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Squeaks and I love watching animals eating outside.
我和吱吱都喜欢在外面看动物吃东西。
This morning, we saw a bird eating some worms, and a frog eating some bugs,
今天早上，我们看到一只鸟吃了几只蠕虫，一只青蛙吃了一些虫子，
although some of the bugs did fly away before the frog could get them.
尽管几只虫子在青蛙够到前就飞走了。
We also saw a deer nibbling on some plants!
我们还看见一只鹿在啃一些植物！
Squeaks and I thought for sure that the deer was going to eat a leafy plant in the yard,
我和吱吱都在想，这只鹿肯定在吃院子里一棵繁茂的植物，
but for some reason, the deer took a tiny bite, and then left the plant alone.
但由于某种原因，那只鹿咬了一小口后就离开了。
We were curious why the deer didn't like that plant, so we went over to investigate.
我们都很好奇那只鹿为什么不喜欢那植物，所以去做了调查。
On the leaves, there was a white goo all around where the deer had bitten.
在被鹿咬的叶子周围有一种白色粘性物。
When we touched the goo, it was super sticky.
我们在摸它时，它超级黏。
We brought back a few leaves to help us identify the plant in our field guide,
我们带回来一些叶子，用野外指南帮助确定它是什么植物，
where there are lots of pictures of plants.
野外指南上有很多植物图片。
It turns out, that plant was a dogwood tree.
原来，那棵植物是山茱萸。
Oh, good guess, Squeaks, but it isn't really much like a dog.
吱吱，你猜的不错，但它与狗不太像。
It does have a nice bark though!
不过它的树皮很好看！
Dogwood trees have leaves full of a special, sticky goo called latex,
山茱萸的叶子上满是一种特殊的粘性物，叫做乳胶，
which it uses as a defensive weapon, a way to stay safe from animals that might like to eat it.
它用作一种防御武器，一种安全方法，可以远离可能喜欢吃它们的动物。
Some animals try to run away from a predator, like those bugs deter from the frog, but plants can't move!
有些动物试图逃离捕食者，比如那些逃离青蛙的虫子，但是植物不能移动！
They have to find another way to stay safe, which is where their defenses come in.
它们必须找到另一种方法来保证安全，这就是它们有防御措施的缘由。
When animals like that deer we saw bite a dogwood's leaves, they get a mouthful of that sticky latex.
当动物们，比如我们看到的那只鹿咬山茱萸的叶子时，他们吃了一口的粘稠乳胶。
Yuck! Most animals don't like to eat latex, so they don't like to eat the plants that are full of it, like dogwood trees.
呸！大多数动物不喜欢吃乳胶，所以它们不喜欢吃满是乳胶的植物，比如山茱萸。
The dogwood in our yard uses its sticky latex, but lots of plants have other creative defenses.
我们院子里的山茱萸使用的是它的粘性乳胶，但植物们还有其他富有创造力的防御措施。
Can you think of any, Squeaks?
吱吱，你能想一个吗？
Oh, that's a great one. Some plants will use sharp thorns or spines to keep animals from biting them.
噢，这个不错。一些植物会用尖刺来阻止动物咬它们。
I definitely wouldn't want to eat anything that pokey.
我绝对不想吃任何带刺的东西。
A plant called stinging nettle even has special oils on its spines that can make you itch if you touch it. Yucks
一种叫做小荨麻的植物甚至在刺上有特殊的油，如果你碰它，就会发痒。呸！
You're right, Squeaks, not every plant has spines or thorns.
吱吱，你说的没错，不是每种植物都有刺。
But some of the plants that aren't sharp have special chemicals inside of them to make them less tasty for animals.
但是一些不锋利的植物体内含有特殊的化学物质，让动物吃起来不那么美味。
That's what our dogwood tree was doing with its latex.
这就是山茱萸乳胶的作用。
Take a look at these other plants.
看看其他植物。
Poison ivy has a special oil on it, just like stinging nettle, so it makes animals super itchy.
毒藤像小荨麻一样，身上有一种特殊的油，所以它使动物变得超级痒
Skunk cabbage makes itself super stinky, so animals won't be able to eat it without smelling something awful.
臭菘草使自己变得超级臭，所以动物们不可能不闻气味就吃它。
I don't think I'd want to eat a plant that smells like a skunk, either.
我觉得我也不想吃一种闻起来像臭鼬的植物。
Some animals aren't very picky though, and they don't mind if a plant smells bad, or even if it tastes bad.
有些动物并不很挑剔，它们不介意植物闻起来不好或者味道不好。
So some plants have a very effective defense that keeps almost all animals away.
因此，一些植物有一种非常有效的防御方法，几乎把所有的动物都赶走了。
They're poisonous. If an animal, like the deer we saw, eats a poisonous plant, they can get very sick.
它们有毒。如果一种动物，比如我们看到的鹿，吃了有毒植物就会生病。
Don't worry, Squeaks, usually animals know to avoid eating poisonous plants.
吱吱，不用担心，动物们通常知道避免吃有毒植物。
Many animals won't eat plants if they know they are poisonous,
许多动物在知道植物有毒后，不会吃它们，
and if they see another animal get sick from a plant, they won't eat that plant.
如果它们看到另一个动物因某种植物而生病，也不会吃它。
Plants have so many amazing defenses,
尽管植物有这么多的防御手段，
but no matter which one they're using, thorns, smells, latex, or poison,
但是不管手段是什么，刺、气味、乳胶还是毒，
there are always a few animals that find ways to eat them.
总有一些动物能找到吃它们的方法。
Lots of goats can eat thorny plants, and some deer can even eat little bits of poisonous plants.
很多山羊可以吃带刺的植物，有些鹿甚至可以吃有点儿毒的植物。
As animals find new ways to eat different plants,
当动物们找到新方法来吃不同的植物时，
the plants have to come up with new defenses to stay safe, so there are lots of ways they do it.
植物必须想出新的防御来保证安全，所以它们有很多方法。
Next time we're watching the animals outside,
下次我们在外面看动物的时候，
we can keep an eye out for other types of plants defending themselves!
可以关注其他类型植物保护自己的方法！
What sort of defenses would you use if you were a plant?
如果你是一棵植物，会用什么样的防御？
Can you think of any new ways for plants to defend themselves?
你能想出植物保护自己的新方法吗？
If you have an idea, have a grown-up help you leave a comment below,
如果你有一个想法，找个大人帮忙在下方留言，
or send us an email tokids@scishow.com.
或发邮件至kids@scishow.com。
Thanks! We'll see you next time, here at the Fort!
感谢您的收看，我们下期见，沃斯堡等你哦！
