The Seed Sowers

The seed sowers. Written by Susan Lennox. Focus question. What are some of nature's seed sowers? And how do they spread seeds?

大自然播种者 苏珊·伦诺克斯 著 思考问题 大自然里都有哪些播种者呀？ 它们又是怎么播撒种子的呢？

finned farmers. Fall sunlight peeks through the trees and shines on a stream below. A breeze scatters leaves and fruit across the water. Suddenly, a fish breaks the surface to feed. The fish snaps up a floating piece of fruit. Then, it disappears beneath the water and swims downstream. It's easy to see how the trees help the fish, but the fish also helps the trees. By eating the fruit, the fish is spreading the tree's seeds. It's one of nature's seed sowers.

长鳍播种者 秋日阳光穿过树叶，洒在下方的小溪上 微风把树叶和果子吹落到水面上 突然，一条鱼跳出水面觅食 鱼儿一口叼住漂在水面的果子 接着它潜入水下，游向了下游 我们很容易看出树帮了鱼儿，其实鱼儿也帮了树 鱼儿吃下果子，就帮树播撒了种子 它就是大自然的播种者之一

Room to Grow Seed sowers are important to plants. Seeds are the way most plants reproduce. All seeds need the same things to sprout and grow. Plants must get enough sunlight, water, and nutrients to thrive. People who grow crops know this. They do their best to make sure their plants get those things. Farmers spread seeds so plants don't have to compete for what they need. They plant the seeds far enough apart for each plant to thrive.

生长空间 播种者对植物来说非常重要 大多数植物都靠种子繁衍后代 所有种子发芽生长都需要相同的条件 植物需要足够的阳光、水分和养分才能茁壮成长 种庄稼的农民都懂这个道理 他们会尽力让庄稼获得这些必需的东西 农民均匀撒种，这样植物就不用争抢生存资源了 他们播种时留出足够间隔，让每株植物都能好好生长

Trees and other wild plants need room to grow, too. They can't depend on farmers to spread their seeds. Instead, wild plants depend on nature to do the job. Some seeds are blown by the wind, while others float away on water. Some seeds are carried off by animals, often on purpose. Animals may hide seeds to eat later, or they may take seeds to feed to their young. Some animals spread seeds without even trying. Many seeds sprout far and wide thanks to animal seed sowers.

树木和其他野生植物也需要生长空间 它们没办法靠农民来播种 所以野生植物只能靠大自然来完成播种工作 有的种子乘风飘走，有的种子随水漂流 还有一些种子会被动物带走，这通常都是有意的 动物会把种子藏起来留着以后吃，或者带回去喂幼崽 还有一些动物无意中就完成了播种 多亏这些动物播种者，很多种子才能在各处生根发芽

Tasty, pretty, and sticky. Wild plants have many ways to get animals to carry their seeds. Some seeds just taste good. Animals seek them out to eat. For example, bears and deer love the taste of acorns. Even if a seed doesn't taste good to an animal, its fruit might. Papaya seeds taste peppery. The fruit around the seeds, however, is sweet. Animals that eat the fruit sometimes eat the seeds, too.

美味、鲜艳还黏黏 野生植物有好多办法让动物帮它们带种子 有的种子本身就很好吃 动物会主动找它们吃 比如熊和小鹿都很爱吃橡子 就算种子不对动物胃口，包裹它的果子也可能很好吃 木瓜的种子吃起来辣乎乎的 可包裹种子的果肉却甜甜的 动物吃果肉的时候，常常会把种子也一起吃下去

Many plants make fruit or seeds that are easy for animals to spot. Some animals see certain colors better than others. Blackbirds, for example, are attracted to red fruits and berries. Seeds on the ground have a special trick for getting around. Many, such as burrs, have small hooks or teeth. The hooks attach to the hair or fur of passing animals. If you take a dog for a walk through a field in autumn, it may come home covered in burrs.

很多植物会长出动物很容易发现的果子或种子 有些动物对特定的颜色更敏感 比如乌鸫就很容易被红色的果子和浆果吸引 长在地上的种子有一套独特的出行妙招 像苍耳这类种子，就长着小钩子小刺 这些钩子会挂在路过动物的毛发上 秋天你带狗狗去田里走一圈，回家会发现狗狗身上粘满苍耳