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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

00:33:27

Ep. 399 - Remembering a Cycad Defender

In Defense of Plants Podcast ·

2022/12/11

This episode is dedicated to the memory of world-renowned cycad expert Dr. Nathalie Nagalingum who sadly passed away. I first spoke with Dr. Nagalingum back in 2017 where she opened my eyes to the plight of cycads. Did you know that cycads are the most endangered group of organisms on the planet? We are officially facing a cycad crisis but luckily there are people like Dr. Nathalie Nagalingum from the California Academy of Sciences who have devoted their life to understanding and protecting these

en-US

01:06:06

Ep. 398 - Tall Trees & the Habitats They Create

In Defense of Plants Podcast ·

2022/12/04

Tall trees are true marvels of nature in and of themselves, but the habitats they create can take our fascination and appreciation to whole new levels. Dr. Steve Sillett has spent his career climbing giant trees and uncovering remarkable insights into their ecologies. Join us for a celebration of tall trees and learn how we can better manage the forests they comprise. This episode was produced in part by Randi, Caelan, Tom, Don, Susan, Corbin, Keena, Robin, Peter, Whitney, Kenned, Margaret, Daniel,

en-US

00:53:17

Ep. 397 - Grappling with the Hawthorns

In Defense of Plants Podcast ·

2022/11/27

The hawthorns (Crataegus spp.) are in intriguing group of small trees. They are members of a genus that has sparked plenty of controversy and debate among taxonomists for decades and it doesn't appear to be slowing down any time soon. Regardless of the confusion they cause, there is no denying that hawthorns are as beautiful as they are ecologically important. Join me and botanist Ron Lance as we take a deep dive into the world of hawthorns and learn how he has been contributing to our understanding

en-US

00:37:55

Ep. 396 - The Secrets of Seagrass Pollination

In Defense of Plants Podcast ·

2022/11/20

For seagrasses, living life underwater comes with a lot of unique challenges, not the least of which is pollination. This is especially true when you consider the fact that their flowers are both ephemeral and borne submerged. Figuring out the means by which seagrasses reproduce is important to their conversation and restoration, but was largely unknown until about a decade ago. Join me and Dr. Vivian Solis-Weiss as we discuss how her work on benthic marine organisms such as polychaete worms

en-US

00:45:30

Ep. 395 - Botany in the Garden

In Defense of Plants Podcast ·

2022/11/13

I am a big fan of the "grow it to know it" philosophy. Growing plants provides so many important insights into the botanical world. However, for so many of us, figuring out where to start can be daunting. Botany, after all, is a massive subject. That is where books like "A Gardener's Guide to Botany" factor in. Dr. Scott Zona returns to the podcast to talk about his new book and why melding botany and gardening is so powerful. This episode was produced in part by Caelan, Tom, Don, Susan, Corbin,

en-US

01:25:50

Ep. 394 - Insect Herbivory Past & Present

In Defense of Plants Podcast ·

2022/11/06

Insect herbivory is a major driver of ecosystem processes across ecosystems, but how has it changed through time? Wouldn't it be amazing to travel back through time to see how much plant-insect interactions have changed? Essentially, that is what Dr. Lauren Azevedo-Schmidt is able to do using both modern and fossilized leaves. Join us as we explore how much insect herbivory rates have changed through time and learn some of the surprising results that have come from investigating this topic and how

en-US

00:52:46

Ep. 393 - Threats to U.S. Trees

In Defense of Plants Podcast ·

2022/10/30

What are the threats to all the trees in the U.S.? To answer this question, you first have to figure out how many species there are and comb through data gathered by hundreds of dedicated biologists, ecologists, and more. Join me and Dr. Murphy Westwood as we discuss the first comprehensive threat assessment for US trees that could not have been done without partners such as BGCI-US, NatureServe, US Botanic Garden, and the US Forest Service. This episode was produced in part by Caelan, Tom, Don,

en-US

00:44:04

Ep. 392 - Botanizing Down Under

In Defense of Plants Podcast ·

2022/10/23

Plant ecologist Sara Johnson and I look back at a recent botanical adventure in southern Australia with fondness. Never before have we been exposed to such distinct biodiversity compared to what we are used to. Listen in as we talk about some of the amazing plants and animals we met along the way. This episode was produced in part by Caelan, Tom, Don, Susan, Corbin, Keena, Robin, Peter, Whitney, Kenned, Margaret, Daniel, Karen, David, Earl, Jocelyn, Gary, Krysta, Elizabeth, Southern California

en-US

00:29:32

Ep. 391 - A Non-Model, Model Plant Group

In Defense of Plants Podcast ·

2022/10/16

Today we are focusing on a strange genus of plants in the family Euphorbiaceae. The Dalechampia can be found growing in tropical forests throughout much of the world. We revisit a 2018 discussion I had with Dr. Scott Armbruster, who has spent his entire academic career using Dalechampia as what he likes to call "a non-mode, model system" for studying the evolutionary ecology of pollinator syndromes. Dalechampia are largely pollinated by resin- and fragrance-collecting bees. Join us for a fascinating

en-US

00:44:07

Ep. 390 - Pinosaur Revisited

In Defense of Plants Podcast ·

2022/10/09

The Wollemi pine is one of the world's rarest trees. These mysterious gymnosperms was unknown to science until 1994. Their discovery made headlines around the globe. My guest today, Dr. Heidi Zimmer, has the distinct honor of working with this wonderful species. Join us for a conversation all about Wollemia nobilis. This episode was produced in part by Caelan, Tom, Don, Susan, Corbin, Keena, Robin, Peter, Whitney, Kenned, Margaret, Daniel, Karen, David, Earl, Jocelyn, Gary, Krysta, Elizabeth,

