纪录片《我们的地球》 第181期 多样浅海(15)

The Californian upwellings are seasonal¹ and relatively² small

加利福尼亚寒流是季节性洋流，相对较小，

but in Southern Africa they're so big,

不过在南部非洲的洋流则非常大，

they create seas rich enough to support colonies of over a million seals.

带来的充足食物能满足百万只海豹的需要。

The Benguela Current sweeps along the western coastline of Southern Africa

本格拉寒流--沿南部非洲西岸流动，

driving nutrient³ rich waters up to the surface

给海洋表面带来充足养分，

and then, at the southern tip of Africa it meets the Agulhas Current, arriving from the east.

然后，在非洲南端与沿非洲大陆以南海域流动的厄加勒斯暖流汇合。

The result: even richer waters.

结果是海洋养分更加丰富。

The seals here thrive on a diet of fish and squid.

海豹在吃这里大量的鱼和枪乌贼。

In temperate⁴ seas there may actually be more squid than fish.

在这块海洋里，鱿鱼实际上要比鱼类多。

These are choker squid, and they lay their egg capsules in sandy shallows bathed by the warmer Agulhas Current.

这是宽褶鱿鱼，它们在厄加勒斯暖流经过的砂质浅海处产卵。

Each capsule contains a hundred tiny squid.

每个卵囊都有100多条小鱿鱼。

Within a few days they develop spots of pigment⁵

几天后它们长出一些色斑，

which, when they're adult, they will use to communicate with one another.

等到成熟后，就可以用这些色斑来互相联系。

With females continuing to lay eggs

雌鱿鱼继续产卵，

and males still preoccupied⁶ with repelling⁷ rivals, the squid drop their guard. Stingray.

雄鱿鱼则忙于击退竞争对手而放松了警惕。黄貂鱼。

Short tailed stingray can be up to two meters across.

短尾魟身长可达2米。

They're the largest of all the stingrays, and they have appetites to match.

它是世界上最大的一种魟，与之相称的还有它的胃口。

1 seasonal   

adj.季节的，季节性的

参考例句：

• The town relies on the seasonal tourist industry for jobs.这个城镇依靠季节性旅游业提供就业机会。
• The hors d'oeuvre is seasonal vegetables.餐前小吃是应时蔬菜。

2 relatively   

adv.比较...地，相对地

参考例句：

• The rabbit is a relatively recent introduction in Australia.兔子是相对较新引入澳大利亚的物种。
• The operation was relatively painless.手术相对来说不痛。

3 nutrient   

adj.营养的，滋养的；n.营养物，营养品

参考例句：

• Magnesium is the nutrient element in plant growth.镁是植物生长的营养要素。
• The roots transmit moisture and nutrient to the trunk and branches.根将水分和养料输送到干和枝。

4 temperate   

adj.温和的，温带的，自我克制的，不过分的

参考例句：

• Asia extends across the frigid,temperate and tropical zones.亚洲地跨寒、温、热三带。
• Great Britain has a temperate climate.英国气候温和。

5 pigment   

n.天然色素，干粉颜料

参考例句：

• The Romans used natural pigments on their fabrics and walls.古罗马人在织物和墙壁上使用天然颜料。
• Who thought he might know what the skin pigment phenomenon meant.他自认为可能知道皮肤色素出现这种现象到底是怎么回事。

6 preoccupied   

adj.全神贯注的，入神的；被抢先占有的；心事重重的v.占据（某人）思想，使对…全神贯注，使专心于( preoccupy的过去式)

参考例句：

• He was too preoccupied with his own thoughts to notice anything wrong. 他只顾想着心事，没注意到有什么不对。
• The question of going to the Mount Tai preoccupied his mind. 去游泰山的问题盘踞在他心头。 来自《简明英汉词典》

7 repelling   

v.击退( repel的现在分词 )；使厌恶；排斥；推开

参考例句：

• He saw himself standing up and repelling a charge. 他仿佛看见自己挺身而起，打退了敌人的进攻。 来自辞典例句
• Promote the healthy entertainment styles. Repelling the superstition, gambling, drugs and obscenity. 提倡健康娱乐。抵制封建迷信活动，拒绝黄、赌、毒。 来自互联网