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The biggest living thing
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00:00:12,120 --> 00:00:15,639
that exists on this planet
is a plant...
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00:00:16,720 --> 00:00:20,559
...like this giant sequoia tree
in California.
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00:00:23,040 --> 00:00:27,319
Plants, whether they are
enormous, like this one,
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00:00:27,440 --> 00:00:30,839
or microscopic,
are the basis of all life,
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00:00:30,960 --> 00:00:32,879
including ourselves.
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00:00:33,000 --> 00:00:37,159
We depend upon them for every
mouthful of food that we eat
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00:00:37,280 --> 00:00:40,599
and every lung full of air
that we breathe.
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00:00:44,200 --> 00:00:47,239
Plants flourish
in remarkable ways,
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00:00:47,360 --> 00:00:49,119
yet, for the most part,
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00:00:49,240 --> 00:00:53,079
the secrets of their world
have been hidden from us...
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00:00:53,200 --> 00:00:54,799
...until now.
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00:01:01,400 --> 00:01:06,599
Now we have new ground-breaking
technology that enables us
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00:01:06,720 --> 00:01:09,719
to enter their extraordinary
world
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00:01:09,840 --> 00:01:13,399
and see their lives
from their perspective.
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00:01:20,520 --> 00:01:25,199
This series will reveal
the extraordinary
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00:01:25,320 --> 00:01:28,479
and dramatic ways in which
plants behave...
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00:01:33,400 --> 00:01:36,999
...and we will explore
the challenges demanded by
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00:01:37,120 --> 00:01:39,879
the very different landscapes
in which they live.
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00:01:43,280 --> 00:01:44,439
The tropics.
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00:01:46,400 --> 00:01:49,279
The richest
and most competitive place
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00:01:49,400 --> 00:01:51,439
in which to survive.
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00:01:53,280 --> 00:01:56,039
The bizarre water world...
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00:01:59,120 --> 00:02:02,599
...where giants
fight ferocious battles,
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00:02:02,720 --> 00:02:05,599
and plants eat animals alive.
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00:02:07,960 --> 00:02:09,599
Deserts...
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00:02:09,720 --> 00:02:11,399
Agh!
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00:02:12,400 --> 00:02:16,199
A world of extremes.
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00:02:19,400 --> 00:02:21,359
Seasonal lands...
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00:02:24,000 --> 00:02:28,239
...where survival depends
on precision timing.
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00:02:28,360 --> 00:02:32,959
And everywhere,
we will explore the critical
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00:02:33,080 --> 00:02:37,239
and intimate relationships
between plants and animals,
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00:02:37,360 --> 00:02:39,079
including ourselves.
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00:02:42,800 --> 00:02:46,839
Join me in a world
that takes you by surprise...
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00:02:55,160 --> 00:02:58,399
...and see our planet
as never before...
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00:03:03,720 --> 00:03:06,199
...from
the plants' perspective.
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00:03:07,680 --> 00:03:11,039
This is The Green Planet.
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I'm in Costa Rica,
in the heart of a rainforest,
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the richest and most dynamic
environment on Earth.
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00:04:03,360 --> 00:04:06,239
Rainforests only cover
a very small proportion
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00:04:06,360 --> 00:04:07,719
of the Earth's surface,
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00:04:07,840 --> 00:04:10,639
yet they contain over half
of all known
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00:04:10,760 --> 00:04:13,719
species of animals
and plants.
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00:04:16,000 --> 00:04:21,519
Up here, the forest's canopy is
bathed by life-giving sunlight.
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00:04:26,040 --> 00:04:28,559
The branches of the great trees
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00:04:28,680 --> 00:04:32,079
carry rich, flourishing
sky gardens...
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00:04:38,080 --> 00:04:42,159
...home to countless different
kinds of beautiful plants.
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00:04:45,440 --> 00:04:49,599
Each species has evolved
its own exquisite solution
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00:04:49,720 --> 00:04:52,039
to the challenges of survival.
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00:04:57,240 --> 00:05:00,639
This forest world
may look peaceful,
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00:05:00,760 --> 00:05:03,039
timeless and unchanging,
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00:05:03,160 --> 00:05:07,199
but that is far from the truth.
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00:05:07,320 --> 00:05:09,799
This is a battlefield.
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00:05:14,760 --> 00:05:17,999
Throughout this forest, plants
are competing ferociously
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00:05:18,120 --> 00:05:21,439
with one another
to claim the light.
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00:05:24,120 --> 00:05:28,719
The battle is at its fiercest
on the forest floor...
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00:05:32,720 --> 00:05:36,399
...where only 2% of
the sunlight filters through.
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00:05:38,000 --> 00:05:41,239
Plants here have to
bide their time.
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00:05:46,320 --> 00:05:50,759
Their opportunity comes
when an old tree dies.
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00:05:55,320 --> 00:05:58,439
When that happens, sunlight
floods the forest floor
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00:05:58,560 --> 00:06:02,359
for the first time
in perhaps 100 years.
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00:06:21,440 --> 00:06:24,599
The seedling's wait is over.
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00:06:28,200 --> 00:06:30,679
It must now race skywards
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00:06:30,800 --> 00:06:32,999
and claim a place
in the canopy.
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00:06:34,680 --> 00:06:36,719
But it's not alone.
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00:06:40,680 --> 00:06:42,919
Rivals are everywhere,
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00:06:43,040 --> 00:06:45,679
each with its own
survival strategy.
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00:06:59,320 --> 00:07:01,799
Some plants,
like this monstera,
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00:07:01,920 --> 00:07:05,919
stretch out divided leaves
to collect what light they can.
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00:07:12,520 --> 00:07:18,359
This vine is groping blindly
around with its tendrils.
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00:07:21,040 --> 00:07:25,359
It attempts to reach the light
by hitching a ride.
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00:07:28,080 --> 00:07:31,159
Its tendrils are highly
sensitive to touch.
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00:07:36,760 --> 00:07:40,759
And a suitable target
is in range.
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00:07:46,760 --> 00:07:48,079
Got it!
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00:08:08,280 --> 00:08:09,999
The vine tightens its grip
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00:08:10,120 --> 00:08:13,759
and begins to haul itself
upwards.
