地球脉动（2006）

这只雄蛙得手了
He's scored.
有更多的雌蛙正在往那边赶去
But with more females arriving all the time,
雌蛙们不会停止移♥动♥除非大雄蛙停止歌♥唱
it's not over until the fat frog stops singing.
脚蹼用来滑翔 也可以用来干别的事情.
Feet, so vital for gliding, are now put to other uses.
两只情侣其乐融融,三只就多有不便了.
Two's company, three's inconvenient
无论如何,雄蛙都需要用干燥的脚趾
but in any case, all male frogs are equipped with dry thumbs
如老虎钳般紧紧抓住雌蛙湿润的皮肤
which enable them to get a vice like grip on their moist partners.
先来先得
It's a case of first come first served.
在这种潮湿的环境下生活
Living in such a humid environment,
使得树蛙可以摆脱水塘的束缚
means jungle frogs are less tied to puddles and pools
因此它们无需在水中产卵
and these even lay their eggs out of water.
卵干♥死♥的几率很小
There's little chance of them drying out
在这里,也能免于被掠食者吃掉
and up here they're safer from predators.
雨林虽然不是天天下雨
Surprisingly, it doesn't rain every day in the rainforest
但是这里仍然比地球上其他地方下的多
but more still falls here than anywhere else on Earth.
平均年降水量可达2米
On average, over two meters a year.
一棵树每年可吸收几百吨♥的水
A single tree can suck up hundreds of tons of water each year
不过树也无法全部喝掉这些水, 多数被转换成了水蒸气从而形成了薄雾和云
But the trees can't use all this water so, much of it returns to the air as vapor, forming mist and clouds.
在亚马逊
In the Amazon,
世界上最大的原始森林
the largest unbroken stretch of rainforest in the world,
有半数的降水被树木 再次转变成云和降水并循环使用
half of all the rainwater that falls, comes from clouds produced by the trees themselves.
有这么多的降水量 世界上多数的大河都在雨林里产生也就不足为奇了
With so much rain, it's not surprising that many of the worlds largest rivers are found in rainforests.
雨林深处
Inside the forest,
十分潮湿的环境非常适合一些生命在腐殖质上生长
the high humidity creates the perfect conditions for a strange world, where life is built on decay.
象这种粘菌类变形虫正在地表上巡航 它们以细菌和地衣为生
Amoeba like slime molds cruise the surface, feeding on bacteria and rotting vegetation.
真菌类也以腐殖质为生
Fungi also flourish on decay.
这些仅仅是真菌的一个子实体
These are the fruiting bodies of the fungi,
看不见的地表下还有它的广大的菌丝网络
the only visible sign of a vast underground network of fungal filaments.
在温带森林里, 落叶形成的腐殖质层可以贮藏养分
In temperate forests, the buildup of leaf litter creates rich stores of nutrients.
可是这里不会发生这种事
That however, doesn't happen here.
土壤中的养分会被雨水冲走
Nutrients that reach the soil are leeched out by the rain
真菌用地下菌丝连接在树根上 它们很快吃掉死植物
but fungi are connected to tree roots by their underground filaments and by quickly consuming the dead
真菌因此帮助树木直接供给树木所需的矿物质
they help to recycle crucial minerals straight back into the trees.
这种生态循环的速度
And this recycling happens faster here,
比地球上其他地方要快得多
than anywhere else on the planet.
据说热带雨林里有近百万种菌类
There are thought to be nearly a million different types of fungi in the tropics.
但具体数量仍然无人知晓
The vast majority still unknown to science
一点可以确信
But one thing's for certain
没有菌类就没有雨林
without fungi, rainforests could not exist.
雨林里的一切都不能浪费
Nothing goes to waste in the rainforest.
象这种甲虫及幼虫就以菌类为食
The fungi become food for others like these beetle larvae.
幼虫寻找菌类当然比较困难 不过在父母的领引下不费吹灰之力
Finding the fungus isn't a problem for the grubs since their caring parents actually show them the way.
令人惊异的是, 地球上有80%的昆虫居住在雨林里
Incredibly, 80% of all insects live in jungles
蚂蚁是雨林昆虫中的佼佼者 每公顷可达800万只
fewer more successful than the ants. There can be 8 million individuals in a single hectare.
不过雨林是不会让它们任意逍遥的
but jungle ants don't have it all their own way.
这只子弹蚁正在现出令人担忧的症状
These bullet ants are showing some worrying symptoms.
