翻譯~p.40

SCIENCE FOCUS
(科學焦點)

Which Species Rule the World?
(哪些種類统治世界？)
[第7-8段]

Microbes,particularly phytoplankon in the ocean, provide much of the planet's oxygen, and help slow global warming by removing some of the carbon dioxide produced when we burn coal, natural gas, and gasoline. Scientists are working on using microbes to develop new medicines and fuels. Genetic engineers are inserting genetic material into existing microbes to convert them to microbes that can help clean up polluted water and soils.
Some microbes help control diseases that affect plants and populations of insect species that attack our food crops. Relying more on these microbes for pest control can reduce the use of potentially harmful chemical pesticides. In other words, microbes are a vital part of the earth's natural capital.
在海洋中微生物[浮游植物]會進行光合作提供氧氣，並且以抵消我們燃燒煤炭、天然氣和汽油時產生出來導致全球性變暖的二氧化碳，幫助緩慢地球暖化。科學家使用微生物開研究的醫學和燃料工作。基因工程師轉換微生物的基因，而令他們變成可幫助清掃污水和土壤的微生物。
有些微生物幫助防止昆蟲攻擊我們的食用農作物和控制疾病。依靠這些微生物控制害蟲，能減少使用潛在有害的化學殺蟲劑。換句話說，微生物是地球的自然資本的一個重要部分。