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As summer progresses,
随着夏日持续
even more of the Southern Ocean is gradually opening up.
南大洋的冰面逐渐融化
The summer melt, as it moves south,
夏季慢慢南移
arrives first at the Antarctic Peninsula,
率先来到南极半岛
the most northern tip of the continent.
南极大陆的最北段
As the ice retreats, a dramatic 500-mile-long coastline
随着冰面缩减 七个月以来
is revealed for the first time in seven months.
500英里长的广袤海岸线首次重见天日
This new seascape is home
这片全新的海景
to one of the most numerous mammals on the planet.
为地球上数量最多的哺乳动物提供了家园
Crabeater seals.
食蟹海豹
Over 15 million live here, amongst the drifting ice floes.
它们在漂浮的冰川上生活了一千五百万年
They owe their existence here to living organisms so small,
它们的生存依赖与一种微小的生物体
you might hardly notice them.
这种生物体几乎小到难以令人察觉
The underside of the sea ice is stained by algae.
浮冰的下表面充满了藻类
These microscopic plants
这些微小的植物
support the most important Antarctic creatures of all.
养活了南极洲最重要的生物
Krill.
磷虾
They have been grazing on the algal layer throughout the winter.
整个冬天 它们以海藻果腹
As the ice melts, more of the algae are released into the water.
随着冰的消融 更多的海藻在海里生长
Both algae and krill flourish in the summer sun.
海藻和磷虾在夏日的艳阳下大量繁殖
The krill collect the algae in the sieve-like basket
磷虾前腿之间连接的体毛像筛状的篮子
formed by the interlocking hairs between their front legs.
磷虾将海藻收集在其中
