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But the frontrunners at this stage, the first to fill the clearing, are pioneers like the Macarangas.
在這個舞臺的其他地方，第一個長滿地面的就是血桐等大戟科植物。
Their immense leaves capture huge amounts of sunlight, so fuelling their growth.
它的大葉子捕捉了相當多的陽光，所以加速了它的生長。
As a result, the Macarangas grow a remarkable eight metres a year,
結(jié)果是，這種血桐一年能長8米，
surging ahead of almost all their rivals.
幾乎超越所有競爭者。
In the race for the top spot, hundreds will start yet few will ever reach the finishing line,
在這個長高比賽上，眾多的運動員中只有少數(shù)可以沖過終點，
their growth cut short by the diminishing light.
大部分的植物因為缺少陽光而生長緩慢。
In less than four years the gap will have gone, but that's not the end of the race.
在接下來的至少4年時間里，地表將暗無天日，但比賽還沒有結(jié)束。
The ultimate winners are the tortoises, the slow and steady hardwoods.
最后的勝利者是這些長得又穩(wěn)又慢的闊葉樹。
When the short-lived pioneers have fallen, it's the hardwoods that take their place.
短命的先鋒植物衰敗的時候，闊葉樹就取代了它們的位置。
And a 50-metre giant like this one, may keep its place in the sun for another 200 years.
這顆50米高的樹將在剩下的200年里汲取陽光。
