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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

00:56:03

Ep. 299 - Aquatic Plants & Phytoremediation

In Defense of Plants Podcast ·

2021/01/10

Grab your snorkel and goggles because this episode takes us underwater. I sit down for a conversation with Assistant Professor Dr. La Toya Kissoon-Charles about the ways in which aquatic plants both impact and are impacted by their watery environment. From insights into water chemistry and the impacts of land-use change to the potential to clean up polluted waters, Dr. Kissoon-Charles unveils an exciting world of scientific discovery. This podcast was produced in part by Melody, Azomonas, Ellie,

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00:51:09

Ep. 298 - Living the Gypsum Life: How Geology Can...

In Defense of Plants Podcast ·

2021/01/03

You may have heard of the mineral gypsum through its use in making plasters, chalks, and drywall, but are you aware of its influence on plant speciation? Indeed, soils heavy in gypsum present unique challenges to plant growth but that doesn't mean plants haven't been able to conquer such substrates. In this episode, I sit down to talk with Dr. Mike Moore about his research on how gypsum-based soils have resulted in remarkable evolutionary radiations on a global scale. Along the way we gain important

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00:51:32

Ep. 297 - A Deep Dive on the Cashew Family

In Defense of Plants Podcast ·

2020/12/27

What do cashews (Anacardium spp.), mangoes (Mangifera spp.), pistachios (Pistacia spp.), and poison ivy (Toxicodendron spp.) have in common? They are all members of the family Anacardiaceae! In this episode, I sit down with Deputy Executive Director at the United States Botanic Garden, Dr. Susan Pell, who has devoted her career to understanding this incredible and surprisingly diverse family. Join us as we discuss everything from their evolutionary relationships to the remarkable ways in which some

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01:02:31

Ep. 296 - Expanding Your Barberry Horizon

In Defense of Plants Podcast ·

2020/12/20

In this episode, we do a deep dive into the barberry family, Berberidaceae, with environmentalist, author, and garden designer Lyndon Penner. Many of us will be familiar with the Mahonias or the prickly barberry shrubs, but they overshadow some of the more interesting members of this clade. Join us as we talk about the wonderful diversity of woodland herbs and wax poetic about all the inspiration they can bring you both in the wild and in the garden. Lyndon's intoxicating passion for plants will

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00:45:13

Ep. 295 - Sniffing Out Solutions: How Dogs Can Help...

In Defense of Plants Podcast ·

2020/12/13

Dogs are among our oldest companions. Our propensity for cohabitation and collaboration leads to unique bonds that are rare in the animal kingdom. In this episode we sit down with members of Rogue Detection Teams to talk about how some dogs are even helping save plants. From finding invasive species to sniffing out plant diseases, dogs are proving to be excellent conservation assistants. Moreover, this work is giving many dogs a second chance at life. Join me as I sit down with Heath Smith and

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01:03:11

Ep. 294 - Herbaria: Past, Present, and Future

In Defense of Plants Podcast ·

2020/12/06

This episode takes a deep dive into the past, present, and future of herbaria. I sit down with Director of the William and Lynda Steere Herbarium, Dr. Barbara M. Thiers about her new book "Herbarium: The Quest to Preserve and Classify the World's Plants." Dr. Thiers has spent a lifetime thinking about and working in herbaria and she recognized the importance of telling their stories. Listen in as we discuss humanity’s impulse to save things. This podcast was produced in part by Peter, Cathrine,

en-US

00:54:54

Ep. 293 - How Plants Fight Disease

In Defense of Plants Podcast ·

2020/11/29

From plant conservation to food security, we desperately need to understand how plants fight disease. As you can probably imagine, the world of plant-microbe interactions is vast and complicated but that's where people like Dr. Kevin Cox Jr come in. Currently a post-doc at the Danforth Plant Science Center, his work has him looking at disease-causing fungi at high resolutions. By understanding the genes involved in plant responses to fungal infection, Dr. Cox is helping paint a clearer picture of

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00:55:56

Ep. 292 - Investigating the Black Market Trade in...

In Defense of Plants Podcast ·

2020/11/22

Plant poaching is abhorrent and we can’t work towards a solution without a proper understanding of the motivations behind it. That's where people like Dr. Jared Margulies come in. In this episode we sit down to talk about what he learned through investigating the illicit trade is one of North Americas most stunning succulents, Dudleya farinosa. What Dr. Margulies uncovered was a complex economy driven by highly specialized collectors, rather than "housewives and hipsters." Join us for an in depth

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00:53:08

Ep. 291 - Tales from the Cliff: Preventing Brighamia...

In Defense of Plants Podcast ·

2020/11/15

From feral goats, pigs, and deer, to the extinction of it's suspected pollinator, the ʻŌlulu (Brighamia insignis) has a lot stacked against it. Yet, despite being extinct in the wild, the ʻŌlulu is surprisingly common in cultivation all thanks for a handful of seed collections made a few decades ago. Today we are joined by Conservation Biologist for the National Tropical Botanical Garden, Seana Walsh to talk about all of the work being done to make sure this rare Hawaiian lobelioid is not lost for

en-US

01:00:49

Ep. 290 - The Chemical Symphony of Plant Perception

In Defense of Plants Podcast ·

2020/11/08

Plant perception: few topics are the subject of more pseudoscience and misinformation than this one. Luckily there are people like Dr. Lauren Erland who exist to shine a scientific light on the topic. Dr. Erland studies, among other things, the role of plant growth regulators in plant perception and response to changes in their environment, specifically serotonin and melatonin. Join us as we take a deep dive into the chemically complex world of plant perception. This podcast was produced in part by

en-US

01:06:40

Ep. 289 - The Personal Journey of Gardening

In Defense of Plants Podcast ·

2020/11/01

Writer, naturalist, and gardener Dan Hinkley returns to the podcast to talk about his new book "Windcliff: A Story of People, Plants, and Gardens," which is a touchingly honest tale of his own journey in creating his own personal garden. Dan is unique in blending his own naturalist-brand of plant appreciation with sentiments of horticulture and design. Throughout we learn about just how personal and fulfilling the act of gardening can truly be, especially when the rest of the world seems to be

