The concept of 'blue carbon' refers to the carbon captured by the world's oceanic and coastal ecosystems, particularly mangroves, salt marshes, and seagrasses. Unlike terrestrial forests, which store carbon primarily in biomass, these marine habitats sequester carbon predominantly in their sediments, where it can remain for millennia. Recent research highlights that although these ecosystems cover less than 2% of the ocean floor, they account for approximately 50% of the carbon buried in marine sediments. This remarkable efficiency has led to growing interest in their conservation as a climate mitigation strategy. However, scientists caution that when these habitats are degraded or destroyed, the stored carbon is released back into the atmosphere, turning them from carbon sinks into carbon sources. Therefore, protecting blue carbon ecosystems is not merely an environmental issue but a critical component of global climate policy.
❓ 지문에 따르면, 블루카본 생태계가 기후 완화에 특히 중요한 이유는 무엇인가?
A. A) 그들은 주로 지상 바이오매스에 탄소를 저장하며, 이는 숲과 유사하다.
B. B) 그들은 해저의 넓은 부분을 덮고 있어서 막대한 양의 탄소를 흡수한다.
C. C) 그들은 면적이 작음에도 불구하고, 퇴적물 속에 탄소를 매우 오랜 기간 동안 격리시킨다.
D. D) 분해될 때 저장된 탄소를 빠르게 방출하여 대기 중 탄소 수치를 균형 있게 유지하는 데 도움을 줍니다.
✅ 正确答案
C) They sequester carbon in sediments for very long periods, despite their small area.
IELTS Reading Tips
Skim the questions first, underline keywords, then locate in the passage
Watch for paraphrasing; correct answers are often reworded
Be wary of absolute statements (all, always, never) — usually wrong
Pay attention to content after transition words (however, but, yet)
Manage time: about 20 minutes per passage; skip difficult questions first