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Alright, if we start at the Simpson-Reed trail, then we'll have plenty of time to visit other parts of the park in the afternoon...
好吧，如果我们从辛普森-里德小径开始，那么下午我们就有足够的时间参观公园的其他地方……
Oh! Hi there! Squeaks and I are dreaming up plans for a research trip we'd like to take someday.
哦！嗨，大家好！吱吱和我正在为我们将来想要进行的一次研究旅行制定计划。
It was really rainy last week, so we were re-watching some of our favorite episodes.
上周下了很多雨，所以我们回顾了一些我们喜欢的电视剧。
And we were reminded of how, a few years ago, we learned about Hyperion, the tallest tree in the world.
这让我们想起几年前，我们是如何了解“亥伯龙神”的，世界上最高的树。
Squeaks said he wished he could see that kind of really tall tree in person.
吱吱说，他希望自己能亲眼看到那种真的很高的树。
And we realized… we can! If we go to the Redwood National and State Parks.
而且我们意识到，我们可以看到！如果我们去红杉国家公园和州立公园。
Though, we've got a lot of planning to do, so it's going to be a long time before we actually leave to go on our trip.
不过，我们有很多计划要做，所以在我们真正出发去旅行之前还需要很长时间。
Good point, Squeaks! That gives us plenty of time to learn all about the trees before we go visit them!
说得好，吱吱！在我们去参观它们之前，我们有足够的时间了解所有关于这些树的知识！
These trees are often called coast redwoods, because they live on the western coast of North America, and their wood is a pretty pinkish-red color.
这些树通常被称为“海岸红杉”，因为它们生活在北美西海岸，它们的树干是漂亮的粉红色。
They are a kind of conifer tree, meaning that they're trees with seeds hidden in cones, and they have long, thin, needles for leaves.
它们是针叶树的一种，这意味着它们的种子隐藏在球果中，它们有又长又细的针叶。
You're right, Squeaks! Those pine trees we have growing near The Fort are also conifers.
没错，吱吱！我们在城堡附近种的松树也是针叶树。
We know because they have needle-y leaves, and they make pine cones!
因为它们有针叶，而且还长松果！
You may have seen conifers growing around where you live, too.
你在你生活的地方可能也看到过针叶树。
But what really sets redwoods apart from pine trees and other conifers is how big they can grow.
但红杉与松树和其他针叶树的真正区别在于它们能长多大。
Redwood trees can grow to over 100 meters tall.
红杉可以长到100多米高。
That's like if you stacked five 18-wheeler trucks up long-wise!
等同于把五辆18轮大卡车连在一起的长度！
And their trunks are so wide, it can take more than 15 grownups to reach their arms all the way around just one tree.
它们的树干非常宽，需要15个以上的成年人才能用手臂环绕一棵树。
That is one big hug, Squeaks! And part of why they're so big is that they grow for a really long time.
那是一个很大的拥抱，吱吱！它们长这么大的部分原因是它们长了很长时间。
Many of the full-grown redwood trees today are several hundred years old. And some are well over a thousand years old!
现在的许多成熟的红杉都有几百年的历史了。有些甚至超过了一千年！
But what I find most amazing is that these giant trees start out really small.
但最让我惊讶的是，这些巨树开始时都非常小。
Their seeds are about the same size as a tiny tomato seed!
它们的种子和小西红柿的种子差不多大！
That's a really good question.
问得好。
Squeaks wonders how such little seeds can survive in a forest of big trees.
吱吱想知道这么小的种子怎么能在大树林立的森林里存活。
After all, the little seedlings that grow from them need the same stuff all other plants need, like water. And sunlight!
毕竟，从它们身上生长出来的小幼苗需要的东西和其他植物一样，比如水，还有阳光！
If you've ever walked through a forest, you might have noticed how cool and shady it was.
如果你曾在森林里漫过步，你可能会注意到森林非常地凉爽和阴凉。
Grownup redwood trees grow tall enough that they can reach over other plants in the forest to get the light they need.
长得足够高的红杉树会盖过森林里的其他植物获得它们所需的阳光。
But the baby redwoods can't do that yet, and all the medium-sized plants in the forest make the ground really shaded.
不过小红杉树还做不到这一点，森林里所有中等大小的植物都给地面带来了阴影。
Luckily, redwood parents help their seeds out by waiting for the perfect moment before putting them out into the world.
