25 Air Plants-High

Air Plants FOCUS Question How do some plants live without soil?

空气植物焦点问题一些植物如何在没有土壤的情况下生存?

What All Plants Need There are many different kinds of plants, from tall, swaying palms to tiny moss growing on a rock. Big or small, thick or thin, all plants need light, air, water, nutrients, and space to grow. Plants use light energy from the Sun for photosynthesis. During this process, plants take carbon dioxide (KAR-bun dy-OK-side) from the air. The carbon dioxide combines with water and forms sugar and oxygen. The sugar is what plants use to grow and develop. The plants release the oxygen into the air.

植物需要什么有许多不同种类的植物，从高大、摇曳的棕榈树到长在岩石上的小苔藓。 所有植物的生长都需要光、空气、水、营养和空间。 植物利用来自太阳的光能进行光合作用。 在这个过程中，植物从空气中吸收二氧化碳(KAR-bun die - ok -side)。 二氧化碳与水结合形成糖和氧气。 糖是植物生长发育所需的物质。 植物将氧气释放到空气中。

Plants use water to make food. They also use water to move food and nutrients. Water carries sugar made in the leaves down to the roots. Water also carries nutrients from the roots up to the leaves. All plants need nutrients to stay healthy. Most plants get nutrients and water from soil. The soil also helps to keep them anchored, or held firmly, in the ground so that they do not fall over. No matter how big or small, plants also need room to grow. If they are too close to other plants, they may not get enough light, water, or nutrients.

植物用水来制造食物。 它们也用水来运输食物和营养物质。 水将叶子中产生的糖带到根部。 水也把营养物质从根部带到叶子。 所有的植物都需要营养来保持健康。 大多数植物从土壤中获取养分和水分。 土壤还有助于将它们固定在地面上，这样它们就不会倒下。 无论大小，植物也需要空间来生长。 如果它们离其他植物太近，它们可能得不到足够的光、水或营养。

Life Above the Ground In a rainforest, the forest floor is very crowded. Many plants are trying to grow in the same place. High above the forest floor, it is less crowded. Air plants, also called epiphytes (EH-pih-fites), grow high up on trees. There are fewer plants to block the sunlight, and there is more space to grow. Air plants, however, do not have roots in the soil to collect water and nutrients. So how do they survive? Math Moment There are approximately 30,000 species of epiphyte plants in the world. If half of those live in rainforests, how many epiphyte species are found in other environments?

地面上的生活在热带雨林中，森林地面非常拥挤。 许多植物都试图在同一个地方生长。 在森林地面之上，它不那么拥挤。 空气植物，也叫附生植物(EH-pih-fites)，长在高高的树上。 有更少的植物阻挡阳光，有更多的空间生长。 然而，空气植物在土壤中没有根来收集水分和养分。 那么它们是如何生存的呢?世界上大约有3万种附生植物。 如果其中有一半生活在热带雨林中，那么在其他环境中有多少种附生植物呢?

Some air plants collect water from moisture in the air. They have scales on their leaves that can absorb water. Think of them as a dry sponge hanging over a steamy shower. Other air plants have structures that help them collect rain. Their leaves are shaped to form bowls. When it rains, water collects in the bowls. Air plants get nutrients from the nooks and cracks in the trees where they grow. Leaves and other debris collect in these spaces. Over time, the leaves rot, making nutrients for the air plant. Air plants can also absorb some nutrients from rainwater.

一些空气植物从空气中的水分中收集水分。 它们的叶子上有鳞片，可以吸收水分。 把它们想象成挂在潮湿淋浴间上的干海绵。 其他空气植物有帮助它们收集雨水的结构。 它们的叶子形状像碗。 下雨时，水就聚集在碗里。 空气植物从它们生长的树木的角落和裂缝中获取营养。 树叶和其他碎片聚集在这些空间里。 随着时间的推移，树叶腐烂，为空气植物提供营养。 空气植物也可以从雨水中吸收一些营养物质。

Parasites or Not? Some kinds of plants are parasites. This means that they take nutrients from other plants that they live on. For example, the roots of mistletoe plants burrow into tree branches. Then they absorb water and nutrients from the host plant. Air plants are not parasites. They do not hurt the plants they live on. They use the plants they are growing on only for support. Air plants get water from the air or rain, and nutrients from debris around them.

是不是寄生虫?有些植物是寄生虫。 这意味着它们从它们赖以生存的其他植物中获取营养。 例如，槲寄生的根会钻入树枝。 然后它们从寄主植物中吸收水分和养分。 空气植物不是寄生虫。 它们不会伤害它们赖以生存的植物。 它们把赖以生长的植物仅仅用作支撑。 空气植物从空气或雨水中获取水分，从周围的碎片中获取营养。