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There is one plant castaway that needs no help in finding new land
有一種漂流植物在尋找新陸地時無需幫助
a plant that has probably done more to change the fortunes of island life than any other,
這種植物或許比其它植物更能改變島嶼生物的命運
and one of the greatest long-distance travellers of all time.
它在任何時候都是最偉大的長途旅行家
The humble coconut. Its seed is a compact survival capsule.
它就是椰果。椰果種子猶如一個堅實的救生艙
Buoyant and filled with food for germination,
憑借浮力和胚芽的養(yǎng)分
it can survive for up to two months at sea...
它能在海水中至少生存2個月
...long enough to float from one remote island to the next.
足夠從一個偏遠島漂流到下一個小島
On arrival, it lays down roots into bare sand
到達陸地后，它將根部扎進裸露的沙土中
and taps into the reservoirs of underground freshwater.
利用地下儲存的淡水生存
Without coconuts, most of the tropical islands in the South Pacific
沒有椰樹，人類和動物就無法
would have remained uninhabitable for both animals and people.
在南太平洋的諸多島嶼定居