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00:08:17,240 --> 00:08:19,439
But it's now overtaken
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00:08:19,560 --> 00:08:23,159
by the forest's
fastest-growing tree.
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00:08:26,000 --> 00:08:27,559
A young balsa.
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00:08:31,360 --> 00:08:34,679
Its giant leaves are already
40 cm across
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and are stealing the light
from its rivals below.
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00:08:40,200 --> 00:08:42,839
But the balsa's battle
is not yet won.
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00:08:44,200 --> 00:08:48,599
Other, different vines
are lying in wait.
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00:08:58,920 --> 00:09:03,879
Each is armed with dozens
of claw-like hooks.
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00:09:06,960 --> 00:09:10,399
If just one hook gets a grip,
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00:09:10,520 --> 00:09:13,919
the vine will be able to
smother its victim.
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00:09:46,720 --> 00:09:52,559
But the balsa is defended by
a shield of slippery hairs.
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00:09:57,200 --> 00:10:00,919
The vine's hooks
just can't get a hold.
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00:10:03,720 --> 00:10:06,199
The balsa brushes them aside...
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00:10:06,320 --> 00:10:09,719
...and continues to rush
skywards...
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00:10:16,800 --> 00:10:19,359
...leaving the losers
in its shadow
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00:10:19,480 --> 00:10:21,239
to fight among themselves.
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00:10:25,680 --> 00:10:29,039
This balsa has won its battle
for the light.
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00:10:34,800 --> 00:10:38,199
And it's done so
in a little over a year.
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00:10:40,680 --> 00:10:44,039
Most trees would have grown
an inch or so in that time,
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00:10:44,160 --> 00:10:48,679
but this one is already
30 feet - 10 metres - tall.
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00:10:54,480 --> 00:10:56,319
Balsas owe their success
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00:10:56,440 --> 00:10:59,039
to the special character
of their wood.
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00:11:00,960 --> 00:11:04,079
If this section of tree trunk
came from a hardwood tree,
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00:11:04,200 --> 00:11:05,799
it would be really quite heavy.
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00:11:05,920 --> 00:11:07,159
But as it is,
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00:11:07,280 --> 00:11:08,799
it's from balsa,
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00:11:08,920 --> 00:11:12,079
and it's really very light,
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00:11:12,200 --> 00:11:15,199
and that's because of
its internal structure.
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00:11:18,600 --> 00:11:22,759
Under the microscope, balsawood
looks like a honeycomb.
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00:11:24,280 --> 00:11:26,679
It contains more air than wood,
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00:11:26,800 --> 00:11:29,999
so not only
can it grow very fast,
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00:11:30,120 --> 00:11:34,119
but it gets the maximum height
for minimum weight.
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00:11:35,960 --> 00:11:38,959
But fast growth needs
something else.
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00:11:39,080 --> 00:11:40,559
Fuel...
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00:11:40,680 --> 00:11:42,639
...and lots of it.
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00:11:52,720 --> 00:11:55,679
That fuel is created in
a plant's leaves,
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as they soak up the sun.
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00:12:08,960 --> 00:12:11,879
It's a process called
photosynthesis...
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...a chemical reaction that is
the basis of all life on Earth.
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Leaves are covered by thousands
of microscopic pores
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called stomata.
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00:12:33,200 --> 00:12:36,959
When open, they extract
carbon dioxide from the air,
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00:12:37,080 --> 00:12:39,079
and using energy from the sun,
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00:12:39,200 --> 00:12:43,079
combine it with nutrients
to build the plant's tissues.
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00:12:46,800 --> 00:12:51,119
And critically for us, the
process releases the oxygen
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00:12:51,240 --> 00:12:55,639
that we and all animals need
in order to breathe.
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00:13:06,640 --> 00:13:09,919
But for plants,
there is a downside.
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00:13:10,040 --> 00:13:14,799
These precious, energy-packed
leaves attract predators...
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00:13:16,200 --> 00:13:17,639
...in every shape...
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00:13:18,800 --> 00:13:20,359
...size...
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00:13:22,080 --> 00:13:24,639
...and agility.
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00:13:37,160 --> 00:13:40,999
A sloth can only move slowly,
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00:13:41,120 --> 00:13:44,639
but you don't need speed
to gather leaves,
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00:13:44,760 --> 00:13:46,879
and it eats nothing else.
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00:14:05,600 --> 00:14:09,039
The plants here are under
constant attack
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from all kinds of leaf-eaters,
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00:14:12,360 --> 00:14:16,959
but the most voracious by far
is hardly ever seen.
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00:14:18,120 --> 00:14:22,599
It consumes 50,000 leaves
every day.
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00:14:22,720 --> 00:14:25,919
It's created this great
clearing in the forest...
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00:14:27,120 --> 00:14:30,439
...and it lives
just beneath my feet.
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00:14:38,480 --> 00:14:41,479
It's called leucoagaricus.
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00:14:44,080 --> 00:14:46,119
It's neither animal nor plant.
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00:14:48,680 --> 00:14:50,119
It's a fungus.
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00:14:52,120 --> 00:14:55,239
It lives five metres
underground,
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00:14:55,360 --> 00:14:58,519
far from the leaves
that it devours.
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00:15:01,720 --> 00:15:03,119
To get them,
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00:15:03,240 --> 00:15:06,599
it employs the best
leaf-gatherers in the tropics.
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00:15:12,200 --> 00:15:14,359
Leafcutter ants.
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00:15:19,640 --> 00:15:23,359
Millions of them provide
the fungus with its food,
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00:15:23,480 --> 00:15:27,799
and in return, the fungus
cultivates tiny mushrooms
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00:15:27,920 --> 00:15:30,239
as food for the ants.
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00:15:35,280 --> 00:15:38,519
The fungus releases
chemical signals
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00:15:38,640 --> 00:15:42,959
that tell the worker ants what
type of leaf it wants to eat.
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00:15:44,280 --> 00:15:48,319
Scouts are sent out
with the latest orders.
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00:15:55,360 --> 00:15:59,039
Worker ants will travel
hundreds of metres
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00:15:59,160 --> 00:16:01,039
to find the right kind.
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00:16:03,440 --> 00:16:07,919
Today's crop is being taken
from a young bixa tree.
