In Defense of Plants Podcast

00:57:43

Ep. 518 - The Complexities of Plant Reproduction

In Defense of Plants Podcast ·

2025/03/23

What does it mean to be a successful plant? Reproduction? Population growth? What factors influence these important events and which contribute more to a population through time? The answers to these questions are very complex and climate change is only making things harder to understand. Dr. Amy Iler and her colleagues are not afraid to try and tackle such questions. Join us as we explore her research on these factors and more in the Rocky Mountains. This episode was produced in part by Aaron,

en

00:55:11

Ep. 517 - Demystifying the Woolly Devil

In Defense of Plants Podcast ·

2025/03/16

The woolly devil (Ovicula biradiata) is a fascinating and unique member of the daisy family (Asteraceae) that was only recently described to science. It was first found in Big Bend National Park in Texas and serves as an important reminder of not only the need for protecting wild places but also how little we still know about the natural world. Join me and Dr. Isaac Lichter Marck as we discuss what makes this plant unique, what it can teach us about plant evolution in stressful habitats, and what it

en

00:47:54

Ep. 516 - Plants in the Afterlife

In Defense of Plants Podcast ·

2025/03/09

Plants ARE habitat and that doesn't stop when they die. Countless species of microbes, fungi, arthropods, and more not only take up residence in dead plant material but also require it to complete their lifecycle. My guest today is Dr. Amy Zanne and she spends a lot of time thinking about the things that live in dead wood and their impacts on the world around us. As you will hear, these organisms have major impacts on how our planet functions.This episode was produced in part by Abi, Rich, Shad,

en

00:50:17

Ep. 515 - Phenology is Important

In Defense of Plants Podcast ·

2025/03/02

The emergence of leaves, the blooming of flowers, the arrival of pollinators... these are all biological events that are closely tied to the changing seasons. The study of this linkage is called Phenology and my guest today wants to share her passion for this wonderful world of inquiry. Join me and Dr. Theresa Crimmins as we discuss the USA National Phenology Network and her new book "Phenology" that details a lot of what she has learned studying seasonal timing. This episode was produced in part by

en

00:56:37

Ep. 514 - Parent/Offspring Conflicts in Moss

In Defense of Plants Podcast ·

2025/02/23

Parents and children don't always get along. Sometimes they can even be competitors. Conflicts often lead to interesting evolutionary adaptations and mosses are no stranger to this. Join me and Dr. Jessica Budke as we explore a familial tug of war going on all around us. This episode was produced in part by Rich, Shad, Maddie, Owen, Linda, Alana, Sigma, Max, Richard, Maia, Rens, David, Robert, Thomas, Valerie, Joan, Mohsin Kazmi Photography, Cathy, Simon, Nick, Paul, Charis, EJ, Laura, Sung, NOK,

en

00:45:08

Ep. 513 - The Enigma of the Galax Genome

In Defense of Plants Podcast ·

2025/02/16

Spend any time in the southern Appalachian Mountains and you are bound to cross paths with Galax urceolata. This wonderful little evergreen herb seems to be at home in a variety of habitats from forest streams to granite outcrops and everywhere in between. It is also culturally significant and even suffers from poaching in some areas. Despite its place in Appalachian ecology and history, Galax holds many mysteries, especially when it comes to its genome. Join me and Dr. Shelly Gaynor as we explore

en

00:48:11

Ep. 512 - The Complexity of Mangrove Ecosystems

In Defense of Plants Podcast ·

2025/02/09

Mangrove forests are dynamic places and so too are the people that study them. From carbon capture and peat formation, to restoration and hydrology, these coastal habitats offer curious minds plenty to ponder. Join me and Dr. Luke Lamb-Wotton as we explore the wonderfully complex world of these coastal ecosystems. This episode was produced in part by Rich, Shad, Maddie, Owen, Linda, Alana, Sigma, Max, Richard, Maia, Rens, David, Robert, Thomas, Valerie, Joan, Mohsin Kazmi Photography, Cathy, Simon,

en

00:55:42

Ep. 511 - Paw Paw Randomness

In Defense of Plants Podcast ·

2025/02/02

Paw paw (Asimina triloba) is a charismatic and special species. It is the most northerly growing member of a mostly tropical family. It also has considerable influence on its herbaceous neighbors. Join me and PhD student Anna Wassel as we explore the random world of pawpaw and understory herb community assembly. This episode was produced in part by Shad, Maddie, Owen, Linda, Alana, Sigma, Max, Richard, Maia, Rens, David, Robert, Thomas, Valerie, Joan, Mohsin Kazmi Photography, Cathy, Simon, Nick,

en

00:58:42

Ep. 510 - Epiphytes & Phorophytes

In Defense of Plants Podcast ·

2025/01/26

Mosses, liverworts, and lichens live in a world of their own. Not unlike the trees they grow on, these tiny organisms must play out the dramas of obtaining the water, nutrients, and light they need to survive, they are just doing so on a much smaller scale. At the same time, they are supporting their own food webs that scale far bigger than their own lives. Join me and Dr. Greg McGee as we explore the world of epiphytes and the phorophytes that support them and learn what they can teach us about

en

00:51:48

Ep. 509 - The Power of Biotic Resistance

In Defense of Plants Podcast ·

2025/01/19

Invasive species reduce native biodiversity and hinder an ecosystem's ability to support life, including our own. Managing invasive species can be very challenging, but that doesn't intimidate people like Dr. Mike Schuster. Learn how he and his colleagues are using the ecological principal of biotic resistance to study how some native plants such as rye grasses (genus Elymus) can help control invasive species like buckthorn (Rhamnus cathartica). This episode was produced in part by Shad, Maddie,

