Ep. 110 - Resolving Ice Age Ecosysems: Using the Past to Understand the Future

Trying to piece together an accurate picture of past ecosystems requires a lot of patience and attention to detail. That is why I am so amazed by the work of today's guest. Joining us is paleoecologist Dr. Jacquelyn Gill to talk about her work on ice age ecology. The clues she uses to tell the story of these systems are surprisingly small but incredibly useful. What's more, her work can help us better understand how ecosystems are going to change as man-made climate change rages on. This is one episode you don't want to miss! This episode was produced in part by Mark, Allen, Desiree, Sienna & Garth, Laura, Margie, Troy, Sara, Jennifer, Christopher, Manuel, Daniel, John, Rosanna, and Mary Jane. 

Click here to learn more about Dr. Gill's Work

Check out The Contemplative Mammoth

Listen to Warm Regards

Follow Dr. Gill on Twitter - @JacquelynGill

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Ep. 109 - Phylogenetics and the Largest Flower in the World

Joining us today from Harvard University is Dr. Charles Davis. His lab focuses on elucidating the phylogenetic relationships among the plants of the world. One of his most exciting projects revolves around a genus of plants known as Rafflesia, which is famous the world over for producing the largest single flower on this planet. Join us for a wonderfully enlightening conversation about taxonomy. This episode was produced in part by Mark, Allen, Desiree, Sienna & Garth, Laura, Margie, Troy, Sara, Jennifer, Christopher, Manuel, Daniel, John, Rosanna, and Mary Jane. 

Click here to learn more about Dr. Davis's work

Check out the digital herbaria

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Ep. 95 - Epiphyte Restoration

Protecting and restoring biodiversity to tropical forests is paramount to maintaining the ecological integrity of these areas. My guest today is Estefania Fernandez and she is working in a brand new field of restoration ecology that focuses on epiphyte communities. Join us for a fascinating discussion on restoring health to tropical forests. This episode was produced in part by Mark, Allen, Maz, Beccah, Desiree, Sienna & Garth, Laura, Margie, Troy, Bryan, Sara, Jennifer, Christopher, and Manuel.

Contact Estefania - epi.stef@gmail.com

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Ep. 89 - Conversations on Forest Health

Forest health is a complicated topic. It means something different to nearly everyone you ask. However, the ecological component of this concept is vital to the success of any patch of forest. That is where people like Dr. David Coyle come in. David left a career in academia to focus on helping land owners make sound ecological decisions. Join us for a discussion on forest health. This episode was produced in part by Mark, Allen, Maz, Beccah, Desiree, Sienna, Laura, Margie, Troy, and Bryan.

Click here to learn more about Southern Forest Health

Click here to learn more about David's work 

Follow David on Twitter

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Ep. 88 - Plant Diversity and Systematics

Lately I have been thinking a lot about plant diversity. Sure, the early days of plant exploration are long behind us, however, there are still plenty of botanical mysteries yet to be discovered. This goes so much deeper than simple fame and glory too. How can we protect species that we don't even know exist? That is where people like Dr. John Clark come in. Dr. Clark has made a career out of discovering and describing plant species new to science. As you will here, this doesn't always mean finding small plants tucked away in the hard to reach corners of the world. Even large and dominant trees have avoided our attention. Join us for an inspiring conversation about plant systematics. This episode was produced in part by Mark, Allen, Maz, Beccah, Desiree, Sienna, Laura, Margie, Troy, and Bryan.

Click here to learn more about Dr. Clark's work

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Ep. 87 - Fire in the Forest

I have been thinking about fire a lot these days. In the wake of recent forest fires in the southeast, I wanted to take a closer look at what fires mean for ecosystems other than prairies. To do this, I sat down with my good friend and lab mate, Tyler Refsland, to discuss the implications of fire in forest ecosystems. Tyler's work is based in the oak-hickory forests of southern Illinois and takes a unique perspective that spans many scales, from mycorrhizal fungi, to individual trees, and up to forest composition as a whole. Although this isn't an all encompassing look at the role of fire in ecosystems, it nonetheless offers a lot of food for thought. This episode was produced in part by Mark, Allen, Maz, Beccah, Desiree, Sienna, Laura, Margie, Troy, and Bryan.

You can reach Tyler via email: refslan2@illinois.edu

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Ep. 80 - Lichens and Their Conservation

Lichens are everywhere and we hardly ever notice them. Aside from their beauty and interesting symbiotic relationships, lichens are also crucial components of their environment. Today we are joined by Jessica Allen, a PhD student who is devoting her career to understanding and preserving these wonderful organisms. Please join us for a fascinating discussion about the world of lichens. This episode was produced in part by Gregory, Mark, Bryan, Laura, Margie, and Allan.

