In Defense of Plants Podcast

Oct 27 2024 100 ep. 49 mins 14.9k

In Defense of Plants Podcast artwork

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.

Copy RSS

Subscribe on Podcast Addict

Ep. 497 - Understanding the Bewildering Diversity of Plant/Pollinator Interactions

Oct 27 2024 52 mins

One cannot overemphasize the importance of plant/pollinator interactions. The world as we know it would not exist without these complex components of ecology. Getting good data, and more importantly, making those data useful is important in conserving and restoring plants and their pollinators. Join my and Dr. Chris Cosma of Conservation Biology Institute as we explore how he and h

Ep. 496 - Tree Rings Revisited

Oct 20 2024 43 mins

Counting the rings of a tree can be so much fun. In the temperate zone, each ring marks a year in that tree's life. However, if you know what to look for, tree rings can tell you so much more. Dr. Valerie Trouet has made a career out of counting and measuring tree rings. Tree rings offer a surprisingly detailed window back in time and allows scientists like Dr. Trouet to understand

Ep. 495 - Pack Rats & Paleoclimates Revisited

Oct 13 2024 31 mins

Novel approaches are always fun. Nowhere is this more apparent than in today's podcast. We revisit a conversation with Dr. Camille Holmgren from SUNY Buffalo State about her research reconstructing ancient desert climates using pack rat middens. Join us for a fun and interesting discussion that will take you back thousands of years in the past. This episode was produced in part by

Ep. 494 - The Botanical Mysteries of the Mazon Creek Formation

Oct 06 2024 49 mins

The Mazon Creek Fossil Formation is famous the world over for the exquisite preservation of soft tissues in animals. These rocks provide pristine snapshots of everything from extinct worms and jellyfish to sharks and even the mysterious Tully Monster. For all that these fossils have taught us about the animals of this long extinct ecosystem, we know far less about the plants that s

Ep. 493 - Being Friendly to Bees

Sep 29 2024 51 mins

"Benefitting pollinators" is a phrase that gets used a lot, especially in gardening circles. While most of us will agree with the sentiment, what does it mean in practice? How does one "benefit" pollinators in their community? There are a lot of great ways to do this, especially when it comes to native plants, but finding good, digestible information can be overwhelming. Thankfully

Ep. 492 - Hope in Wetland Restoration

Sep 22 2024 59 mins

Restoring healthy wetlands isn't an easy task. Often times, altered hydrologic cycles means wetlands no long act like they once did. Nevertheless, the many ecological and cultural benefits of functioning wetlands means that wetland restoration is certainly worth the time, money, and effort. Join me and Dr. Gary Sullivan of The Wetlands Initiative as we look at how data, art, and wi

Ep. 491 - Plants & Wetland Restoration

Sep 15 2024 53 mins

Healthy wetlands are vital to maintaining biodiversity and a healthy way of life for us. Sadly, we haven't always treated wetlands like the essential habitats that they are. While protecting natural wetlands is a must, we also need to understand how to restore them and plants play a major role in such efforts. Join me and Katie Kucera of The Wetlands Initiative as we take a botanic

Ep. 490 - Pinesap: A Parasitic Mystery

Sep 08 2024 57 mins

Pinesap (Monotropa hypopitys) produces no leaves nor any chlorophyl. It “eats” fungi and can be found growing in many areas around the globe. It flowers in spring, fall, and summer and noby really knows if it is a single species or many. Despite its uniqueness, relatively little scientific attention has been paid to this little parasitic plant. Join me and Bill Michalek of The

Ep. 489 - Protecting Peak Plants Revisited

Sep 01 2024 46 mins

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, conce

Ep. 488 - An Interesting Case of Variegation

Aug 25 2024 62 mins

Variegation among leaves is a fascinating phenomenon. Though plant breeders have accentuated this trait in a variety of cultivated plants, variegation does occur naturally as well. Its function isn't well understood for most species either. Such is the case for two species of wild ginger in the genus Hexastylis. Join me and Dr. Cierra Sullivan as we explore variegation in Hexastyli