x

75% of people globally want unbiased news (Pew Research) but are concerned they're not getting that.

Get balanced coverage with Symby. See how stories are covered across diverse outlets and spot when one side covers a story the other skips.

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. Join my friends and I for a podcast celebrating everything botany.

science natural sciences

All Episodes

00:46:40

Ep. 177 - Serpentine Specialists & Their Evolution

In Defense of Plants Podcast ·

2018/09/09

My guest today is Shelley Sianta, a PhD student at UC Santa Cruz, and she studies evolution in a group of plants that have specialized on serpentine soils. These may sound like sketchy conditions and indeed they are. Serpentine soils are high in toxic metals and low in precious nutrients. As such, the plants that live there have evolved a variety of coping mechanisms. Its these coping mechanisms that interest Shelley Sianta as they may be at the root of why we see such high rates of endemism on

en-us

00:49:56

Ep. 176 - On Pawpaw and Floral Mimicry

In Defense of Plants Podcast ·

2018/09/02

The world of floral mimicry really busts open traditional views on pollination. This spectrum of strategies involves things like poop and carrion mimicry, sexual mimicry, and possibly even fruit mimicry. That is where today's guest comes in. Joining us is Dr. Kate Goodrich, a chemical ecologist from Widener University who studies floral chemistry in the context of mimicry. Her system of interest involves pawpaw and other Asimina species, whose flowers take on strange fermented odors. Join us for a

en-us

00:52:25

Ep. 175 - Conserving Tree Diversity

In Defense of Plants Podcast ·

2018/08/26

Today we are joined by Dr. Sean Hoban, a tree conservation biologist at The Morton Aboretum near Chicago. As you can guess by his title, Dr. Hoban specializes in the science of conserving tree diversity. To do this, Dr. Hoban and his colleagues utilize a wide variety of data from fossils to DNA in order to make sound scientific decisions regarding preserving tree diversity into the future. Listen and enjoy as we discuss his work with some of the world's most regal organisms. This episode was

en-us

00:53:57

Ep. 174 - Botanical Chemistry

In Defense of Plants Podcast ·

2018/08/19

Plants cannot get up and move. This fact has driven the evolution of plants throughout time leading to a bewildering array of chemical compounds that help them get through life. My guest today is Dr. Lucas Busta who is dedicated to studying and understanding plant chemistry on a deeper level. The realm of plant chemistry is massive but with any luck we will hopefully have inspired some of you to consider it much deeper. This episode was produced in part by Lisa, Liba, Lucas, Mohsin Kazmi Takes

en-us

00:49:42

Ep. 173 - What the Dogbane Family Can Teach Us About...

In Defense of Plants Podcast ·

2018/08/12

Pollination is a fascinating phenomenon to ponder. There seems to be as many variations on the subject as there are flowering plant species. Wonder and amazement wait around every corner. My guest today has devoted his career to such investigations. Joining us is University of Northampton professor Dr. Jeff Ollerton who, among other things, studies members of the family Apocynaceae as a model system for the complexities of plant/pollinator interactions. This family of plants contains many familiar

en-us

00:44:51

Ep. 172 - Pinosaur Conservation: An Introduction to...

In Defense of Plants Podcast ·

2018/08/06

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: Lucas, Mohsin Kazmi Takes Pictures, doeg, Daniel, Clifton, Stephanie, Rachelle, Benjamin, Eli, Rachael, Anthony, Plant By Design, Philip, Lisa,

en-us

00:33:37

Ep. 171 - Restoring Plants & Saving a Salamander

In Defense of Plants Podcast ·

2018/07/29

Habitat destruction is the leading cause of extinction on this planet. Plants = Habitat. There is no way around it. My guest today is 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 lover as well. Join

en-us

01:10:19

Ep. 170 - Saving an Orchid Collection & Starting a...

In Defense of Plants Podcast ·

2018/07/22

It is no small task to save a plant collection and start a Botanical Garden from scratch but that is exactly what my guest today is doing. Joining us is expert horticulturist Michael Benedito to talk about saving a world renowned Stanhopea collection and starting his own botanical garden. Michael is a true inspiration to all plant growers and this is one conversation you don't want to miss.This episode was produced in part by: Mohsin, doeg, Daniel, Clifton, Stephanie, Rachelle, Benjamin, Eli,

en-us

00:37:55

Ep. 169 - Herbaria Are Data Gold Mines

In Defense of Plants Podcast ·

2018/07/15

Phenology, population size, distribution, genetic diversity - these are just some of the data locked up in herbaria around the globe. My guest today is Katelin Pearson and she has been working hard on making sure herbarium data are as available as they can be to everyone from scientists to artists, and even the general public. As you will hear, we herbaria succeed, so do the plants they help understand. This episode was produced in part by: Mohsin, doeg, Clifton, Stephanie, Rachelle, Benjamin, Eli,

en-us

00:46:11

Ep. 168 - Orchid Conservation at Mt. Cuba Center

In Defense of Plants Podcast ·

2018/07/08

Today we are joined by botanist and orchid fanatic Adrienne Bozic to talk about how she turned a life long obsession with orchids into a career in trying to protect them. Mt Cuba Center is helping her do just that. Together with a team of citizen scientists, Mt. Cuba Center's orchid conservation efforts are serving as a model for other organizations and communities to work together to protect North America's terrestrial orchid species. This episode was produced in part by:Clifton, Stephanie,

en-us

00:42:21

Ep. 167 - Trial Gardens at Mt. Cuba Center

In Defense of Plants Podcast ·

2018/07/01

Nativars are frequently seen as unnatural mutant versions of their wild counterparts whose use overlooks the whole point of natives in the first place. Take, for instance, the popularity of double flowered nativars. These plants have been selected for an over-production of sepals and petals that can be so dense that they preclude visitation by pollinators. It would seem that nativars are a slippery slope to yet another sterile landscape incapable of supporting biodiversity. However, anecdotes don’t

en-us

00:38:39

Ep. 166 - Ants As Seed Dispersers a.k.a. The...

