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PODCAST

In Defense of Plants Podcast

In Defense of Plants

Plants are everything. They are also incredibly interesting. From the smallest duckweed to the tallest redwood, the botanical world is full of wonder. Tune in for a podcast celebrating everything botany.

science & medicine natural sciences

All Episodes

00:38:52

Ep. 419 - Ant Dispersal Revisited

In Defense of Plants Podcast ·

2023/04/30

What started as a question about some strange "seeds" in ant ant nest turned into an explosion of scientific investigations into the links between oaks, gall wasps, and ants. We revisit a conversation with Dr. Robert Warren in which we discuss the mind-blowing evolutionary insights that can come from natural history observations and what they could mean for seed dispersal in spring ephemerals. This episode was produced in part by Rick, Kazys, Dorothy, Katherine, Emily, Theo, Nichole, Paul, Karen,

en-US

00:44:31

Ep. 418 - Resisting the Hemlock Woolly Adelgid

In Defense of Plants Podcast ·

2023/04/23

The hemlock woolly adelgid has devastated hemlock populations throughout eastern North America and climate change is only going to make things worse for native Tsuga species. Understanding how to combat such invasive pests is vitally important for species survival and ecosystem health. One fruitful avenue of research involves understanding the capacity for natural resistance in some hemlock trees. Join me and Ecologist Ian Kinahan as we discuss the ins and outs of woolly adelgid resistance and how

en-US

00:53:46

Ep. 417 - Coping with Change as an Alpine Plant

In Defense of Plants Podcast ·

2023/04/16

Environmental change is something that all organisms must deal with throughout their life. This is especially true for long-lived plants. Adapt or die is often the only options available for most plants, but predicting their responses can be extremely difficult. That is where people like Dr. Megan DeMarche come in. Using long term datasets on centuries old alpine plants, Dr. DeMarche and her colleagues are hard at work trying to understand how alpine plants may or may not adapt to rapid changes in

en-US

00:52:45

Ep. 416 - Duckweed Microbiomes

In Defense of Plants Podcast ·

2023/04/09

The group of plants collectively referred to as "duckweeds" are full of superlatives. Duckweeds boast the smallest flowers in the world, the smallest seeds in the world, and are among the fastest growing plants in the world. Despite their small stature, they also play host to a surprisingly diverse microbiome. How this microbiome affects duckweeds, especially in the context of environmental stresses like pollution has massive implications that stretch far beyond the plants themselves. Join me and

en-US

00:35:54

Ep. 415 - Inside the Minds of Bees

In Defense of Plants Podcast ·

2023/04/02

Thoughts, Memories, Personalities... These aren't concepts that readily jump to mind when someone says bees, but Dr. Stephen Buchmann is here to tell you they should! Join us as we discuss his new book "What a Bee Knows" and what it can teach us about how bees' perception of the world has shaped plants over evolutionary time. This episode was produced in part by Dorothy, Katherine, Emily, Theo, Nichole, Paul, Karen, Randi, Caelan, Tom, Don, Susan, Corbin, Keena, Robin, Peter, Whitney, Kenned,

en-US

00:51:56

Ep. 414 - Tales from an Accidental Botanist

In Defense of Plants Podcast ·

2023/03/26

When it comes to habitat rehabilitation, making native plant diversity a high priority will greatly increase your chances of success. Healthy, diverse plant communities set the foundation for biodiversity. Such a realization was what set my guest Jeff Talbert on his current career path. This college football coach turned wetland restoration specialist considers himself an accidental botanist but wouldn't change anything about how he got to where he is today. Join us as we talk about what it takes to

en-US

00:58:18

Ep. 413 - Down the Redbud Rabbit Hole

In Defense of Plants Podcast ·

2023/03/19

When it comes to plants, there are more unknowns than knowns, even for very familiar species. You never know where even seemingly simple questions can lead you. Such was the case for Dr. Jorge Alberto Santiago-Blay when he decided to ask a question about the beloved redbud tree (Cercis canadensis). What followed was multiple years of collaborative research projects aimed at understanding the life history of this species in more detail. Join us as we explore a lifelong journey to learn about life on

en-US

01:11:50

Ep. 412 - A Trip on the Scrub Mint Time Machine

In Defense of Plants Podcast ·

2023/03/12

The links between plant taxonomy, evolution, geology, and conservation are not always obvious. It can be very difficult to seamlessly tie these worlds together in a meaningful way, but Botanical Curator of the Wertheim Conservatory Dr. Andre Naranjo has managed to do just that. The scrub mints (e.g. Conradina and Dicerandra) have provided him with an amazing window back in time that allows he and his colleagues to better understand the geologic history of the Florida peninsula, how endemic plants

en-US

00:45:36

Ep. 411 - Chollas & Biodiversity Revisited

In Defense of Plants Podcast ·

2023/03/05

When Dr. Jon Rebman decided to take on the diversity of cholla cacti, little did he know what he was getting into. Luckily, this work led him down a road stoked by a deep passion for understanding the biodiversity of not only cacti, but the entire flora of southern California and the Baja Peninsula. Dr. Rebman believes in maintaining a classical botanist’s approach to his work and as you will hear in our conversation, this has been quite fruitful. Thanks to Dr. Rebman and his colleagues, we have a

en-US

00:41:18

Ep. 410 - Phenology is Important

In Defense of Plants Podcast ·

2023/02/26

Phenology is defined as "the study of cyclic and seasonal natural phenomena, especially in relation to climate and plant and animal life." Far from being a fun topic to investigate, plant phenology is a very important component of how ecosystems operate. The timing of important events like bud break and reproduction can have massive implications on everything from insect population dynamics to reproduction in birds. Join me and Samantha Brewer as we discuss phenology and how you can contribute to

en-US

00:56:35

Ep. 409 - Butterflies in a Changing World

In Defense of Plants Podcast ·

2023/02/19

Butterflies and plants are inextricably linked. It stands to reason then that if you want healthy butterfly populations, you first need plant diversity on the landscape. Join me and Dr. Katy Prudic as we explore her research into how we can better manage the human environment, especially in suburban and urban areas, to be good habitat for butterflies. Learn how citizen science opportunities are helping her and her colleagues understand everything from the impact of climate change and the presence of

en-US

00:35:58

Ep. 408 - Prairie Up!