en-US

Ep. 389 - Old Growth Grasslands

In Defense of Plants Podcast ·

2022/10/02

Grasslands are in desperate need of both protecting and restoring. These important and diverse ecosystems have long been viewed as less important than forests but that could not be farther from the truth. Join me and Dr. Katharine Suding as we look at the importance of old growth grasslands and what they can teach us about grassland restoration. This episode was produced in part by Caelan, Don, Susan, Corbin, Keena, Robin, Peter, Whitney, Kenned, Margaret, Daniel, Karen, David, Earl, Jocelyn, Gary,

en-US

00:48:04

Ep. 388 - Sprucey Soils

In Defense of Plants Podcast ·

2022/09/25

Plants help create soil just as much as they depend on it for their survival. Understanding how this affects the ecosystems that plants comprise can provide novel and important insights into ecosystem restoration and health. Soil geographer Dr. Jim Thompson joins us to discuss his recent work on red spruce (Picea rubens) soils and how it can be used to inform everything from red spruce restoration to carbon cycles and climate change. This episode was produced in part by Don, Susan, Corbin, Keena,

en-US

00:52:20

Ep. 387 - A Sequenced Fern Genome

In Defense of Plants Podcast ·

2022/09/18

Ferns may have an ancient evolutionary history and enjoy something of a celebrity status among the botanically and non-botanically minded alike, but a fully sequenced fern genome has been hard to come by... until now. Join me and Dr. Blaine Marchant as we explore what it took to sequence the genome of the water fern (Ceratopteris richardii) and all of the amazing discoveries and questions they have unlocked. From massive its massive genome to its ability to steal genes from bacteria, this fern has a

en-US

00:37:20

Ep. 386 - Rethinking Black Walnut Allelopathy

In Defense of Plants Podcast ·

2022/09/11

"Don't garden under a black walnut!" If you garden in eastern North America, you may have heard some form of this advice at one point or another. Indeed, Juglans nigra has a negative reputation for being allelopathic or producing compounds that hurt neighboring plants. However, is this reputation warranted or is it a case of unscientific propaganda? Bill Michalek of The Field Guides Podcast joins us for a discussion about the science of black walnut allelopathy and what he reveals may not be the

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00:32:38

Ep. 385 - Plants = Habitat

In Defense of Plants Podcast ·

2022/09/04

Habitat destruction is the leading cause of extinction on this planet. Plants = Habitat. There is no way around it. We revisit a conversation I had with Pierson Hill, a biologist at the Fish and Wildlife Research Institute in Florida. Pierson and his colleagues are working hard at bringing the endangered flatwoods salamander back from the brink of extinction. To do so, they must first restore the longleaf pine habitats it relies on. Such work has turned this amphibian and reptile lover into a plant

en-US

00:43:43

Ep. 384 - Arborvitae on the Limit

In Defense of Plants Podcast ·

2022/08/28

Edge of range dynamics are always fascinating. Range edges present lots of unique challenges for which plants must contend. When you throw humans into the mix, those challenges often become far more extreme. Join me and plant ecologist Sara Johnson as we look at a system involving hydrology, road salt, and the ever charismatic white cedar or arborvitae (Thuja occidentalis). This episode was produced in part by Corbin, Keena, Robin, Peter, Whitney, Kenned, Margaret, Daniel, Karen, David, Earl,

en-US

00:27:55

Ep. 383 - Aroid Pollination is Wild!

In Defense of Plants Podcast ·

2022/08/21

This episode, we revisit a conversation I had with University of Vienna PhD student Florian Etl regarding an in depth look at a pollination system involving some of our most beloved houseplants. Florian focuses on genera like Philodendron, Anthurium, Dieffenbachia, and Spathiphyllum to shine light on how the plants manage to reproduce in the hyper diverse rainforests of Costa Rica. This is not easy work by any means but Florian and his colleagues are finding out new and wonderful things about the

en-US

00:51:23

Ep. 382 - The Rediscovery of an Extinct Oak

In Defense of Plants Podcast ·

2022/08/14

Extinction due to human activity is a terrible thing, but every once in a while, a species thought to be extinct is rediscovered. If we are extremely lucky, small populations still exist in the wild. If we are less lucky, only a single individual remains. Join me and NatureServe botanist Wes Knapp as we discuss the rediscovery of Quercus tardifolia and the idea of extinction gardens.This episode was produced in part by Keena, Robin, Peter, Whitney, Kenned, Margaret, Daniel, Karen, David, Earl,

en-US

00:54:25

Ep. 381 - American Ginseng Revisited

In Defense of Plants Podcast ·

2022/08/07

What is American ginseng (Panax quinquefolius) and why is it becoming increasingly rare in North American forests. In this episode, we revisit a conversation I had back in 2015 with Dave DeViney, a scientist deeply passionate about this plant. As you will hear, despite being highly valued in the herbal trade, surprisingly little is known about this plant an its ecology. This episode was produced in part by Robin, Peter, Whitney, Kenned, Margaret, Daniel, Karen, David, Earl, Jocelyn, Gary, Krysta,

en-US

00:46:22

Ep. 380 - Learning to Grow Plants on the Moon

In Defense of Plants Podcast ·

2022/07/31

Can we grow plants in moon soil or regolith? If so, how are they going to respond? These are the kinds of questions Dr. Robert Ferl and his colleagues set out to answer in their latest experiment. Tune in and learn how an emergency rover repair during the last Apollo mission and over a decade of patience and planning have now provided answers as well as generated even more fascinating questions to explore. This episode was produced in part by Whitney, Kenned, Margaret, Daniel, Karen, David, Earl,

en-US

319 results

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