en

00:50:04

Ep. 508 - The Cashew Family Revisited

In Defense of Plants Podcast ·

2025/01/12

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! Revisit this conversation with 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 members

en

00:14:26

Ep. 507 - The Beginning Revisited

In Defense of Plants Podcast ·

2025/01/05

January 2025 marks the 10 year anniversary (!!!) of the In Defense of Plants Podcast. To celebrate, I thought it would be fun to revisit the first episode of the podcast. Travel back a decade to a tiny, old Buffalo NY apartment where a young and naive Matt waxes poetic about his love for jewel orchids (Ludisia discolor) as a blizzard rages outside. This episode was produced in part by Linda, Alana, Sigma, Max, Richard, Maia, Rens, David, Robert, Thomas, Valerie, Joan, Mohsin Kazmi Photography,

en

Ep. 506 - The Digital Future of Herbaria

In Defense of Plants Podcast ·

2024/12/29

The herbarium world is a fascinating one. These botanical repositories are goldmines of data and help us understand the present by looking at the past. But what kind of future questions can herbaria help solve? Experts say the opportunities are endless, but we will need new technologies to take full advantage. Join me and Curator and Director of the Herbarium at Missouri Botanical Garden, Dr. Jordan Teisher, as we look at how new technologies are helping scientists look at herbarium collections in

en

00:48:56

Ep. 505 - Leave the Dang Leaves!

In Defense of Plants Podcast ·

2024/12/22

Leave the leaves! It is a phrase you hear a lot these days, but why is it so important to keep leaves and other plant debris on your landscape? These are the questions that drive Dr. Max Ferlato. Leaf litter and other plant debris provides vitally important habitat for myriad organisms including species important for pollination and pest control. Moreover, a little bit of leaf litter can go a long way, especially in urban environments. Join me and Dr. Ferlato as we look at the ecological importance

en

00:59:18

Ep. 504 - The Genetic Mysteries of Creosote Bush

In Defense of Plants Podcast ·

2024/12/15

What is a species? On the surface, this seems like an easy question to answer. Get a bunch of biologists in the room together and you will quickly see it can be a bit of a loaded question. Questions like this are what drive scientists like Dr. Robert Laport. By looking at genome duplication events in plants like creosote bush (Larrea tridentata), he and his lab are curious how vast differences in genome numbers affect a species interaction with the environment, its pollinators, and even neighboring

en

Ep. 503 - Pollen Specialization

In Defense of Plants Podcast ·

2024/12/08

Bees run the gamut from generalists to specialists. Whereas the generalists visit a variety of plants for the resources they need, many specialists exist on a single species. Such is the case for at least 20 different bees living in Southwestern North America who specialize on the pollen of the creosote bush (Larrea tridentata). In geologic terms, creosote is a relative newcomer to the Southwest and trying to understand how so many bee species have come to specialize on its pollen and how

en

Ep. 502 - Unearthing the Mysteries of Underground...

In Defense of Plants Podcast ·

2024/12/01

Tubers, corms, taproots, bulbs... There are many different kinds of underground storage organs in the plant world. Moreover, they form from many different kinds of plant tissues. This begs the question, why are there so many variations on the theme of energy storage? Join me and Dr. Carrie Tribble as we explore phylogenetic and trait-based approaches to understanding the evolution and development in underground storage organs in the genus Bomarea. This episode was produced in part by Sigma, Max,

en

00:59:49

Ep. 501 - Conservation of Crop Wild Relatives

In Defense of Plants Podcast ·

2024/11/24

Domestication is a spectrum, especially for botanical crops. Regardless of where a plant is on that spectrum, it nevertheless has a wild origin. Understanding those origins can not only help us understand the plants better, but also our history as a species as well as open the door to future possibilities. Sadly, many of the wild relatives of crops are both poorly understood and in desperate need of conservation. Join me and Dr. Colin Khoury as we explore what it means to study and conserve crop

en

00:31:40

Ep. 500 - 500?!

In Defense of Plants Podcast ·

2024/11/17

It is hard to believe, but you are about to listen to the 500th episode of the In Defense of Plants Podcast. So much has happened over the nearly 10 years this podcast has been running, and none of it would be what it is today without YOU, the listener. So, in celebration of the big 5 0 0, the wonderful Sara Johnson turns the tables and sits down to ask Matt some questions about what it is like to do 500 episodes. This episode was produced in part by Sigma, Max, Richard, Maia, Rens, David, Robert,

en

00:48:43

Ep. 499 - Aspen & Forest Health

In Defense of Plants Podcast ·

2024/11/10

Aspen (Populus tremuloides) are synonymous with many habitats throughout North America. This tree is a species of superlatives, but its grandeur doesn't mean it is immune to threats. In fact, in many areas of its range, aspen is in decline. Join me and Dr. Connor Crouch as we explore what he and his colleagues are learning about aspen health and how that can be used to improve forest health into the future. This episode was produced in part by Max, Richard, Maia, Rens, David, Robert, Thomas,

en

All Episodes

Similar Podcasts

Rabbit Hole of Research

Jotham Austin, II PhD, Nick Elizalde,...

Show Me the Science with Luke O"Neill

Newstalk

Planetterrian Daily

Patrick · Nerra Network

Sleep Science

Sleep Science

BioSpace

BioSpace