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00:16:10,600 --> 00:16:13,839
Just a few years old and still
battling to reach the canopy,
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it can ill afford to lose
any of its leaves.
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00:16:34,720 --> 00:16:38,759
Between them, the ants can
demolish a large leaf
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00:16:38,880 --> 00:16:40,639
in a matter of minutes.
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00:16:46,040 --> 00:16:51,239
The sound of cutting attracts
more ants.
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00:17:01,720 --> 00:17:06,999
Now the pieces are carried back
to the underground fungus.
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00:17:13,800 --> 00:17:17,759
The ants can run at speeds
of two metres a minute.
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00:17:20,880 --> 00:17:25,879
And each can carry a load
ten times its own weight.
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00:17:39,800 --> 00:17:43,199
It's a river of leaves across
the jungle floor...
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...part of a vast network
that extends for miles
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through the forest.
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00:18:00,400 --> 00:18:01,919
To avoid congestion,
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00:18:02,040 --> 00:18:04,959
worker ants dig trenches
around obstacles.
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00:18:33,440 --> 00:18:36,079
Thousands of pieces
are delivered every hour
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00:18:36,200 --> 00:18:37,679
to the waiting fungus.
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00:18:50,040 --> 00:18:52,679
Fed by
such a continuous supply,
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00:18:52,800 --> 00:18:54,599
the fungus grows rapidly,
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00:18:54,720 --> 00:18:57,439
filling the chambers
in which it lives...
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00:19:00,400 --> 00:19:03,759
...so the ants excavate
more space.
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00:19:07,680 --> 00:19:10,959
It seems that the fungus has
the upper hand...
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00:19:12,320 --> 00:19:16,119
...and the bixa tree
will not survive.
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00:19:21,280 --> 00:19:23,039
But it fights back...
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00:19:24,560 --> 00:19:28,359
...using chemical warfare.
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00:19:30,320 --> 00:19:34,199
The bixa tree floods its leaves
with toxins
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that could kill
the distant fungus.
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00:19:39,280 --> 00:19:42,959
As the ants carry the fragments
back, they are themselves
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00:19:43,080 --> 00:19:46,039
poisoning the fungus
on the tree's behalf.
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00:19:50,720 --> 00:19:53,559
It's a long-distance attack.
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00:20:01,240 --> 00:20:04,559
As the poison takes effect,
the ants sense
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00:20:04,680 --> 00:20:06,599
that their fungus
is weakening...
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00:20:17,560 --> 00:20:19,879
...and they respond to
its signals
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00:20:20,000 --> 00:20:22,959
by changing to another
source of leaves.
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00:20:27,680 --> 00:20:30,039
So the plant's
chemical response
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00:20:30,160 --> 00:20:36,199
forces the ants to constantly
switch from tree to tree.
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Strike and counterstrike.
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00:20:46,320 --> 00:20:50,319
And that ensures that enough
leaves remain uneaten
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00:20:50,440 --> 00:20:52,879
for each tree to recover.
191
00:21:08,480 --> 00:21:10,679
Once a plant becomes adult,
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00:21:10,800 --> 00:21:12,879
it can switch its energies
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from growth to reproduction.
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00:21:21,720 --> 00:21:25,879
The tropical forests of the
Americas stretch from Mexico
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00:21:26,000 --> 00:21:27,959
to the southern reaches
of the Amazon.
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00:21:29,280 --> 00:21:34,839
They contain more than 100,000
different species of plants,
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00:21:34,960 --> 00:21:39,159
each with its own particular
survival strategy.
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00:21:41,120 --> 00:21:45,559
One species that has adopted
a grow-fast lifestyle
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00:21:45,680 --> 00:21:49,399
flourishes throughout
this vast region.
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00:21:52,080 --> 00:21:53,479
The balsa.
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00:21:55,320 --> 00:21:58,359
But it has to pay a high price
for doing so.
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00:21:58,480 --> 00:22:01,199
The lightweight wood
that enables it
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00:22:01,320 --> 00:22:03,879
to grow at such speed
is not strong
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00:22:04,000 --> 00:22:05,799
and is easily broken.
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00:22:07,400 --> 00:22:10,679
Few balsas live
longer than 20 years.
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00:22:12,920 --> 00:22:16,159
This one is approaching the end
of its brief life,
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00:22:16,280 --> 00:22:20,279
so the time has come for it
to reproduce.
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00:22:26,280 --> 00:22:29,999
It has used a huge amount
of energy to produce
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00:22:30,120 --> 00:22:32,879
some of the most extravagant
flowers in the forest
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00:22:33,000 --> 00:22:35,279
in immense numbers.
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00:22:44,240 --> 00:22:47,679
Each is the size
of a human hand.
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00:22:53,200 --> 00:22:54,879
As night falls,
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00:22:55,000 --> 00:22:58,119
the tree prepares
an enticing treat.
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00:23:05,720 --> 00:23:08,479
This is a kinkajou,
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00:23:08,600 --> 00:23:11,679
a kind of fruit-eating
raccoon.
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00:23:15,800 --> 00:23:19,879
Each flower is filled with
huge quantities
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00:23:20,000 --> 00:23:23,159
of exceptionally rich nectar,
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00:23:23,280 --> 00:23:25,239
supercharged with sugar.
219
00:23:33,240 --> 00:23:35,399
Irresistible!
220
00:23:43,080 --> 00:23:45,639
The kinkajous drink so greedily
221
00:23:45,760 --> 00:23:49,559
that they get pollen
all over their faces.
222
00:23:52,240 --> 00:23:55,039
So, as they move from
tree to tree,
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00:23:55,160 --> 00:23:57,799
they carry pollen with them.
224
00:24:04,680 --> 00:24:07,799
But the balsa
leaves little to chance.
225
00:24:08,840 --> 00:24:11,439
The nectar might appear
to have run out,
226
00:24:11,560 --> 00:24:13,839
but this is just
the first round.
227
00:24:15,000 --> 00:24:18,639
Now the balsa refills
its flowers,
228
00:24:18,760 --> 00:24:22,039
enticing the kinkajous back
to repeat the process...
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00:24:22,160 --> 00:24:25,399
...seven times a night.
