Because I just learned something weird, and now you all need to know it, too.

因為我剛剛學到一些奇怪的東西，所以你們也都應該要知道。

I was on a call the other day with a woman named Emily Fairfax.

我剛剛和一個叫做 Emily Fairfax 的女人通電話。

And she knows a lot about beavers.

她很了解海狸。

Yes, beavers.

是的，海狸。

And at one point, she just casually mentions,

有一次，她只是隨意地提到，

"A weird period of beaver relocation in the 40s where we dropped them out of airplanes."

「在40年代一段奇怪的海狸遷徙期，我們把他們從飛機上扔下來。」

I'm sorry. What?

不好意思。你說什麼？

"There's this absolutely absurd video."

「有一個超級荒謬的影片。」

"You can find it on YouTube from Idaho Fish and Game."

「你可以在YouTube上找到愛達荷州漁業和狩獵局的影片。」

"Now into the air, and down, they swing."

「現在，他們升空並向下擺動。」

"The box opens, and a most unusual and novel trip ends for Mr. Beaver."

「盒子打開了，海狸先生最不尋常、最新奇的一趟旅程結束了。」

Okay, the method is super questionable.

好吧，這個方法超級可疑。

But the Idaho Department of Fish and Game did this to relocate 76 beavers away from humans and into a remote location where there were no roads.

但愛達荷州漁業和狩獵局這樣做是為了讓76隻海狸遠離人類，並將其重新安置到一個沒有道路的偏遠地區。

Because beavers build dams, structures that completely alter the landscape.

因為海狸會修建水壩，它是個會完全改變景觀的結構。

But now, research has found that beavers and their dams do so much more than flood the forest.

但現在研究發現，海狸和牠們的水壩的作用不僅僅是淹沒森林。

As the planet continues to warm they might also be vital in cooling parts of it down.

隨著地球持續暖化，它們也可能對部分地區的降溫至關重要。

So when beavers move into a stream, their very first order of business is to build that dam to start making a little bit of a safe habitat for themselves.

因此當海狸搬進一條溪流時，他們的首要任務是建造大壩， 開始為自己創造一點安全的棲息地。

They start with some logs or stones to secure the structure.

他們先用一些木頭或石頭來固定結構。

After that, they'll keep piling sticks, stones, and mud over and over again until water starts to pool behind it.

之後，他們會一遍又一遍地推放樹枝、石頭和泥土，直到後面開始積水。

As flowing water pushes against the dam, it begins to carve out a deep pool, which is great for the beaver.

當流動的水推向大壩，它開始開闢出一個深水池，這對海狸來說是件好事。

Because on land, "they're pretty unfortunately awkward."

因為在陸地上，不幸的是，他們很笨拙。

But once they get into the water, that's where they really shine and excel.

但一旦他們進入水中，他們就會真正展露頭角。

But, it's also ideal for other species.

這對其他生物來說也是理想的情況。

Because deeper water tends to be much cooler than water at the surface.

因為深層的水往往比表面的水要冷得多。

So if you're a fish and it's a really hot day, you can go down into one of these deep pools,

所以，如果你是一條魚，在一個非常熱的日子，你可以潛到其中一個深水池中，

and just hunker down at the bottom, where the water is coolest and has the least sunlight affecting it.

並蹲在水最涼、陽光影響最小的底部。

The dam also forces circulation.

水壩也會強制循環。

As water hits the dam, some of it is forced into the soil, where it mixes with cold ground water before resurfacing.

當水進入水壩時，一部分的水被迫進入土壤，在土壤中與寒冷的地下水混合，然後重新浮出水面。

As a result, one study found that water near beaver dams is up to 4 degrees Fahrenheit (2.3 degrees Celsius) cooler than water elsewhere.

因此，一項研究發現，海狸壩附近的水溫比其他地方的水低了攝氏2.3度(華氏4度)。

This comfortable little pond is the first defense against predators.

這個舒適的小池塘是對捕食者的第一道防線。

But beavers will also dig out canals into the surrounding land, which function as a small highway system for them.

但海狸也會在周圍的土壤上挖出運河，這對他們來說是一個小型的高速公路系統。

All this tampering with the stream spreads the water around the area.

所有這些對溪流的改動使水在周圍擴散。

As that water evaporates, the water vapor chills the air.

