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LukaWright_MangroveSharks_2020E-_在森林中捕食的鲨鱼——卢卡_西默斯_赖特_-
In the coastal waters of the Bahamas , a young lemon shark is on the run from a surprising predator : an adult shark of her own species . 在巴哈马海岸的水域, 一条年轻的柠檬鲨正在逃离 一个令人意想不到的捕食者: 一条跟自己同种的成年鲨鱼。
Half of her 17 siblings have already been eaten by the older generation, and it looks as though she’s about to join them. 在她 17 个兄弟姐妹当中, 有一半已经被老一辈的鲨鱼吃掉了。 而她的命运看似即将与牠们一样。
But just as the predator closes in, she disappears into a thicket of underwater roots, safe in the refuge of the mangrove forest. 但是,就在捕食者要逼近时, 她消失于一丛水下的树根中, 在红树林的掩护下,安全无恙。
coastal:adj.沿海的;海岸的; Bahamas:n.巴哈马群岛(拉丁美洲国家); lemon:n.蹩脚货;柠檬;青柠色;adj.浅黄色的;柠檬色的; on the run:在逃;奔波;跑着; predator:n.[动]捕食者;[动]食肉动物;掠夺者; species:n.[生物]物种;种类; siblings:n.兄;弟;姐;妹;(sibling的复数) disappears:v.消失;不见;消亡;失踪;丢失;(disappear的第三人称单数) thicket:n.[林]灌木丛;丛林;错综复杂; underwater:adj.在水中的;水面下的;adv.在水下;n.水下; refuge:n.避难所;庇护;慰藉;庇护者;v.避难;(古)庇护; mangrove:n.红树林;
Forests don’t usually come to mind as a habitat for sharks. 我们都想不到鲨鱼 会把森林当作栖息地。
But various marine forests cover roughly 4.2 million square kilometers of the planet, providing food and shelter for 35% of the world’s sharks. 但是各种海洋森林大约覆盖了 地球的 4.2 万平方公里, 为全球 35% 的鲨鱼提供食物和住所。
Deadly tiger sharks blend into seagrass meadows before pouncing on sea cows and sea turtles . 致命的虎鲨突袭海牛和海龟前, 会先将自己隐藏在海草床裏。
habitat:n.[生态]栖息地,产地; marine:adj.海的;海产的;海生的;海船的;n.(尤指美国或英国皇家)海军陆战队士兵; roughly:adv.粗糙地;概略地; Deadly:adj.致命的;非常的;死一般的;adv.非常;如死一般地; blend:v.混合;融合;加入;相称;n.混合;混合物;混合种;混合色; seagrass:n.海草; meadows:n.[畜牧]草地;[地理]草甸(meadow的复数); pouncing:n.[印刷]印花粉印图;v.猛扑;突袭(pounce的ing形式); turtles:n.海龟;龟;陆龟;水龟;鳖;(turtle的复数)
White sharks hunt down seals in forests of kelp towering 65 meters tall. 大白鲨在高达 65 米的 海带森林中捕杀海豹。
And lemon sharks stalk forests of mangroves— the only trees on Earth that live in the ocean. 而柠檬鲨潜伏于红树林中—— 地球上唯一生活在海洋裏的树木。
All these ecosystems have their quirks , but mangroves may be the most unique of all. 这些生态系统都有它们的怪异之处, 但红树林可能是最独特的。
hunt down:穷追直至抓获; kelp:n.[植]巨藻,海藻;海草灰;vi.烧制海草灰; stalk:n.(植物的)茎,秆;梗,柄;追踪;高视阔步;v.追踪,潜近; ecosystems:n.生态系统(ecosystem的复数); quirks:怪癖;急转;借口(quirk的复数); mangroves:n.[林]红树林(mangrove的复数);红树属植物; unique:adj.独特的,稀罕的;[数]唯一的;n.独一无二的人或物;
Harboring life between their roots and among their crowns , mangroves function as an essential bridge between land and sea. 红树林的根部和树冠之间庇护着生物, 它们是陆地和海洋之间的重要桥梁。
And to survive between these worlds, different mangrove species have evolved various adaptations that protect them and their resident sharks. 为了在陆地和海洋之间生存, 不同种的红树林 演化出各种适应能力, 以保护自己和居住在内的鲨鱼。