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01:04:46

Ep. 288 - Doin' Good by Grasses

In Defense of Plants Podcast ·

2020/10/25

Whether we realize it or not, this planet and all life on it are influenced by grasses. Among the most important are grasses belonging to the tribe Andropogoneae. Members of this group include crops such as corn, sugarcane, and sorghum, as well as ecologically important species like big bluestem. Despite their importance, we know surprisingly little about these plants, especially as it related to conservation. Luckily there are people like Taylor AuBuchon, Senior Technician for the Kellogg Lab at

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01:12:49

Ep. 287 - Invasion Meltdowns

In Defense of Plants Podcast ·

2020/10/18

Invasive species are second only to habitat destruction in causing loss of biodiversity on this planet. Moving one species to a habitat where it didn't evolve or even giving native species a new advantage can cause ripples that spread throughout the entire ecosystem. Returning to the podcast to talk about these issues is plant pathologist, Dr. Kristin Wickert. Join us and learn about the myriad ways invasive species affects the environments on which all life relies. This podcast was produced in part

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01:04:24

Ep. 286 - Grappling With Plant Extinctions

In Defense of Plants Podcast ·

2020/10/11

This episode is all about one of the most difficult topics in natural history - extinction. Plants set the foundation for nearly all life on Earth and yet they receive a mere fraction of the attention and effort needed to conserve them. Recent estimates indicate that 40% of the world's plant species are threatened with extinction and that is a scary statistic. One of the biggest hurdles in the fight against plant extinction is figuring out which plants are most at risk. Thanks to my guest today, we

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00:47:35

Ep. 285 - Eyes in the Sky: Plant Conservation's...

In Defense of Plants Podcast ·

2020/10/04

Treacherous topography can often serve as a safeguard for rare plant populations. Being difficult or even impossible to reach can protect plants from the myriad pressures that threaten them. Imagine what we could find tucked away among cliffs and ledges where most animals cannot venture. My gust today has managed to find a novel way of surveying plant communities in such habitats. Joining us is GIS Specialist and Drone Program Coordinator of the National Tropical Botanical Garden, Ben Nyberg. Ben

en-US

01:01:24

Ep. 284 - Trees in a Changing Climate

In Defense of Plants Podcast ·

2020/09/27

Climates have always changed but thanks to human activity it is happening at an ever-increasing rate. For sessile organisms like trees, this often means either adapting in place or risk going extinct. However predicting the outcomes of climate change on life is extremely challenging and differs depending on what kinds of plants you're looking at and where you are studying them. This is where people like my guest come in. Angie Patterson is a PhD student at Columbia University and she is studying how

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00:51:07

Ep. 283 - The Cultural and Ecological Implications of...

In Defense of Plants Podcast ·

2020/09/20

This episode is dedicated to the trade of a culinary ingredient that involves multiple orchid species. Salep is derived from the tubers of many terrestrial orchids and no one really understands how modern demand for this ingredient is affecting their populations in the wild. Joining us to talk about this are PhD candidate Martha Charitonidou and Dr. John Halley from the University of Ioannina in Greece. Their lab is uncovering vital insights into how the growing demand from affluent countries for

en-US

00:47:56

Ep. 282 - The Rosid Radiation

In Defense of Plants Podcast ·

2020/09/13

When we think of biodiversity and evolution, the tropical regions of our planet are frequently touted as hotspots for speciation. Indeed, the tropics house more species than most other regions, however, that doesn't mean that temperate areas haven't contributed to the diversity of life on this planet. Recent work has revealed that one of the largest clades of flowering plants, the rosids, are evolving much faster in temperate areas than the tropics. Joining us to talk about this is Dr. Miao Sun, who

en-US

01:07:02

Ep. 281 - Sustainable Recreation & Plant Conservation

In Defense of Plants Podcast ·

2020/09/06

There are many ways to make hiking one of the most sustainable and environmentally friendly activities on Earth, but building trails on rare and unique plant communities is not one of them. Sensitive plants and habitats can be destroyed in the blink of an eye by trampling, which is why any good trail system needs to put plant conservation at the forefront. This is exactly what we are talking about in this episode. Nestled in the northwestern corner of North Carolina are the Amphibolite Mountains

en-US

01:01:52

Ep. 280 - At the Intersection of Conservation and...

In Defense of Plants Podcast ·

2020/08/30

In this episode we are joined by Conservation Horticulturist Emma Neigel of the Atlanta Botanical Garden to talk about the intersection of horticulture and conservation. When it comes to plant conservation, it isn't enough to just study why plants are rare, we must also learn what they need to grow and thrive. Being able to grown and propagate rare plants offers many species the hope of a brighter future. Join Emma and me as we discuss everything from growing rare milkweeds to finding new

en-US

319 results

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