一种叫做虫草的寄生菌的孢子
Spores from a parasitic fungus called cordyceps
已经侵入了它的身心
have infiltrated their bodies and their minds.
寄生孢子直接入侵大脑
It's infected brain directs this ant upwards
失去了方向感的子弹蚁只好用下颚咬住茎
then, utterly disorientated, it grips a stem with it's mandibles.
这些病蚁迅速被工蚁发现 并把它弄到了远离巢穴的地方
Those afflicted, that are discovered by the workers are quickly taken away and dumped far away from the colony.
这看上去有些极端,不过不是没有道理的
It seems extreme, but this is the reason why.
有几分像科幻小说
Like something out of science fiction
虫草的子实体从蚂蚁脑袋里长出来
the fruiting body of the cordyceps erupts from the ant's head.
3个星期的生长♥期♥
It can take three weeks to grow
长成后,孢子将从蚂蚁的头顶脱落
and when finished, the deadly spores will burst from it's tip
然后,附近的蚂蚁将面临死亡的威胁
then, any ant in the vicinity will be in serious risk of death.
这种剧毒的菌类足以杀死整个蚂蚁群落
The fungus is so virulent, it can wipe out whole colonies of ants
而且它们杀死的不仅仅是蚂蚁
and it's not just ants that fall victim to this killer.
大约有1千种不同的有毒寄生菌
There are literally thousands of different types of cordyceps fungi
而且它们都归属于同一物种
and remarkably, each specializes on just one species
这种攻击对雨林生物多样性起肯定作用
but these attacks do have a positive effect on the jungle's diversity.
这种寄生虫能阻止某种生物种群的优势
Since parasites like these stop any one group of animal getting the upper hand.
越多的物种产生,就会遭到越多的寄生菌攻击
The more numerous a species becomes, the more likely it'll be attacked by it's nemesis a cordyceps fungus.
在激烈的竞争环境下
With so much competition,
雨林也变成了许多非常特别的动物的家
jungles have become the home of the specialist.
这种动物在婆罗洲上是非常特别的一种
Now this animal, in the island of Borneo, is one of the most unusual.
这种会飞的"狐猴"叫做鼯猴
It's a colugo, or flying lemur,
不过它不属于狐猴,因为狐猴不会飞
though this is something of a misnomer as it doesn't actually fly and it certainly isn't a lemur
实际上很难确认它到底属于那种动物
in fact nobody's quite sure who it's closest relative is.
鼯猴靠吃嫩叶生存,
The colugo depends on a diet of young leaves
为了吃到足够的嫩叶,它必须在树与树之间移♥动♥
and to find enough of them, it must move from tree to tree.
嫩叶营养虽不丰富
The leaves are not very nutritious,
但在雨林里毫不费力就可以轻易找到
but then, getting around doesn't use much energy.
在一个晚上,鼯猴可以穿行2英里的路程
In a single night, a colugo might have to travel as far as two miles
利用它的滑翔技能完成这个任务相当简单
but that task is made easier by it's superior gliding skills.
在激烈的雨林竞争中取得胜利需要一些秘密手段
The secret of success in the competitive jungle is specializing
这让一些生物在动植物之间进化出了非常的关系
and this has led to the evolution of some very intimate relationships between plants and animals.
这是婆罗洲的猪笼草(又名捕虫草)
These are pitcher plants also from Borneo.
为了适应营养稀缺的土壤
Adapted to living in very low nutrient soils
这种象瓶子状的植物 用内侧唇瓣蜜腺分泌物来吸引昆虫
the pitcher plant gets most of it's nourishment from insects lured to nectar glands on the underside of the lids.
当昆虫被引诱过来时 光滑的内侧唇瓣使得昆虫鲜有机会逃跑
Once onboard, the waxy sides of the pitcher ensure there's little chance of escape.
多数淹死在这个水坟中...
Most slip to a watery grave.
猪笼草底部是种神秘的生化酶,帮助消化猎物
At the bottom of the pitcher glands secrete enzymes which help to digest the corpses,
给猪笼草提供养料
so feeding the plant.
但并不是所有的来访者都遭此噩运
But not all visitors have a fatal attraction to the pitchers.
红蟹蜘蛛终身生活在猪笼草里
The red crab spider spends it's entire life in the pitchers,
它们用丝线吊住自己
hanging on with threads of silk.
它直接以掉入猪笼草陷阱的虫子为生 而不用去织网
Instead of building a web, it relies on the water filled pitcher to trap it's food.
