行星地球树木是众多生命中的伟大一员Trees. Surely among the most magnificent of all living things.有些树是地球上最大的物种，其他生命在它面前显得相当渺小Some are the largest organisms on Earth这些是长得最高的一种树. dwarfing all others, and these are the tallest of them all.落叶林和针叶林都生长在地球上有明显季节变化的地区The deciduous and coniferous woodlands that grow in the seasonal parts of our planet 在地球上分布最为广泛are the most extensive forests on Earth.它们的分布之广，超出想象Their sheer extent stuns the imagination.季节森林英配解说：大卫•爱登堡冰雪覆盖的北极地区The barren snows of the Arctic.这是距离北极点以南1000英里的地方A thousand miles from the North Pole, and heading south. 这也是树木长到的最北处This is the very first place that trees can grow. 一开始松树比较稀疏To begin with the conifers are sparse再往南它们便马上支配了大♥陆♥but soon they dominate the land. 这就是泰加针叶林This is the Taiga Forest它的面♥积♥,是所有热带雨林面♥积♥的总和 There are as many trees here, as in all the worldfs rainforests combined. 针叶林环球分布占全球所有树木总量的三分之一The Taiga circles the globe and contains a third of all the trees on Earth. 它制♥造♥ 了大量的氧气是我们这个地球的空气清新剂It produces so much oxygen, that it refreshes the atmosphere of the entire planet 在针叶林的北部区域树木的一年内的生长时节只有1个月At the Taigas northern extent the growing season can last for just one month a year.一棵从秧苗到成年需要50年的时间It can take fifty years for a tree to get bigger than a seedling. 除了偶有动静这里万籁俱寂Its a silent world where little stirs 即使在满是冰雪的童话世界中But there are occasional signs of life.也有非常特别的生命Stories written in the snow.北极狐追捕野兔的脚印The prints of an Arctic fox and the hare it mightVe been stalking.这是雌性北极熊A female polar bear和她的2个孩子的脚印and her two cubs.有些动物如幽灵般Some animals are so difficult to glimpse难得一见that theyrre like spirits,你可能在森林里呆一辈子One could live a lifetime in these woods也不会见到一只猗荆and never see a lynx.这只猫。
舍荆属于猫科的一种）为寻找猎物跋涉了几百英里The cat must roam hundreds of miles in search of prey而且15（寸林中同一地方它可能不会来第二次and may never visit the same patch of forest twice.这是在原始森林中生存的基本Its the very essence of wilderness.猎物是如此至少，捕猎对于它们来说是极端困难With so few prey animals here, life for a hunter is particularly hard.这里缺乏生物的原因是很少有生物以针叶为食Creatures are scarce because few can eat conifer needles.北美驼鹿是个例外The moose is an exception.因为生长困难针叶树木用树脂来保护宝贵的叶子Growth is so difficult that conifers protect their precious leaves by filling them with resin. 以减少水分流失.这样也让针叶变得难以食用That reduces water loss’ but it also makes them very distasteful.至少松果是可以食用的At least the conifers seeds are edible但松果被层层装甲包围着but theyre protected within armor plated cones还是有破甲专家可以吃到and it takes a specialist to reach them.交喙鸟用非常特别的喙分开松果的鳞片The crossbilfs extraordinary beak can prise apart the scales,然后用舌头来卷取种子so that its tongue can extract the seeds.鸟类是幸福的.当收获季节结束时它们可以向南方飞去Birds are fortunate. When the seasonal crop is gathered, they can fly south不过有一种动物是在这个冰雪森林中生存的专家But one animal is so expert at survival in this frozen forest所以它可以终生在这里活动that it stays here and is active all year long.当地传说狼獐是人跟灵界的连系而且是狼跟熊的混血儿In local folklore, the wolverine is a link to the spirit world and a cross between a bear and a wolf.实际上，它不过是最大的鼬科动物罢了In reality, its a huge weaseL它的体型有利于帮助保持体内热量和扩充食物来源Its bulk helps to conserve body heat and also broadens its menu.它大而强壮，甚至可以干掉一头成年北美驯鹿Its so big and powerful, it can even bring down an adult caribou.据说它每一餐的食量是同体型动物的一倍半For its size, its said that the animal can eat more in one sitting than any other可以被认为是暴食型动物which is why its also known as the glutton.在这种环境下，暴食不失为一种有效策略Being gluttonous here is a very effective strategy.能吃多少就吃多少Its wise to eat all you can, when you can当吃不下的时候就把食物储存起来，以应付酷寒的到来and when even a glutton canrt eat more it stores whats left for later, in the surrounding deep freeze.冰雪森林的春天Spring in the ice forest北欧雷鸟也吃针叶林的针叶The capercaillie can also digest conifer needles不过此时它还没有享用的优先权but feeding is not itfs priority at the moment如同角斗士，雄鸡们为战斗摆好了架势Like gladiators, the males square up for a battle.只有一个机会来取得雌鸟的芳心Each may have just a single chance to impress a female.必须全神贯注，不能失败Neither can afford a lapse in concentration,受伤的雷鸟不会活下来The injured loser may not survive.这片广阔森林的居民们The inhabitants of this great wilderness 可以不受人类干扰，自♥由♥生存和死亡 may live and die without ever having contact with humanity. 希望永远如此Long may it be that way.地球北部的森林可能地球上最大的森林了The northern forest may be the largest on Earth不过想要一览针叶林的全貌，你要还要再向南走1000英里but to see coniferous trees that have reached their full potential you must travel a thousand miles south of here.北美洲，太平洋沿岸The Pacific Coast of North America.铁杉,花旗松，巨杉The land of hemlock, douglas fir and giant redwood. 这里，水再也不会冰封Here, water is never locked up in ice即使不下雨，针叶也可以从海上蜂拥而来的水雾中汲取水分and even if rains fail the needles can extract moisture from the fogs that roll in from the sea. 太阳给森林带来的生长能量The Suns energy powers these forests 不是北极的一个月，而是半年not for one month as it does in the Taiga but。