Ep. 333 - Variability in Plant Coloration

Plants come in a bewildering variety of colors. Even within species, colors can vary from individual to individual. How and why color can differs are exactly the kinds of questions that intrigue PhD student Cierra Sullivan. Join us as we explore ideas relating to topics such as leaf variegation and the influence of climate change on flower color. This episode was produced in part by Jeremy, Suzanne, Kristina, Christine, Silas, Michael, Aristia, Felicidad, Lauren, Danielle, Allie, Jeffrey, Amanda, Tommy, Marcel, C Leigh, Karma, Shelby, Christopher, Alvin, Arek, Chellie, Dani, Paul, Dani, Tara, Elly, Colleen, Natalie, Nathan, Ario, Laura, Cari, Margaret, Mary, Connor, Nathan, Jan, Jerome, Brian, Azomonas, Ellie, University Greens, Joseph, Melody, Patricia, Matthew, Garrett, John, Ashley, Cathrine, Melvin, OrangeJulian, Porter, Jules, Griff, Joan, Megan, Marabeth, Les, Ali, Southside Plants, Keiko, Robert, Bryce, Wilma, Amanda, Helen, Mikey, Michelle, German, Joerg, Cathy, Tate, Steve, Kae, Carole, Mr. Keith Santner, Lynn, Aaron, Sara, Kenned, Brett, Jocelyn, Ethan, Sheryl, Runaway Goldfish, Ryan, Chris, Alana, Rachel, Joanna, Lori, Paul, Griff, Matthew, Bobby, Vaibhav, Steven, Joseph, Brandon, Liam, Hall, Jared, Brandon, Christina, Carly, Kazys, Stephen, Katherine, Mohsin Kazmi Takes Pictures, Manny, doeg, Daniel, Tim, Philip, Tim, Lisa, Brodie, Bendix, Irene, holly, Sara, and Margie.

Follow Cierra on Twitter: @Sullylubbts13

Support this podcast

Buy my book

Pick up some In Defense of Plants merch

Music by Moneycat

Ep. 332 - The Ecology of Douglas Fir

In this episode, we celebrate one of the most venerable conifers in North America - the Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii). This wide ranging species can establish early after disturbance and live for centuries, bolstering the ecology of the forests it comprises. Joining us for this celebration is arborist Casey Clapp, co-host of the wonderful Completely Arbortrary Podcast. Listen in as we wax poetic about the amazing Douglas-fir! This episode was produced in part by Jeremy, Suzanne, Kristina, Christine, Silas, Michael, Aristia, Felicidad, Lauren, Danielle, Allie, Jeffrey, Amanda, Tommy, Marcel, C Leigh, Karma, Shelby, Christopher, Alvin, Arek, Chellie, Dani, Paul, Dani, Tara, Elly, Colleen, Natalie, Nathan, Ario, Laura, Cari, Margaret, Mary, Connor, Nathan, Jan, Jerome, Brian, Azomonas, Ellie, University Greens, Joseph, Melody, Patricia, Matthew, Garrett, John, Ashley, Cathrine, Melvin, OrangeJulian, Porter, Jules, Griff, Joan, Megan, Marabeth, Les, Ali, Southside Plants, Keiko, Robert, Bryce, Wilma, Amanda, Helen, Mikey, Michelle, German, Joerg, Cathy, Tate, Steve, Kae, Carole, Mr. Keith Santner, Lynn, Aaron, Sara, Kenned, Brett, Jocelyn, Ethan, Sheryl, Runaway Goldfish, Ryan, Chris, Alana, Rachel, Joanna, Lori, Paul, Griff, Matthew, Bobby, Vaibhav, Steven, Joseph, Brandon, Liam, Hall, Jared, Brandon, Christina, Carly, Kazys, Stephen, Katherine, Mohsin Kazmi Takes Pictures, Manny, doeg, Daniel, Tim, Philip, Tim, Lisa, Brodie, Bendix, Irene, holly, Sara, and Margie.