In Defense of Plants Podcast ·

2023/02/12

Do you want to bring native plants into your life in ways that will inspire others? Do you want to turn whatever space you have into habitat that fosters biodiversity? Diving into the world of ecological landscaping may seem daunting at first, but books like "Prairie Up" helps turn the learning curve in an exciting on-ramp. Join me and author Benjamin Vogt as we dive into the inspiration and philosophy behind this amazing and beautiful book. This episode was produced in part by Emily, Theo, Nichole,

en-US

00:56:41

Ep. 407 - Orchid Bees: Botanical Perfumers

In Defense of Plants Podcast ·

2023/02/05

Orchid bees are not your average pollinators. Hailing from tropical regions of the Americas, these little gems have complex relationships with a variety of plants focussed on perfume production. Join Dr. Santiago Ramírez and me as we dive into the wildly fragrant world of orchid bee ecology and learn how their quest for scents has shaped myriad tropical plant lineages. This episode was produced in part by Emily, Theo, Nichole, Paul, Karen, Randi, Caelan, Tom, Don, Susan, Corbin, Keena, Robin, Peter,

en-US

00:55:49

Ep. 406 - Reconstructing Ancient Plants

In Defense of Plants Podcast ·

2023/01/29

What does it take to reconstruct a plant that went extinct hundreds of millions of years ago? How do you find the right context to place it in when so much has changed? These are just some of the questions we explore in this episode. Dr. Jeff Benca returns to the podcast to talk to us about how he approaches paleobotanical reconstruction both as a scientist and an artist. This episode was produced in part by Theo, Nichole, Paul, Karen, Randi, Caelan, Tom, Don, Susan, Corbin, Keena, Robin, Peter,

en-US

00:44:37

Ep. 405 - Early Land Plants & Earth's Ancient Climate

In Defense of Plants Podcast ·

2023/01/22

The earliest days of land plant evolution have long thought to have occurred in a hot house environment fueled by high CO2 levels. However, recent investigations suggest this may not have been the case and that small plants, not forests, had a massive role to play. Join me and Dr. Tais W Dahl as we travel back over 400 million years to the Devonian Period and discuss how small relatives of lycopods may have altered Earth's atmosphere to such a degree that the Devonian climate may have been more

en-US

00:53:59

Ep. 404 - The Secrets of Vanilla Dispersal

In Defense of Plants Podcast ·

2023/01/15

Vanilla scent and flavoring is loved the world over, but what is the story behind vanillin, the compound responsible for producing these properties? Many theories as to its ecological function have been put forward over the last century and finally we can put the debate to rest. My guest today is Dr. Adam Karremans who teamed up with a handful of biologists to observe and experiment with Vanilla fruits to understand why these orchids produce one of the world's most delightful compounds. Join us as

en-US

00:45:58

Ep. 403 - Fossil Bryophytes Revisited

In Defense of Plants Podcast ·

2023/01/08

The odds of any living material becoming fossilized are extremely rare, especially if that living thing is a moss, liverwort, or hornwort. It does happen, however, and my guest today is dedicating his career to studying and understanding what bryophyte fossils can tell us. We revisit a conversation with Alex Bippus, who at the time was a PhD student at Oregon State, to learn about his fascinating work studying fossilized bryophytes. From climate change to evolution, there seems to be no end to the

en-US

00:36:22

Ep. 402 - Plant Communities & Trails

In Defense of Plants Podcast ·

2023/01/01

Have you ever wondered about the impact of outdoor recreation on plant communities? Trinie Chisholm certainly has. Together with her colleagues, Trinie sought to investigate how offroad vehicle and other type of trails are impacting plants in Canada'sCastle Provincial Park. Her work is a great example of how multiple stakeholders can come together to collaborate on more sustainable outdoor recreation activities so that we can continue to enjoy nature in a variety of ways for generations to come.This

en-US

00:33:22

Ep. 401 - Seeing the Forest for its Bats

In Defense of Plants Podcast ·

2022/12/25

Many bats need forests and, as it turns out, those forests need bats. We are well aware that the majority of North America's bats eat insects, but what is the impact of their insectivorous diet on forest health? Join me and Dr. Lizz Beilke as we uncover the answers to this question and more. This episode was produced in part by Randi, Caelan, Tom, Don, Susan, Corbin, Keena, Robin, Peter, Whitney, Kenned, Margaret, Daniel, Karen, David, Earl, Jocelyn, Gary, Krysta, Elizabeth, Southern California

en-US

00:43:11

Ep. 400 - The Root of an Ancient Mass Extinction

In Defense of Plants Podcast ·

2022/12/18

We take plant roots for granted, but there was a time in Earth's history when roots had yet to evolve. As you are going to hear from Professor of Earth Sciences, Dr. Gabe Filippelli, when roots did evolve, they may have set in motion a mass extinction of oceanic proportions. Learn what he and his colleagues have discovered and what it can teach us about Earth's biosphere moving forward. This episode was produced in part by Randi, Caelan, Tom, Don, Susan, Corbin, Keena, Robin, Peter, Whitney, Kenned,

en-US

319 results

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