Taking root in the unstable ground of muddy coastal regions is difficult, so mangrove seedlings germinate attached to their mother plant. 红树林要在不稳定而泥泞的 沿海地区扎根是很难的, 所以红树林的幼苗发芽时, 还附着在母株上。
Harboring:v.包含;隐匿;怀抱(恶意);停泊;(harbor的现在分词) crowns:n.王冠(crown的复数形式);v.使…成王(crown的第三人称单数形式); essential:n.要点;要素;实质;必需品;adj.完全必要的;必不可少的;极其重要的;本质的; evolved:v.(使)逐渐形成;进化;进化形成;(evolve的过去分词和过去式) adaptations:n.适应;改编(adaptation的复数); resident:adj.居住的;住院医师;定居的;n.居民; unstable:adj.不稳定的;变化莫测的;(行为、情绪)反复无常的 muddy:adj.泥泞的; vt.使污浊; vi.变得泥泞; regions:n.地区;地域;行政区;左近;(region的复数) seedlings:n.[植]籽苗(seedling的复数); germinate:vt.使发芽;使生长;vi.发芽;生长; attached:adj.依恋;v.重视;把…固定;(attach的过去分词和过去式)
Once they've grown large enough to survive on their own, these partially developed plants begin to ride the current. 它们一旦长得够大,足以独立生存, 这些已经发育了一部分的植物 就会开始顺着海流移动,
Most take root nearby , while some travel for several months before landing in a different part of the world. 大多数都会在附近扎根, 有些则会在漂流数月后, 才在世界另一个地方停下来。
Once they’ve settled down, mangroves deploy tall, skinny stilt roots, crutch-like prop roots or wavy buttress roots, to support themselves in their unsteady terrain . 它们一旦安顿下来, 红树林就会长出高而瘦的高跷根, 像拐杖形状的支柱根 或者是波浪状的版根, 以便在不稳定的地形支撑自己。
partially:adv.部分地;偏袒地; nearby:adj.附近的,邻近的;adv.在附近;prep.在…附近; settled:adj.稳定的; v.结束; (settle的过去分词和过去式) deploy:v.部署;利用;[军事]展开;(使)张开; skinny:adj.极瘦的;干瘦的;皮包骨的;紧身的;n.(不公开的)信息;内幕消息; stilt:n.桩子,支柱;高跷; prop:n.道具;支柱;支持者;后盾;v.支撑; wavy:adj.多浪的;波动起伏的; buttress:n.扶壁;拱壁;支撑物;vt.支持;以扶壁支撑; unsteady:adj.不稳定的;不规则的;摇摆的;无常的;vt.使不稳定;动摇; terrain:n.[地理]地形,地势;领域;地带;
These newly established mangroves have to contend with two additional problems: seawater is high in dehydrating and potentially toxic salt, and the mud contains little to no oxygen. 这些刚长成的红树林 必须应付另外两个问题: 海水含有大量导致脱水 和可能有毒的盐, 而且泥土裏几乎没有任何氧气。
This combination would be lethal to most trees, but mangroves make the most of their marshy surroundings . 这个组合会对大部分的树木 造成致命的伤害, 但是红树林能充分利用 沼泽湿地的环境,
Rather than being completely buried, mangrove roots are largely above the ground. 它的根部大部分都是在地面之上, 而不是完全被埋在地下。
established:adj.已确立的;著名的;v.建立;创立;设立;(establish的过去分词和过去式) contend:v.主张,认为;竞争;争夺; additional:adj.附加的,额外的; seawater:n.海水; dehydrating:v.使(食物)脱水;(身体)失水,脱水;(dehydrate的现在分词) potentially:adv.可能地,潜在地; toxic:adj.有毒的;中毒的; combination:n.结合;组合;联合;[化学]化合; lethal:adj.致命的,致死的;n.致死因子; marshy:adj.沼泽的;湿地的; surroundings:n.周围的环境;环境;(surrounding的复数) largely:adv.主要地;大部分;大量地;
This allows the microscopic pores on these roots to take in oxygen during low tide before closing to create a waterproof seal during high tide . 这让树根上的微小气孔 在退潮时吸收氧气, 然后在潮涨时将气孔关闭, 变成防水的密封状态。