230
00:24:26,680 --> 00:24:29,559
Pollination is complete.
231
00:24:33,320 --> 00:24:36,359
And the kinkajous -
they also get well served,
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00:24:36,480 --> 00:24:40,279
with over 100 pints of nectar
in just a few weeks.
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00:24:45,200 --> 00:24:49,359
Both plant and animal do well
out of this arrangement.
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00:24:51,680 --> 00:24:56,359
But in the tropical world,
that isn't always so.
235
00:25:01,840 --> 00:25:03,199
Borneo.
236
00:25:08,400 --> 00:25:11,639
Here, on the slopes
of Mount Kinabalu,
237
00:25:11,760 --> 00:25:14,679
live plants that eat animals
238
00:25:14,800 --> 00:25:17,759
using pitcher-shaped leaves
full of water.
239
00:25:27,200 --> 00:25:30,559
Insects are attracted by
the expectation of nectar,
240
00:25:30,680 --> 00:25:32,439
but tumble into the pitcher,
241
00:25:32,560 --> 00:25:36,399
where they are drowned
and absorbed.
242
00:25:41,120 --> 00:25:43,679
On the lower slopes
of the mountain,
243
00:25:43,800 --> 00:25:47,119
a plant grows
that has no leaves at all.
244
00:25:48,360 --> 00:25:49,959
Or even a stem.
245
00:25:52,360 --> 00:25:54,559
All that can be seen is this -
246
00:25:54,680 --> 00:25:56,399
a bud.
247
00:26:03,960 --> 00:26:05,639
It is a parasite.
248
00:26:13,320 --> 00:26:18,879
The rest of its body lies
within the tissues of a liana,
249
00:26:19,000 --> 00:26:20,679
on which it feeds.
250
00:26:25,120 --> 00:26:27,079
After about five years,
251
00:26:27,200 --> 00:26:31,839
the bud finally opens into
a monstrous flower.
252
00:26:34,280 --> 00:26:38,599
It now has only a day or so
in which to be pollinated
253
00:26:38,720 --> 00:26:40,839
before it starts to wither.
254
00:26:43,160 --> 00:26:45,959
Its petals are
the colour of blood.
255
00:26:47,840 --> 00:26:51,039
Their surface is tough
and warty.
256
00:26:56,200 --> 00:26:58,559
It appears to have fur.
257
00:27:05,520 --> 00:27:08,039
Even whiskers and teeth.
258
00:27:08,160 --> 00:27:13,279
At first sight, it might be
mistaken for a dead animal.
259
00:27:15,200 --> 00:27:19,639
This is rafflesia,
the corpse flower.
260
00:27:22,920 --> 00:27:27,599
A metre across, it's
the world's biggest flower.
261
00:27:31,120 --> 00:27:33,839
And this one is a male.
262
00:27:35,840 --> 00:27:40,879
From its centre comes
the pungent odour of death.
263
00:27:48,800 --> 00:27:52,639
It's a scent that might not
appeal to every animal.
264
00:27:58,320 --> 00:28:02,199
But it's very attractive to
carrion flies.
265
00:28:04,000 --> 00:28:07,199
They lay their eggs
on rotting flesh.
266
00:28:19,720 --> 00:28:23,119
The scent lures the fly
deep into the flower
267
00:28:23,240 --> 00:28:25,719
in search of meat.
268
00:28:31,480 --> 00:28:33,679
The fly finds nothing.
269
00:28:33,800 --> 00:28:39,079
The rafflesia, however, has the
fly exactly where it wants it.
270
00:28:42,960 --> 00:28:46,999
It's stuck pollen
to the fly's back.
271
00:28:58,360 --> 00:29:02,199
If this male rafflesia's
strategy is to work,
272
00:29:02,320 --> 00:29:04,799
the fly carrying its pollen
must now visit
273
00:29:04,920 --> 00:29:06,799
a female corpse flower...
274
00:29:11,640 --> 00:29:13,599
...such as this one.
275
00:29:24,240 --> 00:29:25,599
Success!
276
00:29:42,560 --> 00:29:47,039
Once pollinated, plants are
able to produce seeds,
277
00:29:47,160 --> 00:29:48,639
the next generation,
278
00:29:48,760 --> 00:29:52,759
but once again, there are
animals all over the forest
279
00:29:52,880 --> 00:29:54,759
that are eager to make
a meal of them.
280
00:30:10,960 --> 00:30:13,199
The Malay Archipelago,
281
00:30:13,320 --> 00:30:16,839
a vast tropical world
of 1,000 islands.
282
00:30:25,280 --> 00:30:28,399
It's home to giants -
283
00:30:28,520 --> 00:30:30,799
the tallest trees
in the tropics,
284
00:30:30,920 --> 00:30:33,319
many of which live
for centuries.
285
00:30:38,960 --> 00:30:41,959
They produce seeds
in enormous numbers,
286
00:30:42,080 --> 00:30:45,159
but only do so
when the time is right.
287
00:30:48,120 --> 00:30:51,999
This individual hasn't produced
a single seed
288
00:30:52,120 --> 00:30:53,479
for nearly a decade,
289
00:30:53,600 --> 00:30:56,879
but in the last weeks,
it has become festooned
290
00:30:57,000 --> 00:30:59,519
with more than 10,000 of them.
291
00:31:03,320 --> 00:31:07,239
Each seed has the potential to
produce a giant,
292
00:31:07,360 --> 00:31:09,199
like its parent.
293
00:31:15,600 --> 00:31:18,039
But success will depend...
294
00:31:19,360 --> 00:31:21,279
...on timing.
295
00:31:34,520 --> 00:31:36,319
Seed-hunters are gathering.
296
00:31:40,600 --> 00:31:42,559
Bearded pigs.
297
00:31:50,280 --> 00:31:54,999
But these seeds have been
produced by a dipterocarp...
298
00:31:56,960 --> 00:32:00,439
...trees that create
the tropical world's
299
00:32:00,560 --> 00:32:02,279
largest seed nursery.
300
00:32:07,600 --> 00:32:09,599
After years of waiting,
301
00:32:09,720 --> 00:32:13,319
thousands upon thousands
of individual dipterocarps
302
00:32:13,440 --> 00:32:16,439
have synchronised to produce
the next generation,
303
00:32:16,560 --> 00:32:19,359
all at exactly the same time.
