雖然浮游植物比針尖還小
they're one of the most important forms of life onEarth.
它們是地球上最重要的一種生命形式
To understand just how important they are,
為了更清楚地了解它們究竟多重要
take a look at them fromspace.
讓我們從太空中看看它們
Just off the British Isles, large patches of the sea
不列顛諸島上一大片的海域
are stained light green by millions upon millions
都被無(wú)數(shù)的單個(gè)浮游植物染成了綠色
of individual phytoplankton, known as blooms.
這種現(xiàn)象被稱作水花區(qū)
These blooms appear around the world's oceans.
這些水花區(qū)出現(xiàn)在世界海洋里
And it's because phytoplankton are so abundant that they can affect the whole planet.
因?yàn)楦∮沃参飻?shù)量巨大 它們可以影響到整個(gè)星球
Without phytoplankton in the oceans,
海洋里如果沒(méi)有浮游植物
there wouldn't be any fish or turtles swimming around.
就不會(huì)有任何魚(yú)和海龜游來(lái)游去
Phytoplankton is the first meal in the ocean food chain.
浮游植物是海洋生物鏈的第一個(gè)環(huán)節(jié)
But surprisingly,as well as being a primary source of nourishment for creatures in the sea,
但是令人驚奇的是 這些小有機(jī)體不但是海洋生物營(yíng)養(yǎng)的主要來(lái)源
these tiny organisms help all animals on Earth to breathe.
它們還幫助地球上的動(dòng)物呼吸