Many mangroves also grow snorkel roots, which can take in oxygen through the same mechanism , or directly produce it via photosynthesis . 许多红树林也有浮潜根, 也可以透过同样的机制来吸收氧气, 或行光合作用直接生产氧气。
To stop salt from entering their system, some mangrove species use incredibly fine filters in their roots. 为了防止海水中的盐进入植株内, 有些种类的红树林会利用 位于根部裏极细密的过滤器,
microscopic:adj.微观的;用显微镜可见的; pores:n.[陶瓷]气孔;毛穴(pore的复数);v.注视;熟读;沉思(pore的第三人称单数); waterproof:adj.防水的,不透水的;v.使防水;n.防水材料; high tide:n.满潮; snorkel:n.通气管;潜艇换气装置;vi.用水下通气管潜航; mechanism:n.机制;原理,途径;进程;机械装置;技巧; directly:adv.直接地;立即;马上;正好地;坦率地;conj.一…就; via:prep.通过;经由;n.道路;[医]管道; photosynthesis:n.光合作用; incredibly:adv.难以置信地;非常地; filters:n.过滤器; v.过滤; (filter的第三人称单数和复数)
Others concentrate salt inside special cellular compartments , bark or dying leaves, that then drop off. 其他则会将盐集中于 特殊的细胞隔室、树皮 或即将枯萎的叶子裏, 然后让它们脱落。
Some species can even excrete the excess minerals through specially adapted salt glands . 有些种类甚至演化出特有的盐腺, 来排出过量的矿物质。
All these processes make mangroves more than a little salty, but that doesn’t deter coastal life from living in their nooks and crannies . 这些过程使红树林盐味很重, 但是这并不会阻止沿海生物生活在 红树林的每个角落和缝隙中。
concentrate:n.浓缩物;v.聚精会神;集中(注意力);使…集中(或集合、聚集);(使)浓缩; cellular:adj.细胞的;多孔的;由细胞组成的;n.移动电话;单元; compartments:n.隔间;分隔间,隔层;(compartment的复数) bark:n.树皮; v.(狗)吠叫; excrete:vt.排泄;分泌; excess:n.超过,超额;过度,过量;无节制;adj.额外的,过量的;附加的; minerals:n.矿物;矿产,矿产品(mineral的复数);矿物质; adapted:adj.适于…的; v.使适应,使适合; (adapt的过去分词和过去式) glands:n.腺体(gland的复数);气封; processes:n.过程; v.处理(process的第三人称单数形式); more than a little:非常;十分; deter:v.阻止;制止;威慑;使不敢; nooks:n.角落;隐匿处;核武器;凹处; crannies:n.裂隙,裂缝;
While birds nest among mangrove branches, fish lay eggs amidst their sprawling , complex root systems. 鸟儿在红树林的树枝之间筑巢, 鱼儿则在错综复杂的根系中产卵。
Symbiotic sponges and sea squirts protect their host trees from hungry woodboring crustaceans . 共生的海绵和海鞘 保护牠们红树林宿主 免受会啃食木头的甲壳类动物侵害。
Crabs , snails , and shrimp eat algae , mussels , barnacles , and salty mangrove detritus . 螃蟹、蜗牛和虾会吃 藻类、贻贝、藤壶和咸的红树林碎屑。
amidst:prep.在…当中; sprawling:adj.蔓生的,不规则地伸展的; v.(手脚)不自然地伸开; complex:adj.复杂的;合成的;n.复合体;综合设施; Symbiotic:adj.[生态]共生的;共栖的; sponges:n.[无脊椎]海绵(sponge的复数形式); v.用海绵擦拭,吸收掉,抹掉(sponge的第三人称单数形式); squirts:v.(使)喷射; n.喷射出的液体; (squirt的第三人称单数和复数) crustaceans:n.甲壳类;甲壳纲动物(crustacean的复数); Crabs:n.蟹类;吊钳;脾气坏的人(crab的复数);v.捕蟹;抱怨;侧航(crab的三单形式); snails:n.[无脊椎]蜗牛; v.使成蜗纹; shrimp:n.虾;小虾;矮小的人;vi.捕虾;adj.有虾的;虾制的; algae:n.[植]藻类;[植]海藻; mussels:n.[无脊椎]贻贝(mussel的复数);[水产]淡菜;双壳类; barnacles:n.[无脊椎]藤壶(barnacle的复数);刑具; detritus:n.碎石,[地质]岩屑;