蚂蚁掉到陷阱里了 蟹蜘蛛静静等它淹死
When an ant falls in, the spider simply waits for it to drown
直接坐收渔翁之利
and then abseils down for a spot of fishing.
要生存,蚂蚁必须远离蜘蛛的魔爪
Alive, this ant would be far too dangerous for the spider to tackle
但是利用猪笼草的陷阱 意味着蟹蜘蛛照样可以美餐一顿
so, using the pitchers as traps, means it can get bigger meals
蟹蜘蛛也不全是一个不留
and the spider doesn't rob the pitcher of everything.
它也需要把战利品分一部分给猪笼草, 来给猪笼草提供营养
The digested remains of it's booty will end up in the water providing instant food for the plant.
有的食物例如蚊子幼虫在瓶底 看上去好像吃不到,不过蟹蜘蛛自有诡计
Other food, like mosquito larvae, seems to be out of reach but the spider has another sup rising trick.
它会带着一个空气泡泡
By taking it's own air supply trapped in a bubble
蟹蜘蛛可以潜入到猪笼草的底部
the crab spider can actually dive to the very bottom of the pitcher.
一旦猎物到手,蟹蜘蛛还可从水中全身而退
Once the prey is captured, the spider hauls itself back up it's silken safety line.
猪笼草好像是蟹蜘蛛的一站式商店.
The pitcher is a one stop shop for this spider,
但它并不孤独
but it's not alone.
雨林中到处都有竞争 即使在猪笼草的小小水域里
In the jungle there's competition for everything, even a small water filled pitcher plant.
雨林的特殊环境造就了生物的多样性
Such specialists create the jungle's remarkable diversity
但由于寻找食物是个巨大的挑战 因此很多雨林生物都长得很小巧
but finding enough food to survive is so challenging that most animals living here tend to be small
有一个地方是例外
though there are exceptions.
这是非洲的刚果
This is the Congo in Africa.
辽阔,原始,也是最不被探索的原始森林之一
It's a vast wilderness and the least explored of all jungles.
从这里看 这里的雨林和亚马逊及东南亚的雨林没什么两样
From up here the forest looks similar to the ones that grow in the Amazon or Southeast Asia.
但往下看,就有出人意料的发现
but down below there are some unexpected sights.
地面上有数不尽的大路和十字路口
Crisscrossing this forest, are countless miles of highways
一定是一些大家伙弄出来的
and they were made by something big.
森林象长途跋涉来寻找食物
Forest elephants roam great distances in their search for food
为了生存,它们必须隐没在幽暗的森林中
but to survive, they must emerge from the gloom of the forest.
这块空旷地 把大象从四面八方吸引过来
And clearings like this one, are a magnet for elephants from far and wide.
森林象群的个体数量 比起它的稀树草原的亲戚们要少的多
These elephants live in much smaller groups than their savanna cousins.
这可能是两个象群 一个月来第一次见面
This might be the first time that one group will have seen another for a month.
对成年雄象来说 这是摆脱孤独的大好时机
For the adult males it's a welcome break in an otherwise largely solitary existence
大象不是唯一被吸引到空旷地带的动物
and they're not the only animals attracted to the clearing.
森林水牛 红河野猪 它们也是常客
Forest buffaloes and red river hogs are also regular visitors
邦戈羚羊也是除了在空旷地很难见到的动物
as are bongos, which are very difficult to see outside these clearings.
所有的这些森林动物来到这里 收集埋在泥下的对身体有益的微量元素
All these large forest animals have come here to collect an essential element of their diet that lies buried beneath the mud.
象鼻可以说是得到它的完美工具
And the elephant's trunk is the perfect tool for reaching it.
要找到想要的东西 大象首先要驱走覆盖着的沙土
To get what they seek the prospecting elephants must first blow away the covering layer of silt.
最终十分满意
Satisfaction at last.
它们在收集一种特殊的矿物质
They're collecting a particular kind of clay
而这种矿物质很难从自然食物中获取
that contains vital minerals scarce in their natural diet.
虽然有些牙碜 不过到了血液里也就没什么了
It may be mud, but there's just nothing quite like it for enriching the blood.
粘土也可以吸收中和吃的叶子中的毒素.
The clay also helps to absorb the toxins found in many leaves that the elephants eat.
到这里还有个好处
There are other benefits to coming here.
这块空地是唯一可以聚集 并展现象群数量的地方
These clearings are the only places where the forest elephants can get together in such numbers.