Subscribe to Completely Arbortrary

Follow Completely Arbortrary on Instagram

Support this podcast

Buy my book

Pick up some In Defense of Plants merch

Music by Moneycat

Ep. 331 - Unraveling Quillwort Mysteries

Their ancestors once dominated the coal swamps of the Carboniferous Period, growing into massive trees that could reach upwards of 160 feet (50 m) into the canopy. Today, the quillworts (Isoetes spp.) are all that remains of this lineage. Though cosmopolitan in their distribution, quillworts can be hard to find unless you know where to look. Luckily, there are people like PhD student David Wickell who have placed them at the center of their scientific focus. David is hard at work helping to uncover the mysteries of these wonderfully strange lycophytes. As you will hear, this work includes everything from CAM photosynthesis to the role of hybridization in speciation. This episode was produced in part by Kristina, Christine, Silas, Michael, Aristia, Felicidad, Lauren, Danielle, Allie, Jeffrey, Amanda, Tommy, Marcel, C Leigh, Karma, Shelby, Christopher, Alvin, Arek, Chellie, Dani, Paul, Dani, Tara, Elly, Colleen, Natalie, Nathan, Ario, Laura, Cari, Margaret, Mary, Connor, Nathan, Jan, Jerome, Brian, Azomonas, Ellie, University Greens, Joseph, Melody, Patricia, Matthew, Garrett, John, Ashley, Cathrine, Melvin, OrangeJulian, Porter, Jules, Griff, Joan, Megan, Marabeth, Les, Ali, Southside Plants, Keiko, Robert, Bryce, Wilma, Amanda, Helen, Mikey, Michelle, German, Joerg, Cathy, Tate, Steve, Kae, Carole, Mr. Keith Santner, Lynn, Aaron, Sara, Kenned, Brett, Jocelyn, Ethan, Sheryl, Runaway Goldfish, Ryan, Chris, Alana, Rachel, Joanna, Lori, Paul, Griff, Matthew, Bobby, Vaibhav, Steven, Joseph, Brandon, Liam, Hall, Jared, Brandon, Christina, Carly, Kazys, Stephen, Katherine, Mohsin Kazmi Takes Pictures, Manny, doeg, Daniel, Tim, Philip, Tim, Lisa, Brodie, Bendix, Irene, holly, Sara, and Margie.

Learn more about David’s research

Learn more about Isoetes

Follow David on Twitter: @DavidWickell

Support this podcast

Buy my book

Pick up some In Defense of Plants merch

Music by Moneycat

Ep. 330 - Horticultural Taxonomy

Have you ever walked through a plant nursery or garden center and wondered about who keeps track of all those named varieties, selections, and cultivars? The answer to this are horticultural taxonomists! From registering new plants to maintaining herbarium records and DNA barcoding, horticultural taxonomists really have their job cut out for them. Joining us to talk about this topic is Mathew Rees, a botanist for the Royal Horticultural Society. Learn how he and his colleagues manage to keep track of all the human-induced diversity among different groups of plants and gain insights into how science, horticulture, and sustainability are aiming to make things better for humans and the planet. This episode was produced in part by Kristina, Christine, Silas, Michael, Aristia, Felicidad, Lauren, Danielle, Allie, Jeffrey, Amanda, Tommy, Marcel, C Leigh, Karma, Shelby, Christopher, Alvin, Arek, Chellie, Dani, Paul, Dani, Tara, Elly, Colleen, Natalie, Nathan, Ario, Laura, Cari, Margaret, Mary, Connor, Nathan, Jan, Jerome, Brian, Azomonas, Ellie, University Greens, Joseph, Melody, Patricia, Matthew, Garrett, John, Ashley, Cathrine, Melvin, OrangeJulian, Porter, Jules, Griff, Joan, Megan, Marabeth, Les, Ali, Southside Plants, Keiko, Robert, Bryce, Wilma, Amanda, Helen, Mikey, Michelle, German, Joerg, Cathy, Tate, Steve, Kae, Carole, Mr. Keith Santner, Lynn, Aaron, Sara, Kenned, Brett, Jocelyn, Ethan, Sheryl, Runaway Goldfish, Ryan, Chris, Alana, Rachel, Joanna, Lori, Paul, Griff, Matthew, Bobby, Vaibhav, Steven, Joseph, Brandon, Liam, Hall, Jared, Brandon, Christina, Carly, Kazys, Stephen, Katherine, Mohsin Kazmi Takes Pictures, Manny, doeg, Daniel, Tim, Philip, Tim, Lisa, Brodie, Bendix, Irene, holly, Sara, and Margie.

Learn more about horticultural taxonomy at the Royal Horticultural Society

Why we must value urban forests

Learn more about the economic impacts of horticulture in the UK

Follow Mathew on Twitter: @Myosotis_Matt

Support this podcast

Buy my book

Pick up some In Defense of Plants merch

Music by Moneycat

Ep. 329 - A Closer Look at Algae

It's important to give credit to the small but important things in life, like algae! In this episode we dive under the microscope lens with Julia Van Etten to talk about the microscopic world of algae and how they relate to plants. Julia is a PhD student researching extremophile algae and also runs a wonderful and fascinating science communication outlet called Couch Microscopy. Join us as we take a dive into the microscopic world of algae and learn about their connection to plants. This episode was produced in part by Christine, Silas, Michael, Aristia, Felicidad, Lauren, Danielle, Allie, Jeffrey, Amanda, Tommy, Marcel, C Leigh, Karma, Shelby, Christopher, Alvin, Arek, Chellie, Dani, Paul, Dani, Tara, Elly, Colleen, Natalie, Nathan, Ario, Laura, Cari, Margaret, Mary, Connor, Nathan, Jan, Jerome, Brian, Azomonas, Ellie, University Greens, Joseph, Melody, Patricia, Matthew, Garrett, John, Ashley, Cathrine, Melvin, OrangeJulian, Porter, Jules, Griff, Joan, Megan, Marabeth, Les, Ali, Southside Plants, Keiko, Robert, Bryce, Wilma, Amanda, Helen, Mikey, Michelle, German, Joerg, Cathy, Tate, Steve, Kae, Carole, Mr. Keith Santner, Lynn, Aaron, Sara, Kenned, Brett, Jocelyn, Ethan, Sheryl, Runaway Goldfish, Ryan, Chris, Alana, Rachel, Joanna, Lori, Paul, Griff, Matthew, Bobby, Vaibhav, Steven, Joseph, Brandon, Liam, Hall, Jared, Brandon, Christina, Carly, Kazys, Stephen, Katherine, Mohsin Kazmi Takes Pictures, Manny, doeg, Daniel, Tim, Philip, Tim, Lisa, Brodie, Bendix, Irene, holly, Sara, and Margie.