These animals in turn feed fish, which are devoured by shark pups roaming the roots— alongside occasional vegetarian meals of seagrass. 这些动物则是鱼的粮食, 而鱼又会被漫游在根部的幼鲨吃掉, 幼鲨偶尔还会吃素,以海草为食。
But sharks aren’t just the beneficiaries of marine forests, they’re part of the glue that holds them together. 但鲨鱼不仅是海洋森林的受益者, 牠们也协助维系海洋森林的存续。
Sharks limit the abundance of animals which would otherwise overgraze these essential plants. 鲨鱼限制动物的数量, 否则会过度消耗这些不可或缺的植物。
devoured:v.狼吞虎咽地吃光;津津有味地看;吞没;毁灭;(devour的过去分词和过去式) pups:n.[脊椎]小狗;幼兽(pup复数); roaming:n.漫游;移动;v.漫步;闲逛;徘徊(roam的现在分词); occasional:adj.偶然的;临时的;特殊场合的; vegetarian:n.素食者;食草动物;adj.素食的; beneficiaries:n.[金融]受益人(beneficiary的复数形式); glue:n.胶;胶水;v.粘贴; abundance:n.丰度;丰富;大量;富足; overgraze:v.在(土地)上过度放牧;
Just as marine forests provide shelter to vulnerable baby predators , those predators grow up to protect their forest homes. 就像海洋森林为脆弱的年幼捕食者 提供庇护所一样, 这些捕食者长大后, 会保护它们的森林居所。
Unfortunately , both sides of this delicate balance are under threat. 可惜这微妙的平衡正受到威胁。
Overfishing has decimated shark populations worldwide , and many marine forests are being polluted or cut down for coastal development. 过鱼使全球鲨鱼的数量大大削减, 而许多海洋森林因为沿海地区的开发 而受到污染或被斩伐。
vulnerable:adj.易受攻击的,易受…的攻击;易受伤害的;有弱点的; predators:n.捕食性动物;实行弱肉强食的人(或机构);掠夺者;(predator的复数) Unfortunately:adv.不幸地; delicate:adj.精致的,微妙的,脆弱的,熟练的,柔和的; Overfishing:n.渔捞过度;vt.过度捕捞(overfish的现在分词); decimated:v.摧毁;大幅度下降(decimate的过去式及过去分词); worldwide:adj.全世界的;adv.在世界各地;
This destruction is especially dangerous because marine forests are one of the single most important ecosystems in mitigating climate change. 这样的破坏特别危险, 因为海洋森林是缓解气候变迁 最重要的生态系统之一。
Mangroves and seagrasses trap carbon between their roots, and fast-growing kelps export vast amounts of carbon to the deep ocean. 红树林和海草会在根部之间把碳留住, 而快速生长的海带会把 大量的碳送往深海。
Together, marine forests sequester around 310 million tonnes of carbon every year, capturing 3% of our annual global carbon emissions . 海洋森林每年共储存了 大约 3.1 亿公吨的碳, 捕集了我们每年全球碳排放量的 3%。
destruction:n.破坏,毁灭;摧毁; especially:adv.尤其;特别;格外;十分; mitigating:adj.可考虑从轻处置的情节(或因素)v.减轻;缓和;(mitigate的现在分词) seagrasses:n.海草;(seagrass的复数) trap:v.使陷入困境;卡住;夹住;收集;吸收;n.陷阱;圈套;捕捉器;诡计; carbon:n.[化学]碳;碳棒;复写纸;adj.碳的;碳处理的; fast-growing:adj.生长迅速的;发育快的; kelps:n.海带;海草;巨藻;(kelp的复数) export:n.出口;[无线电]呼叫;出口货;输出额;v.出口;排出;adj.输出的; sequester:v.隔离(避免陪审团与公众接触); capturing:v.俘虏;捕获;攻占;夺得;(capture的现在分词) annual:n.年报;年鉴;年刊;adj.每年的;年度的;一年的; global:adj.全球的;总体的;球形的; emissions:n.(光、热、气等的)发出,排放;排放物;散发物;(emission的复数)
So, like the sharks that inhabit them, humans need to fight tooth and nail to protect these essential ecosystems. 所以,就像居住在这些森林的鲨鱼, 人类也要竭尽全力保护 这些重要的生态系统。
inhabit:v.居住在;栖居于; fight tooth and nail:v.猛烈作战;拼命打;