幸运的是，小红杉的爸妈在将种子推向世界之前会等待最佳时机来帮助它们。
They wait for a wildfire.
等待一场野火的到来。
Yup! That's because fires burn away many of the other plants, which lets a lot more light reach the ground, and clears out space for the baby trees to grow.
是的！因为大火会烧掉很多其他植物，这样就会有更多的光到达地面，从而为幼树的生长腾出了空间。
We call trees whose seeds rely on fires like this fire-dependent.
我们把种子依赖火的树叫做“火依赖树”。
It does seem a little scary to have redwood trees in a fire, but fire-dependent trees like redwoods don't burn easily.
红杉在大火里看上去确实有点可怕，但像红杉这样依赖火的树不容易燃烧。
Like, those big adult redwoods have super thick bark, about 30 centimeters thick, which is about the length of a ruler!
比如，那些高大的成年红杉有着超级厚的树皮，厚度约30厘米，大概是一把尺子的长度！
And this thick bark is also really wet.
而且它们厚厚的树皮很湿。
So it usually protects the tree from fire.
所以它通常会保护树木不受火灾的伤害。
In fact, after a forest fire, adult redwoods and the little baby redwoods that sprout from their seeds may be among the only plants around, at least for a little while, which is pretty nice for them.
事实上，在森林大火之后，成年红杉和从种子中发芽的小红杉可能是周围仅有的植物，至少在一段时间内这对它们来说是相当有利的。
So now we know how baby redwoods get sunlight… but how do they get water?
现在我们知道小红杉是如何获得阳光的，但它们又是如何获得水分的呢？
It's actually pretty tricky!
这其实很棘手！
Squeaks, do you remember what structure plants use to get water?
吱吱，你还记得植物是用什么结构获取水分的吗？
That's right, their roots!
没错，它们的根！
In a thick forest, there may not be enough room for a redwood seedling to stretch out its roots enough to get all the water it needs.
在一片茂密的森林里，红杉的幼苗可能没有足够的空间伸展它的根来获得它所需要的全部水分。
And even if there is, there might not be enough water.
即使有，也可能没有足够的水。
That's because baby redwoods sprout after wildfires, which only happen when the air and the ground are both very dry.
这是因为小红杉在野火后发芽，只有在空气和地面都非常干燥的时候才会发芽。
That's why, a lot of the time, new redwood trees don't actually come from seeds.
这就是为什么很多时候新的红杉树不是从种子开始发芽的。
Instead, they grow out of an older tree's roots!
相反，它们是从老树的根部生长出来的！
Can you imagine if people had babies this way?
你能想象人们以这种方式生孩子吗？
It'd be like a kid growing out of my foot! It is a pretty funny idea.
就像一个孩子从我的脚里长出来一样！这是一个非常有趣的想法。
Still, it works out really well for the trees.
不过，这对树木来说还是很有效的。
Since the new tree is connected to all of the older tree's roots, it can use them to soak up all the water that it needs.
因为新树连接着老树所有的根，它可以用那些根来吸收自己所需的所有水分。
And that helps the new trees grow tall really fast, as fast as a meter per year!
这样新树就会长得非常快，快到每年就长一米！
That'd be like growing a whole new Squeaks' worth of height every 12 months!
就像每12个月长出一个全新的吱吱那么高！
This works so well for them that you'll sometimes see a whole ring of young trees growing up from the roots of an ancient redwood.
这种方法对它们非常有效，有时你会看到从一棵古老红杉的根部生长出一整圈幼树。
That's a great idea.
是个好主意。
When we go on our trip, we can try to find young redwoods that grew from seeds, and some that are growing out of an older tree.
当我们去旅行时，我们可以试着找到从种子里生长出来的年轻红杉，还有一些是从老树里生长出来的。
Squeaks and I are going to keep learning as much as we can about redwoods while we wait to go and see them ourselves.
吱吱和我将在等待亲自去看红杉的同时，继续尽可能多地了解它们。
We can't wait to share everything we learn with you!
我们迫不及待地想和大家分享我们所学到的一切！
If you'd like to learn more about redwoods, and discover a whole world of science, hit the subscribe button below.
如果你想了解更多关于红杉的知识并发现整个科学世界，请点击下面的订阅按钮。
We'll see you next time, here at the Fort.
咱们下期见，城堡等你哦。