Follow Julia on Instagram: @couch_microscopy

Learn more about Julia’s work

Follow Julia on Twitter: @couchmicroscopy

Support this podcast

Buy my book

Pick up some In Defense of Plants merch

Music by Moneycat

Ep. 328 - Behind the Scenes at Prairie Moon Nursery

In this episode, we explore how a small native seed company selling native plant seeds out of their living room grew into one of the biggest native plant nurseries in the United States. Joining us is Horticulture Educator Kaitlyn O'Connor to give us a deep dive into how Prairie Moon Nursery is able to provide over 700 species of native plants for use in everything from gardens to large-scale restoration projects. This episode was produced in part by Silas, Michael, Aristia, Felicidad, Lauren, Danielle, Allie, Jeffrey, Amanda, Tommy, Marcel, C Leigh, Karma, Shelby, Christopher, Alvin, Arek, Chellie, Dani, Paul, Dani, Tara, Elly, Colleen, Natalie, Nathan, Ario, Laura, Cari, Margaret, Mary, Connor, Nathan, Jan, Jerome, Brian, Azomonas, Ellie, University Greens, Joseph, Melody, Patricia, Matthew, Garrett, John, Ashley, Cathrine, Melvin, OrangeJulian, Porter, Jules, Griff, Joan, Megan, Marabeth, Les, Ali, Southside Plants, Keiko, Robert, Bryce, Wilma, Amanda, Helen, Mikey, Michelle, German, Joerg, Cathy, Tate, Steve, Kae, Carole, Mr. Keith Santner, Lynn, Aaron, Sara, Kenned, Brett, Jocelyn, Ethan, Sheryl, Runaway Goldfish, Ryan, Chris, Alana, Rachel, Joanna, Lori, Paul, Griff, Matthew, Bobby, Vaibhav, Steven, Joseph, Brandon, Liam, Hall, Jared, Brandon, Christina, Carly, Kazys, Stephen, Katherine, Mohsin Kazmi Takes Pictures, Manny, doeg, Daniel, Tim, Philip, Tim, Lisa, Brodie, Bendix, Irene, holly, Sara, and Margie.

Enter IDOP at checkout over at www.prairiemoon.com to receive 10% off your order and some free Prairie Moon swag (Offer ends September 30th, 2021 and is limited to those living in the continental United States)

Support this podcast

Buy my book

Pick up some In Defense of Plants merch

Music by Moneycat

Ep. 327 - A Rallying Cry for Restoration

The United Nations kicked off 2021 is a rallying cry for restoring ecosystems around the globe. The so-called UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration is aimed at preventing, halting, and reversing ecosystem degradation around the globe. Importantly, ecosystem restoration should not be seen a prescription, but rather a process that changes as we learn more about the world around us. Joining us to talk about this process is Tim Christophersen, head of the Nature for Climate Branch for the UN Environment Programme. Tune in and learn how this decade can set the stage for changing our relationship with all of Earth's ecosystems. This episode was produced in part by Aristia, Felicidad, Lauren, Danielle, Allie, Jeffrey, Amanda, Tommy, Marcel, C Leigh, Karma, Shelby, Christopher, Alvin, Arek, Chellie, Dani, Paul, Dani, Tara, Elly, Colleen, Natalie, Nathan, Ario, Laura, Cari, Margaret, Mary, Connor, Nathan, Jan, Jerome, Brian, Azomonas, Ellie, University Greens, Joseph, Melody, Patricia, Matthew, Garrett, John, Ashley, Cathrine, Melvin, OrangeJulian, Porter, Jules, Griff, Joan, Megan, Marabeth, Les, Ali, Southside Plants, Keiko, Robert, Bryce, Wilma, Amanda, Helen, Mikey, Michelle, German, Joerg, Cathy, Tate, Steve, Kae, Carole, Mr. Keith Santner, Lynn, Aaron, Sara, Kenned, Brett, Jocelyn, Ethan, Sheryl, Runaway Goldfish, Ryan, Chris, Alana, Rachel, Joanna, Lori, Paul, Griff, Matthew, Bobby, Vaibhav, Steven, Joseph, Brandon, Liam, Hall, Jared, Brandon, Christina, Carly, Kazys, Stephen, Katherine, Mohsin Kazmi Takes Pictures, Manny, doeg, Daniel, Tim, Philip, Tim, Lisa, Brodie, Bendix, Irene, holly, Sara, and Margie.