304
00:32:37,400 --> 00:32:41,759
And now these seeds will face
the dangers below together.
305
00:33:28,000 --> 00:33:32,599
By releasing billions of seeds
all at the same time,
306
00:33:32,720 --> 00:33:35,599
they swamp the pigs
and any other animals
307
00:33:35,720 --> 00:33:38,399
with more than they could
possibly eat.
308
00:33:59,160 --> 00:34:04,599
And that buys time for
some of the seeds to take root
309
00:34:04,720 --> 00:34:06,119
and sprout.
310
00:34:31,960 --> 00:34:34,799
The tree's strategy has worked.
311
00:34:34,920 --> 00:34:39,279
But a seedling will have to
overcome many more dangers
312
00:34:39,400 --> 00:34:43,879
over the years if it, too,
is to become a giant.
313
00:34:49,600 --> 00:34:52,439
And there are many ways
in a tropical forest
314
00:34:52,560 --> 00:34:54,599
by which a tree's life
can be ended
315
00:34:54,720 --> 00:34:57,039
before it reaches its prime.
316
00:35:01,720 --> 00:35:04,599
The northernmost tip
of Australia.
317
00:35:07,480 --> 00:35:11,159
This is the world's
most ancient rainforest.
318
00:35:28,640 --> 00:35:31,599
Battles between animals
and plants
319
00:35:31,720 --> 00:35:36,079
have raged here
for 180 million years.
320
00:35:42,400 --> 00:35:47,119
So the plants have had time
to develop effective defences.
321
00:35:48,960 --> 00:35:52,079
This is a poison arrow tree,
322
00:35:52,200 --> 00:35:55,839
one of the tropical world's
most heavily defended plants.
323
00:35:59,520 --> 00:36:01,879
Its trunk is tall and slippery
324
00:36:02,000 --> 00:36:04,519
and exudes a poisonous sap.
325
00:36:09,360 --> 00:36:12,319
It appears to be
almost invulnerable.
326
00:36:17,920 --> 00:36:19,479
But even so,
327
00:36:19,600 --> 00:36:22,919
just as this individual
reaches maturity,
328
00:36:23,040 --> 00:36:26,639
its life has become endangered.
329
00:36:30,960 --> 00:36:32,559
Each monsoon season,
330
00:36:32,680 --> 00:36:35,719
it is invaded from above.
331
00:36:42,000 --> 00:36:45,719
It attracts
hundreds of shining starlings.
332
00:36:48,600 --> 00:36:52,559
Its immense smooth trunk makes
its high branches above
333
00:36:52,680 --> 00:36:55,079
a safe place to nest,
334
00:36:55,200 --> 00:36:56,719
but over the years,
335
00:36:56,840 --> 00:36:59,839
this has created
a major problem for the tree.
336
00:37:04,520 --> 00:37:07,319
After feeding, the starlings
return to the nest
337
00:37:07,440 --> 00:37:09,399
to digest their food,
338
00:37:09,520 --> 00:37:12,199
with inevitable consequences.
339
00:37:17,520 --> 00:37:18,479
Every year,
340
00:37:18,600 --> 00:37:22,679
they produce almost a quarter
of a tonne of droppings.
341
00:37:26,200 --> 00:37:28,439
The toxic chemicals
they contain
342
00:37:28,560 --> 00:37:33,039
create a dead zone that
completely surrounds the tree.
343
00:37:39,400 --> 00:37:42,199
The toxins are absorbed
by its roots
344
00:37:42,320 --> 00:37:46,679
and travel up through the trunk
and into every leaf.
345
00:38:01,520 --> 00:38:03,919
Branch by branch,
346
00:38:04,040 --> 00:38:06,919
the tree is slowly dying.
347
00:38:09,760 --> 00:38:13,719
It has become a victim
of its own success.
348
00:38:15,200 --> 00:38:16,919
It has been poisoned.
349
00:38:24,520 --> 00:38:27,759
Now a new battle begins...
350
00:38:29,200 --> 00:38:31,879
...one to claim the tree's
dead body
351
00:38:32,000 --> 00:38:35,839
and the vast amount
of nutrients that it contains.
352
00:38:37,240 --> 00:38:40,439
It's a battle that is fought
throughout the natural world...
353
00:38:41,680 --> 00:38:43,559
...involving a group
of organisms
354
00:38:43,680 --> 00:38:45,439
that we rarely notice.
355
00:38:47,720 --> 00:38:50,839
Here, on the floor
of a tropical rainforest,
356
00:38:50,960 --> 00:38:54,359
it's dark, it's humid
357
00:38:54,480 --> 00:38:56,039
and it's hot -
358
00:38:56,160 --> 00:38:58,919
ideal conditions for fungi.
359
00:38:59,040 --> 00:39:03,079
We normally think of fungi
as things like this.
360
00:39:03,200 --> 00:39:05,599
Mushrooms of one kind
or another.
361
00:39:05,720 --> 00:39:08,639
But these are just
the fruiting bodies.
362
00:39:10,720 --> 00:39:13,439
They exist for most of the time
363
00:39:13,560 --> 00:39:15,839
hidden in the leaf litter
and the earth
364
00:39:15,960 --> 00:39:18,919
as a network
of fine white threads.
365
00:39:20,360 --> 00:39:25,079
The threads of competing fungi
envelop their victim's body,
366
00:39:25,200 --> 00:39:28,679
releasing enzymes which digest
the tree's tissues
367
00:39:28,800 --> 00:39:31,599
and unlock the nutrients
within.
368
00:39:33,600 --> 00:39:37,519
There are a million or so
different species of fungi
369
00:39:37,640 --> 00:39:39,279
in the tropics.
370
00:39:39,400 --> 00:39:42,519
Some feed on dead plants.
371
00:39:42,640 --> 00:39:45,159
Others eat them alive.
372
00:39:46,320 --> 00:39:51,359
And some reveal their existence
in an eerily beautiful way.
373
00:40:00,640 --> 00:40:03,079
In Africa, in the Congo,
374
00:40:03,200 --> 00:40:06,799
this is known
as chimpanzee fire.