In Defense of Plants Podcast ·

2018/06/24

Ants are everywhere yet unless they find their way into our homes, we don't give them much thought. This episode is all about a group of ants that are crucial to the health of myriad plants around the globe. I am, of course, talking about the seed-dispersing ants. Joining us for this discussion is Dr. Robert Warren, a professor at SUNY Buffalo State, who studies the ecology of a handful of these wonderful ants and the plants they interact with. This episode was produced in part by Benjammin, Eli,

en-us

00:39:10

Ep. 165 - Cacti Explorer

In Defense of Plants Podcast ·

2018/06/17

Today we are joined by cacti explorer Stefan Burger who has been exploring South America in search of its wonderful cactus species. His goal is to find, photograph, and share with the world the beauty and wonder of this amazing family of succulent plants. Please join us for a fascinating discussion about botanical passion and discovery. This episode was produced in part by Rachael, Stephanie, Philip, Henriette, Letícia, Ron, Tim, Carl, Lisa, Anthony, Susanna, Homestead Brooklyn, Brodie, Kevin,

en-us

00:46:58

Ep. 164 - Carnivorous Plants: Their Physiology,...

In Defense of Plants Podcast ·

2018/06/10

Today we are joined by Dr. Aaron Ellison to talk about a new book called "Carnivorous Plants: Physiology, Ecology, and Evolution. Among other things, Dr. Ellison has spent much of his career learning about what the organisms living within pitcher plants can teach us about big picture ecological topics. Now, together with a team of collaborators, Dr.'s Ellison and Adamec have put together a modern synthesis about the myriad carnivorous plants with which we share this planet. This is a fascinating

en-us

00:50:49

Ep. 163 - A Lifetime With Gesneriads

In Defense of Plants Podcast ·

2018/06/03

There is so much more to The Gesneriad family than African violets. It is a relatively diverse group of plants and many species make great houseplants. My guest today is Jay Sespico and he is in love with Gesneriads and wants to share that love with you. Jay has been growing genre such as Gesneria, Kohleria, Nautilocalyx, Nematanthus, Primulina, and Sinningia for years and has an intimate knowledge of their biology. He is also an active member of The Gesneriad Society, an international organization

en-us

00:38:11

Ep. 162 - Of Dinosaurs and Plants

In Defense of Plants Podcast ·

2018/05/27

Who hasn't marveled at the fossilized remains of a dinosaur? Though their lineage lives on today in the form of birds, historically, dinosaurs were once far more diverse. Needless to say, they shaped the world around them just as much as the world shaped them, and this certainly included interactions with plants. Plant eating dinosaurs were some of the largest organisms to ever walk this earth and my guest today studies exactly that. Join the Natural History Museum in London's Dr Paul Barrett and I

en-us

00:35:18

Ep. 161 - Bucket Orchids, Ant Nests, and...

In Defense of Plants Podcast ·

2018/05/21

Our guest today is Dr. Günter Gerlach from the Botanical Garden Munich to discuss a group of orchids in the genus Coryanthes. These bizarre orchids grow only in arboreal ant nests from Mexico into South America. If that wasn't cool enough, Coryanthes flowers produce a large, water-filled bucket that traps fragrance-collecting bees, forcing them into pollinating the orchid. We also hear from my good friend and graphic designer, Thom Pirson, about the new In Defense of Plants stickers that he

en-us

00:34:15

Ep. 160 - Dalechampia, the Non-Model, Model System

In Defense of Plants Podcast ·

2018/05/13

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. Joining us is 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 dive into this

en-us

00:22:37

Ep. 159 - An Orchid That Mimics Aphids?

In Defense of Plants Podcast ·

2018/05/06

My guest today is Melissa Díaz-Morales from the Jardín Botánico Lankester in Costa Rica and her work focuses on orchid pollination. Orchids are known for their deceitful pollination syndromes and Melissa has spent the last few years working on a lady slipper orchid known as Phragmipedium longifolium. This flowers of this beautiful orchid appear to be mimicking aphid infestations. Why is that? Listen and find out ;) This episode was produced in part by Letícia, Ron, Tim, Carl, Lisa, Susanna,

en-us

00:31:56

Ep. 158 - Pollination of Neotropical Aroids: A New...

In Defense of Plants Podcast ·

2018/04/29

Join University of Vienna PhD student Florian Etl for 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 natural world. This is one episode you do not want to

en-us

100 results

Similar Podcasts

Classic Radio Science Fiction

solgoodmedia.com

Mission to Mars

Inception Point Ai

The 365 Days of Astronomy

365DaysOfAstronomy.org

Creek Devil

william Jevning

UFO Chronicles Podcast

Nik Hunter