Learn more about the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration

Follow Tim on Twitter: @TimChristo

Support this podcast

Buy my book

Pick up some In Defense of Plants merch

Music by Moneycat

Ep. 326 - Trillium Diversity: A Story of Ants & Seed Dispersal

This episode explores the amazing world of Trillium diversity. This charismatic genus is incredible in its own right, but what makes it so diverse only adds to the intrigue. Joining us is Dr. Chelsea Miller to talk about her research on the role of ants in explaining the diversity of Trillium in North American forests. You will learn just how important these insects are when it comes to why some species are rare while others are common. This episode was produced in part by Aristia, Felicidad, Lauren, Danielle, Allie, Jeffrey, Amanda, Tommy, Marcel, C Leigh, Karma, Shelby, Christopher, Alvin, Arek, Chellie, Dani, Paul, Dani, Tara, Elly, Colleen, Natalie, Nathan, Ario, Laura, Cari, Margaret, Mary, Connor, Nathan, Jan, Jerome, Brian, Azomonas, Ellie, University Greens, Joseph, Melody, Patricia, Matthew, Garrett, John, Ashley, Cathrine, Melvin, OrangeJulian, Porter, Jules, Griff, Joan, Megan, Marabeth, Les, Ali, Southside Plants, Keiko, Robert, Bryce, Wilma, Amanda, Helen, Mikey, Michelle, German, Joerg, Cathy, Tate, Steve, Kae, Carole, Mr. Keith Santner, Lynn, Aaron, Sara, Kenned, Brett, Jocelyn, Ethan, Sheryl, Runaway Goldfish, Ryan, Chris, Alana, Rachel, Joanna, Lori, Paul, Griff, Matthew, Bobby, Vaibhav, Steven, Joseph, Brandon, Liam, Hall, Jared, Brandon, Christina, Carly, Kazys, Stephen, Katherine, Mohsin Kazmi Takes Pictures, Manny, doeg, Daniel, Tim, Philip, Tim, Lisa, Brodie, Bendix, Irene, holly, Sara, and Margie.

Learn more about Dr. Miller’s work

Follow Dr. Miller on Twitter: @chelseamiller_9

Support this podcast

Buy my book

Pick up some In Defense of Plants merch

Music by Moneycat

Ep. 325 - Toxic Soils & Drinking Water From Rocks

Everyone needs a bit of calcium in their diet, but too much of it can cause serious health issues. The same is true for plants. Growing in soils high in calcium is no walk in the park and yet, around the world, we see many plants that have adapted to soils made toxic by calcium sulfate. How they manage to adapt to such conditions is the main research interest of Dr. Sara Palacio. She focuses her work on the evolution and physiology of plants that grow in soils dominated by gypsum. Her work has her looking at everything from how plants use calcium sulfate to their advantage and the effects of herbivory on gypsum endemics to how some plants are able to get water directly from rocks! Join us for a fascinating dive into the world of gypsum plants. This episode was produced in part by Lauren, Danielle, Allie, Jeffrey, Amanda, Tommy, Marcel, C Leigh, Karma, Shelby, Christopher, Alvin, Arek, Chellie, Dani, Paul, Dani, Tara, Elly, Colleen, Natalie, Nathan, Ario, Laura, Cari, Margaret, Mary, Connor, Nathan, Jan, Jerome, Brian, Azomonas, Ellie, University Greens, Joseph, Melody, Patricia, Matthew, Garrett, John, Ashley, Cathrine, Melvin, OrangeJulian, Porter, Jules, Griff, Joan, Megan, Marabeth, Les, Ali, Southside Plants, Keiko, Robert, Bryce, Wilma, Amanda, Helen, Mikey, Michelle, German, Joerg, Cathy, Tate, Steve, Kae, Carole, Mr. Keith Santner, Lynn, Aaron, Sara, Kenned, Brett, Jocelyn, Ethan, Sheryl, Runaway Goldfish, Ryan, Chris, Alana, Rachel, Joanna, Lori, Paul, Griff, Matthew, Bobby, Vaibhav, Steven, Joseph, Brandon, Liam, Hall, Jared, Brandon, Christina, Carly, Kazys, Stephen, Katherine, Mohsin Kazmi Takes Pictures, Manny, doeg, Daniel, Tim, Philip, Tim, Lisa, Brodie, Bendix, Irene, holly, Sara, and Margie.

