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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 natural sciences

All Episodes

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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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00:50:20

Ep. 279 - A Pollinator Plant of the Year Program

In Defense of Plants Podcast ·

2020/08/23

There is a lot of information out there on which plants to choose for your garden. Often this information is geared towards a wide audience living in vastly different climate zones. As such, it can be extremely difficult to figure out what will work best for you. That is why I am excited to sit down for a conversation with Lauren Muller, the Conservation Outreach Coordinator for the State Botanical Garden of Georgia, to talk about their innovative Pollinator Plants of the Year Program. This program

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01:03:16

Ep. 278 - Glossopteris: Resloving a Mystery 299...

In Defense of Plants Podcast ·

2020/08/16

The Glossopteris flora is one of the most important links that we have to the Permian Era. These trees dominated the supercontinent of Gondwana from around 299 to 230 million years ago and their fossilized remains have dazzled the human mind for centuries. Despite their popularity, Glossopteris mysteries abound. That is where scientists like Aviwe Matiwane come in. Aviwe is utilizing skills she picked up from modern day botany and applying them to the fossilized remains of Glossopteris to try and

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01:02:40

Ep. 277 - Pitcher Plant Symbioses

In Defense of Plants Podcast ·

2020/08/09

In this episode we look at what's going on inside the pitchers of carnivorous pitcher plants. Besides functioning as organs for prey capture and digestion, these highly modified leaves also serve as miniature ecological communities that have a lot to teach us about symbioses and evolution. Joining us to talk about this Dr. Kadeem Gilbert who has spent the last few years of his life studying pitcher mutualists in the tropical pitcher plants pf the genus Nepenthes. Dr. Gilbert is uncovering so many

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01:08:57

Ep. 276 - A Native Bee-nanza!

In Defense of Plants Podcast ·

2020/08/02

With insects on the decline around the globe, the need for native bee understanding and appreciation has never been more apparent. While some native bees are super charismatic and well known,many more are cryptic and poorly understood. That is where people like author and naturalist Heather Holm come in. Heather is devoted to doing everything she can to bring native bees into the spotlight. From publishing native bee guides to giving talks and restoring habitat, Heather is a true champion for these

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00:44:55

Ep. 275 - Saving Sonora: The Green Desert

In Defense of Plants Podcast ·

2020/07/26

The human population of the Sonoran Desert is growing quickly, developing the surrounding landscape at an alarming pace. At the same time, botanists are racing to understand the fate of this so called "green deserts flora." In this episode we learn what it takes to properly assess a regions flora for extinction risk and how that information is being used across borders to protect the botanical diversity that makes this landscape unique. Join me and ecologist/conservationist, Dr. Helen Rowe for a

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00:49:26

Ep. 274 - Hollow Trees = Habitat

In Defense of Plants Podcast ·

2020/07/19

Move over raccoons and squirrels, hollow trees have some additional residents to support. Joining us on this episode are Dr.'s Lary Reeves and Andrei Sourakov to talk to us about how hollow trees are proving to be great spots to find massive congregations of moths, mosquitoes, and many other arthropods. When you consider how many hollow trees are on the landscape, you begin to realize just how much habitat these trees can provide. This episode also stands as proof of the power of natural history

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01:20:23

Ep. 273 - Revolution in the Garden

In Defense of Plants Podcast ·

2020/07/12

This episode we are joined by Colah B. Tawkin, host of the incredible Black in the Garden, a podcast that "resides at the intersection of Black Culture and horticulture." For Colah, gardening has been revolutionary in many ways. Join us as we sit down for an in depth conversation about her journey into gardening and podcasting and how that has revolutionized her connection to plants, to life, to the planet, to the community, and beyond. This podcast was produced in part by Tate, Steve, Kae, Carole,

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