TED演讲:树木之间如何交流(9)

 Mother trees colonize¹ their kin² with bigger mycorrhizal networks.  母树通过更大的菌根网络来覆盖住自己孩子们所在的区域。

They send them more carbon below ground.  在地下，它们给孩子们会送去更多的碳。

They even reduce their own root competition to make elbow room for their kids. 它们甚至会减少它们自己和其它树根部的竞争，来为它们的孩子们创造更多的活动空间。

When mother trees are injured or dying,  当母树受伤或即将枯死的时候，

they also send messages of wisdom on to the next generation of seedlings³.  它们还会把智慧信息传给下一代的幼苗。

So we've used isotope⁴ tracing to trace carbon moving from an injured mother tree 我们使用同位素示踪法来追踪碳的走向，从一棵受伤的母树

down her trunk into the mycorrhizal network and into her neighboring seedlings, 树干的地方一直向下到地下的真菌网络，再到它周围的幼苗中，

not only carbon but also defense⁵ signals.  不仅仅是碳元素，还有防卫信号的走向。

And these two compounds have increased the resistance of those seedlings to future stresses. 这两种混合物可以给这些幼苗增加抵抗力，来面对未来的压力。

So trees talk. Thank you. 所以树是会说话的。谢谢。

Through back and forth⁶ conversations, they increase the resilience of the whole community. 通过反反复复的对话，它们增强了整个团体的恢复力。

It probably reminds you of our own social communities, and our families, well, at least some families. 这可能会使你联想到我们人类的社会群体和我们的家庭，当然，至少有些家庭是这样团结的。

So let's come back to the initial point.  那么让我们回到最初的话题吧。

Forests aren't simply collections of trees,  森林不是简简单单的树的“集合”，

they're complex systems with hubs and networks that overlap⁷ and connect trees and allow them to communicate, 森林是拥有枢纽和网络的复杂系统，它可以承载树木并且把树连接起来，使得它们可以互相沟通，

and they provide avenues for feedbacks and adaptation, and this makes the forest resilient. 它给树木提供了互相反馈的渠道和适应的方式，也使得森林的恢复力变得更强。

That's because there are many hub trees and many overlapping⁸ networks.  这是因为在森林中存在着许多的中心树和重重叠叠的网络。

But they're also vulnerable, vulnerable not only to natural disturbances⁹ 但森林也还是很脆弱的，之所以脆弱不仅仅是因为它们会受到自然界的干扰，

like bark beetles¹⁰ that preferentially attack big old trees but high-grade logging and clear-cut logging. 比如树皮甲虫会时不时地攻击粗壮的老树，而是因为高强度伐木和皆伐的影响。

1 colonize   

v.建立殖民地，拓殖；定居，居于

参考例句：

• Around 700 Arabs began to colonize East Africa.公元700年阿拉伯人开始把东非变为殖民地。
• Japan used to colonize many countries in Asia.日本曾经殖民过许多亚洲国家。

2 kin   

n.家族，亲属，血缘关系；adj.亲属关系的，同类的

参考例句：

• He comes of good kin.他出身好。
• She has gone to live with her husband's kin.她住到丈夫的亲戚家里去了。

3 seedlings   

n.刚出芽的幼苗( seedling的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Ninety-five per cent of the new seedlings have survived. 新栽的树苗95%都已成活。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
• In such wet weather we must prevent the seedlings from rotting. 这样的阴雨天要防止烂秧。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

4 isotope   

n.同位素

参考例句：

• The isotope ratio is directly used for comparing oils or gases.同位素比率直接用于比较各种石油或天然气。
• How to apply a radio isotope?如何运用放射性同位素？

5 defense   

n.防御，保卫；[pl.]防务工事；辩护，答辩

参考例句：

• The accused has the right to defense.被告人有权获得辩护。
• The war has impacted the area with military and defense workers.战争使那个地区挤满了军队和防御工程人员。

6 forth   

adv.向前；向外，往外

参考例句：

• The wind moved the trees gently back and forth.风吹得树轻轻地来回摇晃。
• He gave forth a series of works in rapid succession.他很快连续发表了一系列的作品。

7 overlap   

v.重叠，与…交叠；n.重叠

参考例句：

• The overlap between the jacket and the trousers is not good.夹克和裤子重叠的部分不好看。
• Tiles overlap each other.屋瓦相互叠盖。

8 overlapping   

adj./n.交迭（的）

参考例句：

• There is no overlapping question between the two courses. 这两门课程之间不存在重叠的问题。
• A trimetrogon strip is composed of three rows of overlapping. 三镜头摄影航线为三排重迭的象片所组成。

9 disturbances   

n.骚乱( disturbance的名词复数 )；打扰；困扰；障碍

参考例句：

• The government has set up a commission of inquiry into the disturbances at the prison. 政府成立了一个委员会来调查监狱骚乱事件。
• Extra police were called in to quell the disturbances. 已调集了增援警力来平定骚乱。

10 beetles   

n.甲虫( beetle的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Beetles bury pellets of dung and lay their eggs within them. 甲壳虫把粪粒埋起来，然后在里面产卵。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• This kind of beetles have hard shell. 这类甲虫有坚硬的外壳。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》