Learn more about Dr. Palacio’s work

Check out GypWorld

GypNet Resources

Support this podcast

Pick up a copy of my book

Customize some In Defense of Plants merch

Music by Moneycat

Ep. 324 - Palms Through Deep Time

Palms (Arecaceae) are among the best known and easily recognizable groups of plants on Earth. Their diversity is staggering and they play important roles in the ecology of the habitats in which they grow. But how much do we know about their evolutionary history? What can a deep time perspective teach us about palm evolution. Joining us to talk about this is paleobotanist Dr. Kelly Matsunaga. Dr. Matsunaga uses the palm fossil record to investigate a variety of palm-related topics from the evolutionary origins of modern palm diversity to the origins of tropical rainforests. This episode was produced in part by Amanda, Tommy, Marcel, C Leigh, Karma, Shelby, Christopher, Alvin, Arek, Chellie, Dani, Paul, Dani, Tara, Elly, Colleen, Natalie, Nathan, Ario, Laura, Cari, Margaret, Mary, Connor, Nathan, Jan, Jerome, Brian, Azomonas, Ellie, University Greens, Joseph, Melody, Patricia, Matthew, Garrett, John, Ashley, Cathrine, Melvin, OrangeJulian, Porter, Jules, Griff, Joan, Megan, Marabeth, Les, Ali, Southside Plants, Keiko, Robert, Bryce, Wilma, Amanda, Helen, Mikey, Michelle, German, Joerg, Cathy, Tate, Steve, Kae, Carole, Mr. Keith Santner, Lynn, Aaron, Sara, Kenned, Brett, Jocelyn, Ethan, Sheryl, Runaway Goldfish, Ryan, Chris, Alana, Rachel, Joanna, Lori, Paul, Griff, Matthew, Bobby, Vaibhav, Steven, Joseph, Brandon, Liam, Hall, Jared, Brandon, Christina, Carly, Kazys, Stephen, Katherine, Mohsin Kazmi Takes Pictures, Manny, doeg, Daniel, Tim, Philip, Tim, Lisa, Brodie, Bendix, Irene, holly, Sara, and Margie.

APPLY FOR THE PLANT SCIENCE & CONSERVATION FELLOWSHIPS AT OAK SPRING GARDEN FOUNDATION

Learn more about Dr. Matsunaga’s work

Support this podcast

Pick up a copy of my book

Check out the In Defense of Plants merch page

Music by Moneycat

Ep. 323 - Cacti, Microbes, and More!

Cacti may appear like strong, independent organisms but that simply isn't the case. No organism operates in a vacuum and cacti are no exception to this. In this episode, we talk with Stefan Burger, or as you may know him, Cactus Explorer, about the amazing world of cacti and some of the organisms they interact with that allow them to live in some of the harshest places on our planet. As you will hear, this is a rich area of research that definitely needs more attention. This episode was produced in part by Karma, Shelby, Christopher, Alvin, Arek, Chellie, Dani, Paul, Dani, Tara, Elly, Colleen, Natalie, Nathan, Ario, Laura, Cari, Margaret, Mary, Connor, Nathan, Jan, Jerome, Brian, Azomonas, Ellie, University Greens, Joseph, Melody, Patricia, Matthew, Garrett, John, Ashley, Cathrine, Melvin, OrangeJulian, Porter, Jules, Griff, Joan, Megan, Marabeth, Les, Ali, Southside Plants, Keiko, Robert, Bryce, Wilma, Amanda, Helen, Mikey, Michelle, German, Joerg, Cathy, Tate, Steve, Kae, Carole, Mr. Keith Santner, Lynn, Aaron, Sara, Kenned, Brett, Jocelyn, Ethan, Sheryl, Runaway Goldfish, Ryan, Chris, Alana, Rachel, Joanna, Lori, Paul, Griff, Matthew, Bobby, Vaibhav, Steven, Joseph, Brandon, Liam, Hall, Jared, Brandon, Christina, Carly, Kazys, Stephen, Katherine, Mohsin Kazmi Takes Pictures, Manny, doeg, Daniel, Tim, Philip, Tim, Lisa, Brodie, Bendix, Irene, holly, Sara, and Margie.

Learn more about Stefan’s work

Follow Stefan on Instagram: @cactusexplorer_

Follow Stefan on Facebook

Support this podcast

Pick up a copy of “In Defense of Plants: An Exploration into the Wonder of Plants”

Buy some In Defense of Plants merch

Music by Moneycat

Ep. 322 - Rue-production in Thalictrum

Plant sex is strange. Rooted in place, plants have had to get really creative (evolutionarily speaking) when it comes to reproduction. Moreover, there is no single pathway to success, and each plant lineage seems to have evolved multiple strategies for swapping gametes. Joining us to talk about the sex lives of one genus of plants is PhD student Melody Sain. Melody has turned her research focus onto the meadow rues in the genus Thalictrum and she is uncovering a fascinating world of genetic blueprints that have resulted in differences in sex expression among these plants. This episode was produced in part by Karma, Shelby, Christopher, Alvin, Arek, Chellie, Dani, Paul, Dani, Tara, Elly, Colleen, Natalie, Nathan, Ario, Laura, Cari, Margaret, Mary, Connor, Nathan, Jan, Jerome, Brian, Azomonas, Ellie, University Greens, Joseph, Melody, Patricia, Matthew, Garrett, John, Ashley, Cathrine, Melvin, OrangeJulian, Porter, Jules, Griff, Joan, Megan, Marabeth, Les, Ali, Southside Plants, Keiko, Robert, Bryce, Wilma, Amanda, Helen, Mikey, Michelle, German, Joerg, Cathy, Tate, Steve, Kae, Carole, Mr. Keith Santner, Lynn, Aaron, Sara, Kenned, Brett, Jocelyn, Ethan, Sheryl, Runaway Goldfish, Ryan, Chris, Alana, Rachel, Joanna, Lori, Paul, Griff, Matthew, Bobby, Vaibhav, Steven, Joseph, Brandon, Liam, Hall, Jared, Brandon, Christina, Carly, Kazys, Stephen, Katherine, Mohsin Kazmi Takes Pictures, Manny, doeg, Daniel, Tim, Philip, Tim, Lisa, Brodie, Bendix, Irene, holly, Sara, and Margie.

