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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

00:59:44

Ep. 200 - Books, Books, and More Books!

In Defense of Plants Podcast ·

2019/02/17

This week In Defense of Plants is celebrating its 200th episode with a bunch of book recommendations. I get a lot of emails from listeners each week and unfortunately I simply do not have the time to respond to all of them. One of the most popular questions I get revolves around which books I recommend. And because In Defense of Plants wouldn't be where it is today without the wonderful support of listeners like you, I thought it would be great to dedicate the 200th episode to a list of

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00:46:25

Ep. 199 - Understanding Rainforests Through Evolution

In Defense of Plants Podcast ·

2019/02/10

Today we take a look at how understanding the evolution of various plant families provides us with insights into the history and diversity of some of the world's great rainforests. Joining us to discuss his work on palms and soursops is Dr. Thomas Couvreur. Throughout this episode we get a look at how fundamental scientific questions can unlock a wealth of knowledge about the history of our planet. We also gain an appreciation for the fact that you never know where important data are going

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00:36:24

Ep. 198 - The State of the World's Trees

In Defense of Plants Podcast ·

2019/02/03

Assessing the status of all known tree species may seem like a monumental task and in many ways it is. However, that is exactly what a team of conservation scientists from Botanical Gardens Conservation International (BGCI) and the IUCN are trying to do. Joining us to talk about these efforts is Dr. Malin Rivers who is Head of Conservation Prioritisation for BGCI. She and her colleagues are working hard to gather data from a multitude of sources in order to better understand the myriad

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00:49:24

Ep. 197 - Below the Surface of Aquascaping

In Defense of Plants Podcast ·

2019/01/27

The world of aquatic plants is incredibly diverse, yet our ties to land make it difficult to fully appreciate these organisms. Their glory and splendor is best observed in their underwater realm. This is why aquascaping is such an incredible hobby. Planted aquariums provide you with a unique view of the underwater world without ever having to get your feet wet. Whether you simply like to look at planted aquariums or get your hands wet in designing and constructing your own, there is no end

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00:45:09

Ep. 196 - Agave are Awesome!

In Defense of Plants Podcast ·

2019/01/20

My guest today was bitten by the Agave bug at an early age. Since then, Dr. Jeff Lake has amassed an impressive collection representing over 100 different species and varieties of this wonderful genus of New World succulents. Despite their popularity in form, Agave still have many secrets to discover. Join Dr. Jeff Lake and me for an exploration of what makes the Agave so special. This episode was produced in part by Johansson, Christina, Jared, Hannah, Katy Pye, Brandon, Gwen, Carly,

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00:46:04

Ep. 195 - Chollas, Prickly Pears, and Biodiversity

In Defense of Plants Podcast ·

2019/01/13

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 botanists approach to his work and as you will hear i our conversation, this has been quite fruitful. Thanks to Dr. Rebman and his colleagues, we

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01:08:33

Ep. 194 - Preserving the Prairie One Seed at a Time

In Defense of Plants Podcast ·

2019/01/06

Bill Handel grew up in Illinois and has seen a lot change since his childhood days. Ever since he was a boy, Bill delighted in gardening with native plants. This led him to become the botanist that he is today. Today he dedicates much of his spare time to finding dwindling plant populations around the state, collecting seed, and propagating them in order to preserve at least some of the genetic legacy of this species. People like Bill are an inspiration to us all so join us as we discuss

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00:49:16

Ep. 193 - Begonias!

In Defense of Plants Podcast ·

2018/12/30

What most of the world knows about the genus Begonia is only the tip of this botanical iceberg. The genus Begonia is currently the fastest growing genus of plants in the world and with new discoveries pouring in year after year, it doesn't show any signs of slowing up. MY guest today is Dr. Peter Moonlight from The Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh. His work on this amazing family of plants has greatly increased our understanding of not only the mechanisms driving their diversity but also

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00:42:29

Ep. 192 - Australia's Alpine Flora

In Defense of Plants Podcast ·

2018/12/23

Today we are talking about Australia's alpine flora. My guest is PhD student Casey Gibson who is studying the many ways in which climate change is influencing this system. As you can imagine, Australia's alpine ecosystems are wonderfully complex and diverse and understanding their ecology has become more important than ever. This episode was produced in part by Hannah, Katy Pye, Brandon, Gwen, Carly, Stephen, Botanical Tours, Moonwort Studios, Lisa, Liba, Lucas, Mohsin Kazmi Takes Pictures,

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00:54:28

Ep. 191 - The Changing Forests of the Andes

In Defense of Plants Podcast ·

2018/12/16

When it comes to our understanding of plants and climate change, the tropics are still a great unknown. However, the data we do have is telling us that our actions are already changing forests. Today we are joined by Dr. Ken Feeley to talk about some of his work looking at the forests of the Andes Mountains. You will soon learn just how difficult it can be to study such a biodiverse region. Nonetheless, Dr. Feeley and his colleagues are putting in great efforts to collect vital data on

