So far, more than 350 miles of underwater galleries in the Yucatan have been mapped, 人们迄今为止已绘制了350英里的 尤卡坦半岛地下水系图
roots of giant tropical trees have pushed their way through cracks in the limestone 大型热带树木的根系 却已穿透石灰岩裂缝
The cenotes are, in effect, gigantic fresh water wells. 沼穴于是成了巨大的淡水井
But in the darkness of the cave tunnels 但是在黑暗的洞穴通道内
Structures like these in North America's Carlsbad Cavern 北美洲卡尔斯巴德溶洞中的这些构造
But sometimes the formations in a cave stop growing altogether. 但有时洞穴内的这些活动会完全停止
These flooded caves in Mexico have remained virtually unchanged for thousands of years. 墨西哥的这些水洞 几千年来几乎保持不变
Variations in water flow and the air currents 水流和气流的变化
and when it meets the air in the cave 当它与洞内空气接触时
But water in caves doesn't only erode. 可是洞里的水不光只是侵蚀