玫瑰湖：塞内加尔的粉红奇迹

2016-04-08

新东方英语·中学版 2016年4期

The Senegalese pink Lake Retba， known also as Lac Rose， is one and a half times higher than the Dead Sea and is a prime1） habitat for halobacterium2）， a type of single-celled halophile3） microorganism which is red or purple in colour.

The water of the lake actually changes from mauve4） to deep pink in colour， depending on the time of day and amount of sunlight. The amazing pink colouration is derived from its high salt concentration.

The lake is located in the Cap Vert Peninsula that lies northeast of Senegal's capital Dakar. The unusual appearance of the lake is caused by a salt-loving green micro alga5） called Dunaliella salina6） that resides in the lake， known for its high concentration of the mineral.

在塞内加尔有一个粉红色的湖，名叫玫瑰湖（又称Lac Rose），其海拔高度是死海的1.5倍。这里是嗜盐杆菌的主要栖息地——嗜盐杆菌是一种单细胞的喜盐微生物，呈红色或紫色。

实际上，受一天的时间以及光照量的影响，湖水的颜色会从淡紫色变成深粉色。造就这种粉红色奇观的根源是湖内的盐分含量高。

玫瑰湖位于塞内加尔首都达喀尔东北部的佛得角半岛上。它的这一别致景观是由生活在湖中的一种名叫盐生杜氏藻的绿色喜盐微藻造成的，这种藻类因其体内积聚了大量矿物质而闻名。

The Amazing Algae

The water in Lake Retba always seems to have a pinkish hue7） to it.

It is obvious that very few organisms can survive in such highly saline8） conditions. The only reason this single-celled organism is able to do so， is because of its ability to create large amounts of Beta-Carotene9）， which helps to protect it against the intense light that reflects off the salt and also gives the algae its dark pink hue.

While the colour may make the lake appear eerie10） and unsafe， the microorganism is safe not only to swim amidst， but also， consume—good news for the locals that are constantly wading in to mine the salt. In fact， the algae are so rich in antioxidants11） that they are often harvested and used in cosmetics and dietary12） supplements.

Salt Collectors

Many salt collectors work 6～7 hours a day in the lake， which has a salt content close to 4%. In order to protect their skin， they rub their skin with shea butter13）（produced from shea nuts）， which is an emollient14） used to avoid tissue damage.

That is the dilemma facing visitors to one of the most amazing bodies of water15） on the planet. However， its blooming pink colour is one thing that tourists from all over the globe just cannot resist.

When to Visit

The lake is better visited during the dry summer months when the saline levels are high and you will see it turn strawberry pink and sometimes， even red. The good news is that colour is not the result of chemicals being dumped in the lake but nature， working its magical tricks！

神奇的水藻

玫瑰湖的湖水似乎总是带有一种粉红的色调。

很显然，极少有生物能在盐度如此高的环境下存活。而这种单细胞生物能够做到这点的唯一原因就是它们可以产生大量的β-胡萝卜素，它帮助这种水藻抵御从盐反射回来的强光，同时也让其披上了一层暗粉色。

尽管这种颜色可能使这片湖看起来有点怪异和危险，但这种微生物不仅对在湖中游泳的人无害，而且还可安全食用——这对那些经常涉水采盐的当地人来说可是个好消息。实际上，这些水藻因富含抗氧化剂而经常被采集来用于生产化妆品和补充膳食的营养品。

采盐人

在这片含盐量接近4%的湖里，许多采盐人每天会工作6～7个小时。为了保护皮肤，他们会擦上一种树脂黄油（产自牛油果），一种用来避免组织损伤的润肤霜。

这也是来此观光的游客在面对这个世界上最令人叹为观止的水域之一时会面临的一种进退两难的选择。可不管怎样，玫瑰湖绽放的粉红奇观还是让全球各地的游客无法抗拒。

游览时间

最好在干燥的夏季来此参观，那时湖水盐度升高，你会看到湖泊变成草莓般的粉红色，有时甚至会变成红色。让人欣慰的是，湖水颜色并不是化学物质倾倒入湖所致，而是大自然的神奇魔力使然！

1. prime [pra?m] adj. 主要的

2. halobacterium：嗜盐杆菌属，其属下的微生物生活在盐湖、盐场及腐败的盐制品等中性盐环境中。

3. halophile [?h?l???fa?l] n. 适盐生物，喜盐生物