Learn more about Melody’s work

Reach out to Melody

Follow Melody on Twitter: @melpsain

Support this podcast

Pick up a copy of “In Defense of Plants: An Exploration into the Wonder of Plants”

Buy some In Defense of Plants merch

Music by Moneycat

Ep. 321 - Rapid Changes in Slow-Growing Ecosystems

Disturbance is an integral part of any ecosystem, but as the human presence on this planet continues to grow, disturbances are becoming more frequent and more severe. In this episode, Dr. Brian Buma joins us to discuss his research on disturbance ecology. His work has taken him all over the globe with the aim of understanding how disturbances lead to rapid changes in slow growing ecosystems like forests. From climate change and tree death to edge of range dynamics among myriad plants, Dr. Buma and his colleagues are helping us understand ecosystem resilience and change. We also discuss and exciting community science project that you can get involved with in your own neighborhood. This episode was produced in part by Karma, Shelby, Christopher, Alvin, Arek, Chellie, Dani, Paul, Dani, Tara, Elly, Colleen, Natalie, Nathan, Ario, Laura, Cari, Margaret, Mary, Connor, Nathan, Jan, Jerome, Brian, Azomonas, Ellie, University Greens, Joseph, Melody, Patricia, Matthew, Garrett, John, Ashley, Cathrine, Melvin, OrangeJulian, Porter, Jules, Griff, Joan, Megan, Marabeth, Les, Ali, Southside Plants, Keiko, Robert, Bryce, Wilma, Amanda, Helen, Mikey, Michelle, German, Joerg, Cathy, Tate, Steve, Kae, Carole, Mr. Keith Santner, Lynn, Aaron, Sara, Kenned, Brett, Jocelyn, Ethan, Sheryl, Runaway Goldfish, Ryan, Chris, Alana, Rachel, Joanna, Lori, Paul, Griff, Matthew, Bobby, Vaibhav, Steven, Joseph, Brandon, Liam, Hall, Jared, Brandon, Christina, Carly, Kazys, Stephen, Katherine, Mohsin Kazmi Takes Pictures, Manny, doeg, Daniel, Tim, Philip, Tim, Lisa, Brodie, Bendix, Irene, holly, Sara, and Margie.

APPLY FOR THE PLANT SCIENCE & CONSERVATION FELLOWSHIPS AT OAK SPRING GARDEN FOUNDATION

Learn more about Dr. Buma’s work

Participate in the Edges of (All) Life project

Support this podcast

Pick up a copy of “In Defense of Plants: An Exploration into the Wonder of Plants”

Buy some In Defense of Plants merch

Music by Moneycat

Ep. 320 - The Prehistoric Path to Flowering Plants

Resolving the origins of flowering plants requires an understanding of how their morphology came to be. After all, despite their rapid appearance in the fossil record, flowering plants did not evolve over night. There had to be transitional phases between what we recognize as a gymnosperm and what we recognize as an angiosperm and that is what this episode is all about. Sir Peter Crane of the Oak Spring Garden Foundation joins us to discuss some intriguing fossils that he and his colleagues hypothesize represent important steps in the early days of flowering plant evolution. This episode was produced in part by Karma, Shelby, Christopher, Alvin, Arek, Chellie, Dani, Paul, Dani, Tara, Elly, Colleen, Natalie, Nathan, Ario, Laura, Cari, Margaret, Mary, Connor, Nathan, Jan, Jerome, Brian, Azomonas, Ellie, University Greens, Joseph, Melody, Patricia, Matthew, Garrett, John, Ashley, Cathrine, Melvin, OrangeJulian, Porter, Jules, Griff, Joan, Megan, Marabeth, Les, Ali, Southside Plants, Keiko, Robert, Bryce, Wilma, Amanda, Helen, Mikey, Michelle, German, Joerg, Cathy, Tate, Steve, Kae, Carole, Mr. Keith Santner, Lynn, Aaron, Sara, Kenned, Brett, Jocelyn, Ethan, Sheryl, Runaway Goldfish, Ryan, Chris, Alana, Rachel, Joanna, Lori, Paul, Griff, Matthew, Bobby, Vaibhav, Steven, Joseph, Brandon, Liam, Hall, Jared, Brandon, Christina, Carly, Kazys, Stephen, Katherine, Mohsin Kazmi Takes Pictures, Manny, doeg, Daniel, Tim, Philip, Tim, Lisa, Brodie, Bendix, Irene, holly, Sara, and Margie.