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00:56:50

Ep. 190 - A Love Affair With Palms

In Defense of Plants Podcast ·

2018/12/09

Mike Knell is completely enthralled by palms. What started with a small collection of plams growing in his office has morphed into a full blown obsession with everything Arecaceae. Mike really hasn't looked back since. He now lives in Hawai'i and is an apprentice at the world renowned Florabunda Palm Nursery working under the tutelage Jeff and Suchin Marcus. What follows is a wonderful discussion about botanical passion and intrigue.This episode was produced in part by Katy Pye, Brandon,

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00:49:39

Ep. 189 - When Palms Grew in Wyoming

In Defense of Plants Podcast ·

2018/12/02

Join Dr. Sarah Allen and me as we journey back in time to the Eocene. Earth was a very different planet some 49 million years ago. Though we may recognize some Eocene flora, the combination of various plant lineages would be enough to make your head spin. Earth was experiencing a warming period and the plants had responded accordingly. Tropical species like palms were thriving in places like Wyoming and giant relatives of the redwoods covered much of North America and Asia. What Dr. Allen

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01:04:58

Ep. 188 - On the Origin of Flowering Plants

In Defense of Plants Podcast ·

2018/11/25

Despite their dominance on the landscape today, figuring out exactly when flowering plants got their start has been a challenge facing paleobotanists since Darwin's time. This so-called "abominable mystery" is nonetheless fascinating to study and that is exactly what our guest today focuses on. Joining us is Dr. Nan Crystal Arens from Hobart and William Smith Colleges. Her work on angiosperms of the early Cretaceous has given us insights into the evolutionary pressures that may have led to

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00:38:11

Ep. 187 - In Love With Native Plants

In Defense of Plants Podcast ·

2018/11/18

My guest today has fallen in love with growing native plants. Joining us is Aubree Keurajian who has just recently started her own native plant nursery in Conneticut called "Ungardening." Aubree wants to share her love of native plants with her community in an attempt to foster a better, more evolved concept of environmental stewardship through gardening. I think it is safe to say that the world needs more people like Aubree. Enjoy this audio celebration of the glory of native plants. This

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01:07:04

Ep. 186 - Being Totally Obsessed With Botany

In Defense of Plants Podcast ·

2018/11/11

When Joey Santore went searching for a biological "origin story" of sorts, he stumbled into the world of botany. He hasn't looked back ever since. As a fellow phyto-obsessive personality, Joey is dedicating most of his spare time to not only understanding plant diversity but also sharing his passion for botany with the world. Joey runs probably my favorite Instagram page https://bit.ly/2z6n3By and his stories are as educational as they are insightful and entertaining. Join us for a

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00:53:57

Ep. 185 - The Importance of Conservation Horticulture

In Defense of Plants Podcast ·

2018/11/04

Imagine you are at work and someone comes into your office and throws down a handful of plant cuttings on your desk. They look at you with hopeful concern in their eyes and say "these are cuttings from an endangered plant. There are only 3 left in the wild and this one fell off of a cliff." This is all in a days work for my guest today. Joining us is Ashly Trask, conservation horticulturist and nursery manager for the National Tropical Botanical Garden in Kauai, Hawai'i. For Ashly, what

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00:46:18

Ep. 184 - Fossilized Bryophytes: A Journey Back In Time

In Defense of Plants Podcast ·

2018/10/28

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. Joining us is Alex Bippus, a PhD student at Oregon State and his work is absolutely fascinating. From climate change to evolution, there seems to be no end to the fun of studying bryophyte fossils. This episode was

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00:54:38

Ep. 183 - On Spiny Solanum & SciComm

In Defense of Plants Podcast ·

2018/10/21

Today we are joined by someone who is as passionate about doing science as he is with sharing his experiences with the world. Dr. Chris Martine is a true botany nut and his lab has been focusing on understanding the evolution of a group of Australian Solanaceae related to eggplants. We learn how pollinators have played a significant role in the evolution of a peculiar mating system and how that has led to a unique radiation in the genus Solanum. We also explore some of the reasons behind

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00:53:48

Ep. 182 - City Bee Diversity

In Defense of Plants Podcast ·

2018/10/14

As far as native bees are concerned, we still don't know very much. That desperately needs to change as we gain a better understand of the role these wonderful insects play in ecosystem function and health. Luckily there are people like Dr. Rebecca Tonietto. Her work on native bee diversity in urban landscapes is helping to revolutionize our understanding of biodiversity in these human dominated systems. Her work is inspiring to say the least and its something I think everyone needs to

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00:46:03

Ep. 181 - Protecting Alpine Plants in the Adirondacks

In Defense of Plants Podcast ·

2018/10/07

The Adirondack Mountains are home to a remarkable diversity of plant species. Situated in northern New York, these mountains are harsh enough that they foster a thriving alpine community. Despite their ability to handle some of the worst weather conditions, alpine plants can be quite sensitive to human traffic. With more and more people flocking to these mountains every year, concern was growing that the alpine ecosystem was going to be trampled right off the mountain tops. Luckily the the

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