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Listen to part of a lecture in a biology class.
听一段生物课的讲座。
For today's discussion, we 'll review the case study on how some animals have behaviorally adapted to their environments.
在开始今天的讨论前，我们先回顾一下关于一些动物的行为是如何适应他们环境的案例研究。
Now you had to read about two animal species, the Eastern marmot and the Olympic marmot.
现在大家来了解一下这两类动物：东部的和奥林匹克山的土拔鼠。
Marmots are rodents.
土拔鼠属于啮齿动物。
They are large ground squirrels, about the size of an average house cat.
它们是大型的地松鼠，体形有一般家猫那样大。
And they live in a variety of habitats.
它们栖息在不同的地方。
And even though they spend the significant portion of the year hibernating, according to this case study, marmots are still considered excellent subjects for animal behavioral studies.
即便是这样，据案例研究的材料显示它们也花相当多的时间冬眠，土拔鼠仍然被视为动物行为研究的绝佳对象。
Why is that?
为什么会这样呢？
Well, when they are not hibernating, you can find them in open areas.
是这样的，在非冬眠时期，你会在空旷地区看到它们。
And they are pretty active during the day, which makes them easy to observe, right?
它们白天很活跃，这样发现它们就不是难事了，对吧？
Uh ha, so first let's discuss the Eastern marmots.
啊哈，我们首先讨论一下东部的土拔鼠。
They reside throughout the eastern region of North America where there is a temperate climate, where the growing season lasts for at least five months of the year,
它们的“住所”遍布北美东部地区，这里气候温和，全年有五个月以上的生长期，
which is when they do all their mating, playing and eating.
在这段时间里它们会进行交配，玩耍和觅食。
Oh, I see.
哦，了解。
At first I was not sure what growing season meant, just from the reading.
一开始仅凭阅读材料我并不知道生长期是什么意思。
But now I get it.
但我现在知道了。
It's the amount of time it takes for them to grow, right?
是它们用来生长的一段时间，对吧？
So it would be five months?
那就应该是五个月吧？
Umm?
嗯？
Oh, uh ?I 'm sorry but no. It has nothing to do with that.
哦，呃...不是的，不好意思。跟这个没有关系。
It's not about the time it takes for Eastern marmots to grow.
不是跟东部土拔鼠用在生长的时间有关，
It's when the food is available.
而是跟什么时候有食物有关。
That is when it's not covered in snow and there is no frost covering the grass and,
那时，地上没有冰雪覆盖，草木也没有结霜，
umm, vegetative parts of a plant's herbs and the flowers the marmots like to eat.
嗯，土拔鼠喜欢吃的植物嫩芽和花蕾开始生长。
So growing season refers to the availability of the food they eat, OK?
所以，生长期指的是它们所吃食物的可获得性，是不是？
So now how would you describe the Eastern marmots ' social habits?
那么，你们如何描述东部土拔鼠的社会习性？
Well, they are really territorial, and loners, and just so aggressive even with other Eastern marmots.
它们的区域所属感很强，而且独来独往，同时即便是与同类相处也表现出非常强的侵略性。
And their mating ritual is just so impersonal.
还有，它们用情并不专一。
Uh ha?
啊哈？
Now when they emerge in the spring from hibernation, the mating process begins.
春天，当它们从冬眠中醒来出来活动时，交配过程就开始了。
For them, well, they come together to mate and then they go their separate ways.
它们聚到一块交配，随后各奔东西。
Then about six to eight weeks after birth, the offspring leave their mothers.
产仔后的六到八周，小土拔鼠们离开鼠妈妈。
Really?
不会吧？
Just six weeks?
就六周？
Is that possible for the offspring to make it on their own so young?
鼠宝宝那么小能独自存活吗？
Well, it's not as if they are not ready for the real world because they are.
并不是因为它们太小而不能适应现实世界。
Remember, they mature quickly and the weather's nice.
记住，它们成熟很快，而且天气也不错。
Also they live in open fields where there is lots of edible vegetation.
记住，它们成熟很快，而且天气也不错。
So roughly six weeks after birth, Eastern marmots are just old enough to take their chances of surviving in the temperate environment.
所以，大概出生后六周，东部土拔鼠能长到足以在这温暖的环境中一试“生”手。
So how does this relate to their behavior?
那么，这又跟它们的行为有什么关系呢？
Oh, I get it.
哦，我明白了。
Since the climate's not too bad, the Eastern marmots do not have to rely on each other too much and they really do not need to stay together as a family to survive either.
因为气候还不错，东部土拔鼠没必要过于相互依赖，也没有必要以家庭为单位而存在。
Uh ha.
啊哈。
Any contrast, the Olympic marmots?
有没有与奥利匹斯山土拔鼠的对比？那些土拔鼠呢？
What about them?
那些土拔鼠呢？
Well, they live together as a family and take care of their young until they are at least two years old.
它们以家庭为单位过着群居生活，同时照顾幼鼠直到它们长到两岁。
They 're really friendly with each other.
它们之间关系融洽。
And what I really like is that they even have greeting ceremonies.
我很看好的一点是它们见面还有招呼“礼节”。
And they are not at all aggressive and territorial like the Eastern marmots.
此外，它们一点都不好斗，地域所属感也不强，这两点跟东部土拔鼠是大相径庭的。
So their social behavior is so different from Eastern marmots because of the climate where they live?
难道气候造成了它们迥异的社会习性？
That seems so bizarre.
这看上去很是荒谬。
Well, the Olympic marmots inhabit meadows high in the Olympic Mountains where the weather conditions are much harsher.
事实上，奥林匹斯松土拔鼠栖息的草地在奥林匹克山脉的高地，那里的气候条件要恶劣得多。
So there is a lot more wind and snow.
风雪也比东部多。
The growing season only lasts about two to three months.
生长期只持续两到三月。
So in that much shorter period of time, all the Olympic marmots, male and female, eat,
在那相对短得多的时间里，所有的奥林匹斯松土拔鼠，不分雄雌，一起觅食，
play, work and nurture the young together.
玩耍，劳作和养育幼鼠。
Because the climate is so harsh, cooperation increases the survival rate of the Olympic marmots.
因为气候恶劣，协作能提高奥林匹斯松土拔鼠的存活率。
They keep their young at home until they are physically able to survive on their own.
它们抚育幼鼠直到幼鼠能自食其力。
This could explain why the social behavior of the Olympic marmots is so unlike that of the Eastern marmots.
这能解释为什么奥林匹斯松土拔鼠的社会习性和东部土拔鼠的(社会习性)如此不同。
