For a glacier to grow or maintain its mass, there must be sufficient snowfall to match or exceed the annual loss through melting, evaporation, and calving, which occurs when the glacier loses solid chunks as icebergs to the sea or to large lakes.

“as icebergs to the sea or to large lakes”这里as怎么理解？to在这里是什么用法？后面的“which occurs when the glacier loses solid chunks as icebergs to the sea or to large lakes”怎么翻译？

【答】在介词短语as icebergs中，as表示身份或方式，意为“以冰山的身份或方式”。如果看作身份的话，就是作定语修饰solid chunks；如果看作方式的话，就是作状语修饰动词loses。此外，lose ... to...搭配，意思是“把......葬送给了......”。

which occurs when the glacier loses solid chunks as icebergs to the sea or to large lakes的意思是：这个现象发生在冰川像冰山块那样输送给了大海和大湖之时。或者：在冰川像冰山块那样输送给了大海和大湖的时候，这种现象就出现了。