纪录片《冰冻星球》 第8期 世界的尽头（8）（在线收听）

South of the tree line, the winters are shorter,

林木生长线以南 冬天更短了

so trees grow faster and taller

因此树木长得更快更高

and forests begin to appear.

树林已现雏形

As the warm, humid air from the south

当来自南方的暖湿气流

meets the cold, arctic air,

遇到北极的冷空气

the moisture it carries crystallises and snowflakes

前者携带的水分便凝结成冰晶和雪花

fall from the sky.

从空中徐徐飘落

Each crystal forms around a particle of dust.

每片雪花都以一粒灰尘为中心

All have a six-fold symmetry

且具有六边对称性

but no two have ever been found with exactly the same shape.

但世界上却没有两片完全相同的雪花

Their variety and complexity is breathtaking.

雪花的多样性和复杂性令人叹为观止

Each snowflake is water waiting

每片雪花都将在春天融化

to be released in spring.

化作生命之泉

For this reason, snow is the lifeblood

因此 雪是这片寂林

of these silent forests

赖以生存的命脉

and all that live here depend on it in one way or another.

一切生命都以某种方式依赖着它

Some, like the great grey owl,

其中 以乌林鸮为例

appear in spring for the boom times,

它们在春天万物复苏时出现

then vanish like phantoms.

然后像幽灵一样消失

Others, like their lemming prey,

另一些 像它们的猎物旅鼠

are here year-round beneath the snow,

则整年都待在雪下

insulated from the cold air above.

以抵御外面的严寒