375
00:40:11,520 --> 00:40:14,679
The mysterious
bioluminescent glow
376
00:40:14,800 --> 00:40:18,999
becomes brighter as the fungus
digests the tree.
377
00:40:23,840 --> 00:40:25,999
When fungi have fed
sufficiently,
378
00:40:26,120 --> 00:40:28,959
they develop
their reproductive organs.
379
00:40:57,880 --> 00:41:02,599
Each can produce
literally billions of spores...
380
00:41:04,000 --> 00:41:05,639
...the tiny particles
381
00:41:05,760 --> 00:41:09,239
that carry the species'
genetic blueprint.
382
00:41:10,920 --> 00:41:12,799
Each spore like this
383
00:41:12,920 --> 00:41:16,119
has the potential
to kill a tree.
384
00:41:38,240 --> 00:41:40,079
The spores are so light
385
00:41:40,200 --> 00:41:43,559
they can be carried by
the slightest air currents.
386
00:41:52,680 --> 00:41:54,399
At least a billion
387
00:41:54,520 --> 00:41:57,759
float above every square metre
of rainforest.
388
00:42:07,280 --> 00:42:10,519
Recently, it has been
discovered that these spores
389
00:42:10,640 --> 00:42:14,319
do far more than just bring
death and decay.
390
00:42:15,680 --> 00:42:18,079
They are, in fact,
391
00:42:18,200 --> 00:42:19,799
at the very centre
392
00:42:19,920 --> 00:42:22,759
of the rainforest's
life support system.
393
00:42:30,240 --> 00:42:32,199
High in the humid air,
394
00:42:32,320 --> 00:42:35,519
the spores combine
with molecules of water.
395
00:42:49,080 --> 00:42:51,999
Gradually,
they collect into droplets,
396
00:42:52,120 --> 00:42:54,199
which,
when they are heavy enough,
397
00:42:54,320 --> 00:42:57,679
fall...
398
00:42:57,800 --> 00:42:59,399
...as rain.
399
00:43:38,400 --> 00:43:41,999
Over two-and-a-half metres
of rain falls every year
400
00:43:42,120 --> 00:43:44,079
in a rainforest.
401
00:43:51,000 --> 00:43:55,079
And in the centre of almost
every raindrop,
402
00:43:55,200 --> 00:43:57,399
there is a fungal spore.
403
00:44:11,960 --> 00:44:15,359
The world's rainforests
are the richest
404
00:44:15,480 --> 00:44:18,639
and most dynamic environments
on Earth,
405
00:44:18,760 --> 00:44:22,079
built on complex connections
and relationships.
406
00:44:25,680 --> 00:44:27,519
But these connections,
407
00:44:27,640 --> 00:44:30,159
competitive or collaborative,
408
00:44:30,280 --> 00:44:33,079
are now becoming
increasingly fragile.
409
00:44:49,040 --> 00:44:53,519
When Charles Darwin was
exploring the tropical world
410
00:44:53,640 --> 00:44:55,199
nearly 200 years ago,
411
00:44:55,320 --> 00:44:57,999
he wrote this in his diary.
412
00:44:58,120 --> 00:45:03,079
"Among the scenes which are
deeply impressed on my mind,
413
00:45:03,200 --> 00:45:06,799
"none exceed in sublimity
414
00:45:06,920 --> 00:45:13,039
"the primeval forests undefaced
by the hand of man."
415
00:45:14,240 --> 00:45:16,879
He would struggle to find
such a place today.
416
00:45:31,920 --> 00:45:36,319
Today, 70% of all the world's
rainforest plants
417
00:45:36,440 --> 00:45:39,479
grow within a mile of a road
or a clearing
418
00:45:39,600 --> 00:45:43,519
that we have
cut into the forest...
419
00:45:46,120 --> 00:45:49,439
...and this is creating
new battlefields
420
00:45:49,560 --> 00:45:51,919
in the tropical world.
421
00:45:53,320 --> 00:45:56,519
Alien armies of identical
cultivated plants
422
00:45:56,640 --> 00:46:01,639
now stand where thousands
of different species once grew.
423
00:46:09,800 --> 00:46:12,879
We have planted
vast regiments of crops
424
00:46:13,000 --> 00:46:15,239
in order to provide ourselves
425
00:46:15,360 --> 00:46:18,119
with food
and other commodities...
426
00:46:19,400 --> 00:46:22,079
...and the ancient forest
has been reduced
427
00:46:22,200 --> 00:46:25,639
to ever fewer
isolated fragments.
428
00:46:29,360 --> 00:46:31,719
All, however, is not lost.
429
00:46:33,160 --> 00:46:35,759
The fragments
can still be sanctuaries,
430
00:46:35,880 --> 00:46:40,319
keeping alive the intimate
relationships within them.
431
00:46:41,720 --> 00:46:44,559
Their size is
nonetheless critical.
432
00:46:54,920 --> 00:46:58,959
This is the seven-hour flower.
433
00:47:08,040 --> 00:47:11,839
This plant produces its flowers
at night.
434
00:47:11,960 --> 00:47:14,679
They open about six o'clock,
435
00:47:14,800 --> 00:47:19,919
and each blossom only lasts
that night.
436
00:47:20,040 --> 00:47:22,359
It opens for about seven hours
437
00:47:22,480 --> 00:47:24,399
and then it dies.
438
00:47:24,520 --> 00:47:27,679
But during that time,
it provides food
439
00:47:27,800 --> 00:47:30,399
for one particular animal.
440
00:47:30,520 --> 00:47:31,639
A bat.
441
00:47:31,760 --> 00:47:33,119
And here it is.
442
00:47:52,040 --> 00:47:55,439
During the seven-hour flower's
flowering season...
443
00:47:56,480 --> 00:48:00,759
...Underwood's bat feeds almost
exclusively on its nectar.
444
00:48:02,040 --> 00:48:05,079
It is the plant's
primary pollinator.
445
00:48:10,040 --> 00:48:11,599
It might seem that this is
446
00:48:11,720 --> 00:48:14,559
a fairly evenly balanced
relationship,
447
00:48:14,680 --> 00:48:15,999
but not so.