Learn more about these fossils

Learn more about Sir Peter Crane

Learn more about Oak Spring Garden Foundation

Support this podcast

Buy my book

Pick up some In Defense of Plants merch

Music by Moneycat

Ep. 319 - Evolution of the Seed

Seeds are among the most important biological structures on this planet. Seeds have been instrumental in the diversification of plants, allowing them to spread into new habitats all over the globe. In fact, you and I would not be here if it were not for seeds. For these reasons and more, Dr. Cecilia Zumajo is fascinated by how seeds evolved. By looking at the genetic mechanisms that control seed development in various gymnosperms, Dr. Zumajo is opening new doors into our understanding of the development of these incredible structures. This episode was produced in part by Karma, Shelby, Christopher, Alvin, Arek, Chellie, Paul, Dani, Tara, Elly, Colleen, Natalie, Liam, Ario, Nathan, Laura, Cari, Laura, Kali, Margaret, Mary, Connor, Nathan, Jan, Jerome, Brian, Melody, Azomonas, Ellie, University Greens, Cynthia, John, Ashley, Peter, Cathrine, Melvin, OrangeJulian, Porter, Grif, Jules, Joan, Les, Marabeth, Ali, Margaret, Southside Plants, Robert, Keiko, Bryce, Brittany, Helen, Amanda, Mikey, Rhiannon, Michelle, Kate, German, Joerg, Alejandra, Cathy, Jordan, Judy, Steve, Kae, Carole, Mr. Keith Santner, Dana, Chloe, Aaron, Sara, Kenned, Vaibhav, Kendall, Christina, Brett, Jocelyn, Kathleen, Ethan, Kaylee, Runaway Goldfish, Ryan, Donica, Chris, Shamora, Alana, Laura, Alice, Sarah, Rachel, Joanna, Griff, Philip, Paul, Matthew, Clark, Bobby, Kate, Steven, Brittney, McMansion Hell, Joey, Catherine, Brandon, Hall, Vegreville Creek and Wetlands Fund, Kevin, Oliver, John, Johansson, Christina, Jared, Hannah, Katy Pye, Brandon, Gwen, Carly, Stephen, Botanical Tours, Moonwort Studios, Liba, Mohsin Kazmi Takes Pictures, doeg, Clifton, Stephanie, Benjamin, Eli, Rachael, Plant By Design, Philip, Brent, Ron, Tim, Homestead Brooklyn, Brodie, Kevin, Sophia, Mark, Rens, Bendix, Irene, Holly, Caitlin, Manuel, Jennifer, Sara, and Margie.

Learn more about Dr. Zumajo’s work

Follow Dr. Zumajo on Twitter: @CeciZumajo

Support this podcast

Read my book

Pick up some In Defense of Plants merch

Music by Moneycat

Ep. 318 - The Challenges of Protecting an Endemic Mint

More than half of the species on the Endangered Species List are plants and yet plants receive less than 5% of all conservation funding. If we care about slowing or reversing biodiversity loss, we need to start prioritizing plant conservation efforts. Joining us to talk about this is plant conservationist Sara Johnson. Sara's work focuses heavily on what it takes to protect rare plants like the Florida endemic mint, Macbridea alba. Join us for an in depth look at the work that goes in to protecting rare plants from extinction. This episode was produced in part by Arek, Chellie, Paul, Dani, Tara, Elly, Colleen, Natalie, Liam, Ario, Nathan, Laura, Cari, Laura, Kali, Margaret, Mary, Connor, Nathan, Jan, Jerome, Brian, Melody, Azomonas, Ellie, University Greens, Cynthia, John, Ashley, Peter, Cathrine, Melvin, OrangeJulian, Porter, Grif, Jules, Joan, Les, Marabeth, Ali, Margaret, Southside Plants, Robert, Keiko, Bryce, Brittany, Helen, Amanda, Mikey, Rhiannon, Michelle, Kate, German, Joerg, Alejandra, Cathy, Jordan, Judy, Steve, Kae, Carole, Mr. Keith Santner, Dana, Chloe, Aaron, Sara, Kenned, Vaibhav, Kendall, Christina, Brett, Jocelyn, Kathleen, Ethan, Kaylee, Runaway Goldfish, Ryan, Donica, Chris, Shamora, Alana, Laura, Alice, Sarah, Rachel, Joanna, Griff, Philip, Paul, Matthew, Clark, Bobby, Kate, Steven, Brittney, McMansion Hell, Joey, Catherine, Brandon, Hall, Vegreville Creek and Wetlands Fund, Kevin, Oliver, John, Johansson, Christina, Jared, Hannah, Katy Pye, Brandon, Gwen, Carly, Stephen, Botanical Tours, Moonwort Studios, Liba, Mohsin Kazmi Takes Pictures, doeg, Clifton, Stephanie, Benjamin, Eli, Rachael, Plant By Design, Philip, Brent, Ron, Tim, Homestead Brooklyn, Brodie, Kevin, Sophia, Mark, Rens, Bendix, Irene, Holly, Caitlin, Manuel, Jennifer, Sara, and Margie.

