Active Vocabulary 2

low-lying lands – низины

floodplain [ˈflʌdpleɪn] – заливная территория, которая периодически затопляется

tributary soil [ˈtrɪbjʊt(ə)ri] – подчиненная почва

spillover zone [ˈspɪləʊvə] – часто затопляемая зона

bottomland wetland forest [ˈwɛtlənd ˈfɒrɪst] – лес, расположенный на заболоченных равнинах

chemical pollutant [ˈkɛmɪk(ə)l pəˈl(j)uːt(ə)nt] – химический загрязнитель

nitrogen fertilizer [ˈnʌɪtrədʒ(ə)n fəːtɪlʌɪzə] – азотное удобрение

benign nitrogen gas [bɪˈnʌɪn ˈnʌɪtrədʒ(ə)n ɡæs] – доброкачественный азотный газ

flood the area [flʌd ði: ˈeəriə] – затопить территорию

levee ˈ[lɛvi] – дамба, насыпь

hardwood forest wetland [ˈhɑːdwʊd ˈfɒrɪst ˈwɛtlənd] – заболоченная территория с деревьями твердых пород

soil bacteria [bækˈtɪəriə] – почвенные бактерии

microbial properties [mʌɪˈkrəʊbɪəl prɒpətɪz] – свойства микробов

restored ecosystem’s path [rɪˈstɔːd ˈiːkəʊsɪstəm pɑːθ] – восстановленный путь развития экосистемы

1. Translate the following word combinations into Russian:

To speed up the process, research ways, the other wetland soil characteristics, increased dramatically, can significantly reduce, vital filters, a low oxygen “dead zone”, that’s been reduced by 80 percent, on accident.

2. Read the following text and say:

a) what the term “floodplain” means;

b) what subjects are touched upon in the text.

Text 2. Mighty river, mighty filter

Huckleberry Finn wouldn’t recognize today’s lower Mississippi River. Massive walls separate the river from low-lying lands along the bank, an area called the floodplain. Floodplains were once the spillover zone for the river. As people settled in floodplains, the land was converted into farms, homes, and businesses. Close to 1,700 miles of walls, or levees, keep the lower Mississippi River in check.

Mississippi River tributary soil sample collection Hurst, Chris Rice, and White sample soils in a bottomland wetland forest, an ecosystem that’s been reduced by 80 percent in the lower Mississippi Valley.

Over the last century, the amount of chemical pollutants, in particular nitrogen fertilizer, in the river increased dramatically. When the river reaches the Gulf of Mexico, the pollutants create a low oxygen “dead zone” covering over 5,000 square miles. That’s partly because the Mississippi River is missing one of its main filters: the floodplain.

White and his colleagues at LSU research ways to remove pollutants from the river. One method is reconnecting the river to the floodplain. As rivers flow into floodplains they carry soils with them, creating a wetland. Wetlands trap chemical pollutants like nitrogen. The low oxygen and high organic matter in a wetland create a unique environment. As bacteria adapt to this environment, they convert fertilizer nitrogen into a benign nitrogen gas.

Reconnecting the river to the floodplain isn’t likely for most of the lower Mississippi valley, which runs from the Gulf of Mexico to northern Arkansas and Tennessee. However, a farm along one of the Mississippi’s tributaries recently became a floodplain on accident. The levee next to the farm broke in two places and flooded the area.

Fortunately, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFW) had plans with the farm to break the levee and added another 4 breaks the following year to speed up the process. The USFW and The Nature Conservancy were already in the process of recreating a hardwood forest wetland on the farm. This type of ecosystem once covered most of the region, but only 20 percent remains.

The soil bacteria in this wetland are vital filters for the Mississippi River.

However, some of the other wetland soil characteristics hadn’t bounced back yet. Microbial properties that help wetlands filter pollutants, store carbon, or help plants grow weren’t nearly as healthy as the natural site.

White says there are only a few studies that show a restored ecosystem’s path towards recovery. This research traces the site’s baby steps toward becoming a wetland. It also proves that floodplains – natural or created – can significantly reduce the amount of nitrogen reaching the Gulf of Mexico.

3. Using the text above, finish the following sentences:

1) As people settled in floodplains…

2) Over the last century, the amount of chemical pollutants,…

3) When the river reaches the Gulf of Mexico…

4) Fortunately..

5) This type of ecosystem once covered…

6) There are only a few studies that show…

7) Reconnecting the river to the floodplain isn’t likely for…

8) It also proves that…

4. Answer the following questions:

1) What separates Mississippi River from low-lying lands? How long are they?

2) What happened with the river over the last century?

3) What’s the purpose of research being made White and his colleagues?

4) Which substances create a unique environment around the river?

5) What are the nearest plans of the USFW Service?

5. Write the summary of the text above.

6. Retell the text “Mighty river, mighty filter”

7. Translate from Russian into English:

1) Когда люди поселились на заливных территориях, на земле появились фермы, дома. стал развиваться бизнес.

2) За последние 100 лет, количество химических загрязнителей, особенно азотных удобрений в реке, значительно увеличилось.

3) Уайт с коллегами ищут способы вывести загрязнения из реки.

4) Служба рыбного хозяйства и дикой природы США планирует убрать дамбу.

5) Микробиологические элементы, которые помогают фильтровать загрязнения, накапливать углерод и способствовать росту растений, оказались менее полезными по сравнению с возможностями естественной среды обитания.