448
00:48:17,200 --> 00:48:20,999
The bat likes this nectar
because it's sweet,
449
00:48:21,120 --> 00:48:23,599
but it's not very nourishing.
450
00:48:24,680 --> 00:48:28,839
So the bat must visit
hundreds of flowers a night...
451
00:48:30,560 --> 00:48:33,359
...and it pollinates them
as if feeds.
452
00:48:40,400 --> 00:48:43,959
But if a patch of forest
becomes too small,
453
00:48:44,080 --> 00:48:45,559
with too few flowers,
454
00:48:45,680 --> 00:48:48,119
the bats will disappear,
455
00:48:48,240 --> 00:48:51,519
and without the bats,
the flowers can't reproduce
456
00:48:51,640 --> 00:48:53,639
and will soon die out.
457
00:48:55,720 --> 00:48:57,719
The partnership is broken.
458
00:49:07,880 --> 00:49:12,319
Life in the forest depends on
countless close relationships,
459
00:49:12,440 --> 00:49:15,119
but they are increasingly
under threat
460
00:49:15,240 --> 00:49:18,319
as forests
become more fragmented.
461
00:49:18,440 --> 00:49:20,119
The solution, of course,
462
00:49:20,240 --> 00:49:23,919
is to join these remaining
fragments together again.
463
00:49:24,040 --> 00:49:25,759
30 years ago,
464
00:49:25,880 --> 00:49:27,799
I came to this exact spot.
465
00:49:29,360 --> 00:49:30,599
This land belonged to
466
00:49:30,720 --> 00:49:33,119
a scientific research
establishment
467
00:49:33,240 --> 00:49:36,399
and it was covered with grass
being grazed by cattle.
468
00:49:36,520 --> 00:49:39,559
The scientists
got rid of the cattle
469
00:49:39,680 --> 00:49:42,679
and allowed nature
to take its course.
470
00:49:42,800 --> 00:49:44,519
Just look at it now!
471
00:49:54,120 --> 00:49:57,279
This new forest
has become a bridge
472
00:49:57,400 --> 00:49:59,719
that connects several
fragments,
473
00:49:59,840 --> 00:50:01,719
allowing plants and animals
474
00:50:01,840 --> 00:50:04,439
to both renew old connections
475
00:50:04,560 --> 00:50:06,599
and create fresh ones.
476
00:50:17,840 --> 00:50:21,519
Of course,
we urgently need to protect
477
00:50:21,640 --> 00:50:24,439
what healthy forests
still remain.
478
00:50:28,480 --> 00:50:29,999
But looking forward,
479
00:50:30,120 --> 00:50:33,759
we must take what may well be
our last chance
480
00:50:33,880 --> 00:50:36,719
to re-establish
the lost rainforest...
481
00:50:39,320 --> 00:50:43,999
...and help the tropical world
to heal itself.
482
00:50:45,960 --> 00:50:50,359
It will take the co-operation
of nations around the world,
483
00:50:50,480 --> 00:50:54,239
but it is the only way in which
we'll be able to
484
00:50:54,360 --> 00:50:57,439
preserve the treasures
of the tropical rainforest
485
00:50:57,560 --> 00:50:59,439
for future generations.
486
00:50:59,560 --> 00:51:01,479
And with it,
487
00:51:01,600 --> 00:51:05,079
ultimately protect all life
on this,
488
00:51:05,200 --> 00:51:07,959
our green planet.
489
00:51:24,120 --> 00:51:28,159
The aim of The Green Planet
team was to take the viewer
490
00:51:28,280 --> 00:51:30,879
into the world of plants,
so that it could be seen
491
00:51:31,000 --> 00:51:32,839
from the plants' perspective
492
00:51:32,960 --> 00:51:35,359
in a way that had not been
possible till now.
493
00:51:36,840 --> 00:51:41,119
That meant developing
an entirely new camera system.
494
00:51:47,040 --> 00:51:49,319
And this is the game-changer -
495
00:51:49,440 --> 00:51:52,919
a specially designed
robot camera
496
00:51:53,040 --> 00:51:56,479
that we affectionately call
"the Triffid".
497
00:52:00,080 --> 00:52:03,759
The Triffid started life in
the garage of an American
498
00:52:03,880 --> 00:52:06,039
ex-military engineer,
Chris Field.
499
00:52:06,160 --> 00:52:08,039
I'd seen quite a few of these
500
00:52:08,160 --> 00:52:09,839
Planet Earth style
documentaries,
501
00:52:09,960 --> 00:52:11,559
and they always absolutely
blew my mind,
502
00:52:11,680 --> 00:52:13,959
especially the botanic
time-lapse really spoke to me.
503
00:52:14,080 --> 00:52:18,639
In his spare time,
Chris spent a decade
504
00:52:18,760 --> 00:52:20,879
building elaborate
motion-controlled
505
00:52:21,000 --> 00:52:22,599
time-lapse camera rigs
506
00:52:22,720 --> 00:52:25,839
and teaching himself
how to film plants.
507
00:52:25,960 --> 00:52:30,119
Plants often behave like
animals in so many ways,
508
00:52:30,240 --> 00:52:32,359
and being able to see it
through time-lapse is one thing
509
00:52:32,480 --> 00:52:35,679
but using the motion-control
brings you into that timescale.
510
00:52:40,480 --> 00:52:42,719
We could really see
the potential
511
00:52:42,840 --> 00:52:44,279
in how we could use
512
00:52:44,400 --> 00:52:46,719
this sort of movement
to bring plants alive
513
00:52:46,840 --> 00:52:49,959
and film them in the same way
that we film animals.
514
00:52:51,320 --> 00:52:53,759
Soon, Chris joins the team
515
00:52:53,880 --> 00:52:56,079
in a quiet corner
of the Devon countryside
516
00:52:56,200 --> 00:52:59,279
and the robot army begins
to take shape.
517
00:53:00,920 --> 00:53:02,959
After 40 years
of filming time-lapse,
518
00:53:03,080 --> 00:53:06,399
these rigs have opened up
a whole new world for us.
519
00:53:07,720 --> 00:53:11,239
So it'll be like
hovering around something
520
00:53:11,360 --> 00:53:13,999
with a drone or helicopter,
but in a time-lapse speed.
