10 THE CHANGES

CHAPTER 10 THE CHANGES The coastal waters were thick with a type of seaweed called kelp. Undersea forests of tall, leafy stems swayed with the movement of the waves and made a rich habitat for sea creatures. But as the poison tide spread along the coast, dead kelp began washing ashore. Crashing waves sent poison sea spray into the air. Wind then carried the spray inland, where it settled on grasses and flowers and trees, turning them gray and brittle. Land animals who lived near the ocean had no choice but to retreat far into the island. The Great Meadow was overrun by swarms of mice and snakes and frogs. Sea otters invaded streams and ponds, gobbling up freshwater fish and driving out many of the longtime residents. As fish became harder to find, bears were forced to eat nuts and berries, and that forced the deer and the hares and the squirrels to find other sources of food. Seabirds packed into the wetlands, but they soon gave up and flew across the ocean in search of new homes. Other birds followed. With fewer birds to eat

第十章变化沿海的海水中长满了一种叫海带的海藻。 海底森林里高大的、多叶的树干随着海浪的运动而摇摆，为海洋生物提供了丰富的栖息地。 但随着毒潮沿海岸蔓延，死海带开始冲上岸。 汹涌的海浪把有毒的浪花喷向空中。 然后，风把水花吹向内陆，落在草、花和树上，使它们变得又灰又脆。 生活在海洋附近的陆地动物别无选择，只能撤退到遥远的岛屿里。 大草地上到处都是老鼠、蛇和青蛙。 海獭入侵溪流和池塘，吞食淡水鱼，赶走了许多长期居民。 由于鱼越来越难找到，熊被迫吃坚果和浆果，这迫使鹿、野兔和松鼠寻找其他食物来源。 海鸟挤满了湿地，但它们很快就放弃了，飞过海洋寻找新的家园。 其他的鸟也跟着。吃的鸟更少了

the insects, their population exploded, and the sweet sound of birdsong was replaced with the constant buzzing of scaly little wings. More animals were living in a smaller area, which meant less food and water and shelter for everyone. Species that never should have crossed paths were fighting over territory. The sounds of angry voices filled the air. The Dawn Truce, that beloved tradition, was abandoned because there was so little trust left between the animals. The island had always been a perfectly balanced environment, but the poison tide was more than it could take.

昆虫，它们的数量激增，甜美的鸟鸣被有鳞的小翅膀不断的嗡嗡声所取代。 更多的动物生活在更小的区域，这意味着每个人的食物、水和住所都更少了。 本不该相遇的物种正在争夺领地。 空气中充满了愤怒的声音。 黎明休战，这个受人爱戴的传统，被抛弃了，因为动物之间的信任已经所剩无几。 这个岛一直是一个完美的平衡环境，但毒潮超出了它的承受能力。