In Defense of Plants Podcast

Mar 09 2025 100 ep. 49 mins 15.1k
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.

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Ep. 516 - Plants in the Afterlife

Mar 09 2025 47 mins  
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,

Ep. 515 - Phenology is Important

Mar 02 2025 50 mins  
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 bo

Ep. 514 - Parent/Offspring Conflicts in Moss

Feb 23 2025 56 mins  
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, Da

Ep. 513 - The Enigma of the Galax Genome

Feb 16 2025 45 mins  
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 hi

Ep. 512 - The Complexity of Mangrove Ecosystems

Feb 09 2025 48 mins  
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

Ep. 511 - Paw Paw Randomness

Feb 02 2025 55 mins  
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,

Ep. 510 - Epiphytes & Phorophytes

Jan 26 2025 58 mins  
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 McG

Ep. 509 - The Power of Biotic Resistance

Jan 19 2025 51 mins  
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 h

Ep. 508 - The Cashew Family Revisited

Jan 12 2025 50 mins  
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 famil

Ep. 507 - The Beginning Revisited

Jan 05 2025 14 mins  
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