521
00:53:15,440 --> 00:53:19,439
The Holy Grail for us is being
able to take this technology
522
00:53:19,560 --> 00:53:22,719
out into the wild, try and get
the same sorts of dynamic moves
523
00:53:22,840 --> 00:53:25,559
in some of the most extreme
environments in the world.
524
00:53:27,800 --> 00:53:29,759
So what we needed to do
525
00:53:29,880 --> 00:53:31,719
was to develop this technology
even further.
526
00:53:31,840 --> 00:53:37,199
Six months later,
the Triffid is born...
527
00:53:37,320 --> 00:53:42,079
...and with slight trepidation,
they hand me the controls.
528
00:53:42,200 --> 00:53:44,679
That makes it go away...
529
00:53:44,800 --> 00:53:48,519
and this makes it come back...
530
00:53:48,640 --> 00:53:51,599
...and this sends it up...
531
00:53:55,320 --> 00:53:56,799
Ooh!
532
00:53:56,920 --> 00:53:59,319
I think I'd better hand it over
to the experts.
533
00:54:01,760 --> 00:54:04,119
Now it's time to put this new
member of the team
534
00:54:04,240 --> 00:54:06,879
properly through its paces.
535
00:54:07,000 --> 00:54:09,319
The aim here
536
00:54:09,440 --> 00:54:12,199
is for Ollie to find a target,
aim for it
537
00:54:12,320 --> 00:54:14,039
and fly through it,
as if he is a tiny fly
538
00:54:14,160 --> 00:54:15,999
going through a hole in a leaf.
539
00:54:16,120 --> 00:54:18,559
Easier said than done.
540
00:54:18,680 --> 00:54:20,559
- Oops!
- I'm trying to find a target.
541
00:54:22,440 --> 00:54:23,599
Whether the kit's going to
542
00:54:23,720 --> 00:54:26,359
stand up to that sort of use
543
00:54:26,480 --> 00:54:28,919
and the abuse that we throw
at most pieces of kit
544
00:54:29,040 --> 00:54:30,479
has yet to be seen.
545
00:54:30,600 --> 00:54:34,039
In the studio, it seems to be
working pretty well.
546
00:54:34,160 --> 00:54:37,399
But this is only
a dress rehearsal.
547
00:54:37,520 --> 00:54:39,599
It's time for the Triffid
to face the challenges
548
00:54:39,720 --> 00:54:42,239
of the Costa Rican rainforest
549
00:54:42,360 --> 00:54:44,079
and leafcutter ants.
550
00:54:50,400 --> 00:54:54,279
We want to film their journey
all the way
551
00:54:54,400 --> 00:54:57,079
down the trunk
and along this buttress root
552
00:54:57,200 --> 00:54:58,639
and down to their nest.
553
00:55:00,760 --> 00:55:02,959
The team and the Triffid
need several days
554
00:55:03,080 --> 00:55:04,479
of dry weather,
555
00:55:04,600 --> 00:55:06,919
but a storm can hit
at any moment...
556
00:55:08,440 --> 00:55:11,759
...and rain is one thing
the Triffid does not like.
557
00:55:13,400 --> 00:55:15,279
The conditions
that we're working in now
558
00:55:15,400 --> 00:55:17,039
are a little bit more
challenging than the studio.
559
00:55:19,280 --> 00:55:22,599
All the ground is really bumpy.
560
00:55:22,720 --> 00:55:24,279
We've got loads of plants
in the way.
561
00:55:24,400 --> 00:55:26,879
I know we're making a series
about plants,
562
00:55:27,000 --> 00:55:29,479
but sometimes they're
a complete pain in the neck.
563
00:55:31,080 --> 00:55:34,319
The Triffid needs to be
programmed
564
00:55:34,440 --> 00:55:37,599
to capture images from 7,000
different camera positions
565
00:55:37,720 --> 00:55:39,639
of the ants' trail.
566
00:55:41,280 --> 00:55:43,439
Just one drop of rain
on the lens,
567
00:55:43,560 --> 00:55:44,919
or a wobble,
568
00:55:45,040 --> 00:55:47,559
and the whole process
will have to start again.
569
00:55:47,680 --> 00:55:50,439
I think this is when
we're going to find out
570
00:55:50,560 --> 00:55:54,479
if our ambition
outweighs our ability.
571
00:55:57,640 --> 00:56:00,559
For the crew,
the ambition is certainly high.
572
00:56:02,880 --> 00:56:07,199
Fortunately, it's all down
to the Triffid now.
573
00:56:15,960 --> 00:56:18,839
We've been filming the ants
with the Triffid
574
00:56:18,960 --> 00:56:20,479
for eight days now,
575
00:56:20,600 --> 00:56:24,199
and we're on our third set-up.
It's pretty slow going.
576
00:56:25,320 --> 00:56:28,359
While the Triffid seems to be
handling the pressure well,
577
00:56:28,480 --> 00:56:32,999
for the crew, trying to take
a tree's-eye view of ants
578
00:56:33,120 --> 00:56:34,999
is turning into
a bit of a nightmare.
579
00:56:37,120 --> 00:56:40,919
Wake up, film ants,
go to sleep, dream of ants.
580
00:56:41,040 --> 00:56:44,319
Wake up, film ants, sleep,
dream of ants.
581
00:56:44,440 --> 00:56:45,879
Wake up, film ants,
582
00:56:46,000 --> 00:56:48,079
go to sleep, dream of ants.
583
00:56:51,360 --> 00:56:53,879
After two weeks in the jungle,
584
00:56:54,000 --> 00:56:56,839
ambition and ability
finally come together...
585
00:56:56,960 --> 00:56:58,479
...for the Triffid, at least.
586
00:56:58,600 --> 00:57:01,879
Thousands of individual images
587
00:57:02,000 --> 00:57:04,999
creating a single
extraordinary time-lapse...
588
00:57:07,000 --> 00:57:09,599
...one that follows
a river of leaves
589
00:57:09,720 --> 00:57:12,959
across the jungle floor
from a unique perspective.
590
00:57:17,200 --> 00:57:20,239
For the Triffid,
this was just the beginning.
591
00:57:22,200 --> 00:57:24,359
Take a bow, Triffid.
45233
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