當水蒸發時，水蒸氣會使空氣變冷。

At one of my sites in central California, I went to visit on a particularly hot day.

在一個特別熱的日子裡，我去參觀了我在加州中部的一個站點。

It was 107 Fahrenheit (42 Celsius).

當時是華氏107度（攝氏42度）。

And then I get into the complex and I hold up the temperature probe and I'm like wow it's 91 (33 Celsius).

然後我進入大樓，舉起溫度探針，哇，這是攝氏33度（華氏91度）。

We lost almost 15 degrees of air temperature just going into this beaver complex.

我們剛進入這個海貍建築物，就下降了將近15度。

The area becomes a wetland ecosystem, and on first glance, it's a total mess with branches, plants, and water everywhere.

這個地區成為一個溼地生態系統，乍看之下是一團糟，到處都是樹枝、植物和水。

And that's a good thing.

而這是一件好事。

A river or a riverscape should be very complex, very messy.

一條河流或河景應該是非常複雜且凌亂的。

And it's that complexity that makes them so resilient to climate change and all sorts of other disturbances.

正是這種複雜性，讓它們對氣候變化和其他各種干擾有如此強大的彈性。

And that resiliency is increasingly important.

而這種彈性也越來越重要。

In the summer of 2022, heatwaves and fires plagued parts of Europe and the US.

在2022年夏天，熱浪和火災困肆虐歐洲和美國的部分地區。

As the climate crisis worsens, we can expect these events to increase.

隨著氣候危機的惡化，我們可以預期這些事件會增加。

Beavers, it turns out, might be able to help.

事實證明，海貍也許能夠提供幫助。

Because these wetland ecosystems are especially important in areas that are prone to fire or drought.

因為這些溼地生態系統，在容易發生火災或乾旱的地區尤為重要。

Dams slow water down and allow it to seep deep into the Earth, which provides a source of groundwater for humans.

水壩減緩水流並使其滲入地球深處，為人類提供了地下水源。

It also keeps the surrounding land wet, and wetter land is less likely to burn.

它還能使周圍的土地保持溼潤，溼潤的土地不太可能會燃燒。

This is an image from Idaho in 2018 when 65,000 acres were scorched by wildfire.

這是2018年愛達荷州的一張照片，當時有6.5萬英畝土地被野火燒毀。

This green patch in the middle is a wetland created by a beaver dam.

中間的這塊綠地是由海狸水壩形成的溼地。

Emily and a colleague studied the effects of this in 2020 and found repeated evidence that beaver dams create firebreaks.

艾米麗和一位同事在2020年研究了這種情況的影響，並一再發現海狸水壩形成防火帶的證據。

Providing a safe place for animals to go when wildfires break out.

當發生野火時，防火帶為動物提供一個安全的去處。

That was the first study in the scientific literature that said beaver ponds are too wet to burn in many cases.

科學文獻中的第一項研究表明，在許多情況下，海狸池塘太溼而無法燃燒。

Beavers have had bad PR.

海狸的公關經營很差。

They're often considered annoying pests because wetland creation is so messy.

他們通常被認為是惱人的害蟲，因為溼地的創建很混亂。

When a dam is built in the wrong place, it can flood roadways or homes.

當水壩建在錯誤的地方，它可能會淹沒道路或房屋。

And previously, the solution was extermination.

以前，解決的辦法是撲滅海貍。

But that seems to be changing.

但這件事似乎正在改變。

California, for example, just passed a bill that requires state sponsored beaver-relocation.

例如，加州剛剛通過一項法案，要求國家資助海狸遷徙。

Don't worry, they won't be dropping them out of planes.

別擔心，他們不會把它們從飛機上丟下來。

What we're learning is that beavers do some of the best engineer work for climate resiliency.

我們正在了解的是，海狸爲氣候恢復力做了一些很好的工程。

We just have to let them.

我們只需要讓他們發揮這項能力。

We've got to let go of a little bit of control.

我們必須放鬆控制。

Especially once a beaver starts building like what was a pretty cute little stream becomes this super wild, messy wetland.

特別是一旦有海狸開始建造，原本一條可愛的小溪變成了這片超級荒涼、凌亂的溼地。

Like, that's good.

這很棒。

Remember that that is good.

請記住，這是好事。

We want it to be messy.

我們希望它是混亂的。