywire出毛病; 陷于混乱
weedlike杂草类
condition条件
similar
to相似
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