Click here to learn more about Jessica's work

Click here to read more about lichens

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Ep. 57 - The Fascinating World of Liverworts

Say liverwort to some random person on the street and you are going to get some funny looks. Say it to the right person, however, and brace yourself because you are about to enter into a world hundreds of millions of years in the making. Liverworts represent something akin to the earliest stages in terrestrial plant evolution. Despite their diminutive stature, the world of liverworts is endlessly fascinating. For this reason I was very excited to sit down for a conversation with this week's guest. Laura Briscoe is a Research & Collections Assistant at The Field Museum who specializes  in liverwort biology and her work focuses on cataloguing and describing liverwort diversity. Her research takes her to a small island off the coast of Chile where liverwort diversity far outnumbers that of vascular plants such as trees. This was one of the most fascinating conversations I have ever had and I really think you are going to enjoy it.

Click here to learn more about Laura's work.

Click here to see a video journal of Laura in the field. 

Click here to contact Laura.

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Ep. 56 - Tales from the Field

Field season has arrived for many of us. Others have been in the field for weeks by now. Whether you study plants, fish, or geology, field work brings with it a sense of fun and adventure. It also comes with its own set of challenges. In celebration of the life of a field technician, I invited some of my friends and colleagues to tell us stories from the field. Some are funny and others end in a trip to the hospital. Regardless of the challenges, we wouldn't trade this lifestyle for anything. Join us this episode for some tales from the field!

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Ep. 55 - For the Love of Ferns

Who doesn't love ferns? After all, they represent one of the oldest lineages of plants on our planet. Far from being lowly curiosities living out their lives in the shade of their flowering cousins, ferns are incredibly complex organisms with astounding diversity. Dr. Carl Rothfels joins us for a fascinating discussion about ferns and their evolution. This is one conversation you don't want to miss. This episode was produced in part by Allan and Gregory. 

Click here to learn more about Dr. Rothfels work.

Click here to watch spore catapults in action! 

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Ep. 52 - Flower Phenology: A Story of Tradeoffs

Being sessile organisms, plants have to be able to cope with changes in their environment in unique ways. One of the major challenges plants face is knowing when to flower. Whereas some species stick to steadfast schedules, others have evolved some flexibility to cope with their stochastic surroundings. Dr. Emily Austen is interested in the evolution and maintenance of flowering strategies. She is also undertaking a fascinating citizen science project involving trout lily pollen color. With spring well underway, this is a timely episode you won't want to miss.

Click here to find out more about how you can get involved with Dr. Austen's trout lily research. 

Click here to learn more about Dr. Austen's work.

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Ep. 47 - Pollinators and Parentage

I have always thought of pollination as rather straight forward - a pollinator visits a plant, picks up pollen, and deposits that pollen on its next visit. As it turns out, it's not that simple. To find out more about the complexities of pollination, I called up Dr. Randy Mitchell from the University of Akron in Ohio. His research is going to blow your mind. What to us seems like the perfect mutualism turns out to be more like a dark alley transaction in which each party is trying to get as much from the other without giving too much in return. This episode was produced in part by Allan Pisula of Kinosha, Wisconsin. 

Click here to find out more about Dr. Mitchell's research.

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Ep. 43 - Orchid Conservation

Many people are surprised to learn that North America is home to over 200 species of orchid. What's more, an embarrassing amount of North America's orchids are threatened with extinction. The plight of this intriguing plant family is an indication of how we are doing as a species. Orchids act as the proverbial canary in a coal mine. That is why Dr. Dennis Whigham, senior botanist for the Smithsonian Environmental Research Center, created the North America Orchid Conservation Center. Join me for a discussion with Dr. Whigham in which we cover everything from the mutualisms that orchids need to survive to what it is going to take to ensure their survival on this continent. 

Click here to learn more about the NAOCC

Click here to visit their Go Orchids website

Click here to learn more about Dr. Whigham

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Ep. 9 - Plants In a Drying Climate

Ecosystems around the world have been getting progressively drier. With changes in annual precipitation and desertification on the rise, understanding how plants and ecosystems in general respond to drought is of growing importance in ecology. Join me for a conversation with Dr. Dan Potts of SUNY Buffalo State about his research into plant responses to changing precipitation. 

 

Dr. Potts' Website

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Ep. 4 - Invasive Species: A Refreshing Take

Community ecologist Dr. Robert Warren joins us from SUNY Buffalo State for an interesting discussion on invasive plant species. Learn about the challenges of this type of research, rapid evolution, and Eltonian noise. This is a refreshing departure from the normal when it comes to invasive species discussions. 

 

Dr. Warren's Website

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