Learn more about Sara’s work

Follow Sara on Instagram: @sylvatica_midwestexplorer

Support this podcast

Buy my book

Pick up some In Defense of Plants merch

Music by Moneycat

Ep. 317 - Leaf Margins, Paleoclimates, and Continental Movements

Are the leaf margins smooth or toothed? How dense are the leaf veins? Are the petioles thick or thin? The answers to these questions go far beyond helping us identify plant species. Dr. Ian Miller of the Denver Museum of Nature and Science joins us to talk about how such details in leaf fossils can be used to understand everything from the climate of the Cretaceous to the movement of continents. You will be amazed at just how much information paleobotany can provide.This episode was produced in part by Arek, Chellie, Paul, Dani, Tara, Elly, Colleen, Natalie, Liam, Ario, Nathan, Laura, Cari, Laura, Kali, Margaret, Mary, Connor, Nathan, Jan, Jerome, Brian, Melody, Azomonas, Ellie, University Greens, Cynthia, John, Ashley, Peter, Cathrine, Melvin, OrangeJulian, Porter, Grif, Jules, Joan, Les, Marabeth, Ali, Margaret, Southside Plants, Robert, Keiko, Bryce, Brittany, Helen, Amanda, Mikey, Rhiannon, Michelle, Kate, German, Joerg, Alejandra, Cathy, Jordan, Judy, Steve, Kae, Carole, Mr. Keith Santner, Dana, Chloe, Aaron, Sara, Kenned, Vaibhav, Kendall, Christina, Brett, Jocelyn, Kathleen, Ethan, Kaylee, Runaway Goldfish, Ryan, Donica, Chris, Shamora, Alana, Laura, Alice, Sarah, Rachel, Joanna, Griff, Philip, Paul, Matthew, Clark, Bobby, Kate, Steven, Brittney, McMansion Hell, Joey, Catherine, Brandon, Hall, Vegreville Creek and Wetlands Fund, Kevin, Oliver, John, Johansson, Christina, Jared, Hannah, Katy Pye, Brandon, Gwen, Carly, Stephen, Botanical Tours, Moonwort Studios, Liba, Mohsin Kazmi Takes Pictures, doeg, Clifton, Stephanie, Benjamin, Eli, Rachael, Plant By Design, Philip, Brent, Ron, Tim, Homestead Brooklyn, Brodie, Kevin, Sophia, Mark, Rens, Bendix, Irene, Holly, Caitlin, Manuel, Jennifer, Sara, and Margie.

Learn more about Dr. Miller’s work

Check out NOVA’s Rise of the Mammals documentary

Support this podcast

Buy my book

Pick up some In Defense of Plants merch

Music by Moneycat

Ep. 316 - How an Asteroid Changed Neotropical Rainforests

The asteroid that slammed into the Yucatan Peninsula some 66 million years ago marked the end of the Cretaceous and the reign of the dinosaurs. As famous as this extinction event is, we know considerably less about how such disturbances affected ecosystems like tropical rainforests. That is where people like Dr. Mónica Carvalho come in. Together with her colleagues, Dr. Carvalho is using vast amounts of fossil evidence from both before and after the asteroid impact to paint a picture of how the tropical rainforests of what is now Colombia were affected by this global catastrophe. From the rise of angiosperms to a complete overhaul of insect/plant interactions, you will be amazed at what these fossils can tell us. This episode was produced in part by Arek, Chellie, Paul, Dani, Tara, Elly, Colleen, Natalie, Liam, Ario, Nathan, Laura, Cari, Laura, Kali, Margaret, Mary, Connor, Nathan, Jan, Jerome, Brian, Melody, Azomonas, Ellie, University Greens, Cynthia, John, Ashley, Peter, Cathrine, Melvin, OrangeJulian, Porter, Grif, Jules, Joan, Les, Marabeth, Ali, Margaret, Southside Plants, Robert, Keiko, Bryce, Brittany, Helen, Amanda, Mikey, Rhiannon, Michelle, Kate, German, Joerg, Alejandra, Cathy, Jordan, Judy, Steve, Kae, Carole, Mr. Keith Santner, Dana, Chloe, Aaron, Sara, Kenned, Vaibhav, Kendall, Christina, Brett, Jocelyn, Kathleen, Ethan, Kaylee, Runaway Goldfish, Ryan, Donica, Chris, Shamora, Alana, Laura, Alice, Sarah, Rachel, Joanna, Griff, Philip, Paul, Matthew, Clark, Bobby, Kate, Steven, Brittney, McMansion Hell, Joey, Catherine, Brandon, Hall, Vegreville Creek and Wetlands Fund, Kevin, Oliver, John, Johansson, Christina, Jared, Hannah, Katy Pye, Brandon, Gwen, Carly, Stephen, Botanical Tours, Moonwort Studios, Liba, Mohsin Kazmi Takes Pictures, doeg, Clifton, Stephanie, Benjamin, Eli, Rachael, Plant By Design, Philip, Brent, Ron, Tim, Homestead Brooklyn, Brodie, Kevin, Sophia, Mark, Rens, Bendix, Irene, Holly, Caitlin, Manuel, Jennifer, Sara, and Margie.

Learn more about Dr. Carvalho’s work

Learn more about the Jaramillo Lab

Support this podcast

Buy my book

Pick up some In Defense of Plants merch

Music by Moneycat

Ep. 315 - Deer & Forest Health

In today's human-dominated world, healthy forests require healthy and sustainable management practices. To do this, we must try to understand the myriad processes that affect forest health and that is where our guest comes in. Dr. Matt Russell is an Associate Professor and Extension Specialist for the University of Minnesota and his research focuses on forest ecosystem health. Specifically, he aims to understand how herbivores like deer are shaping the forests of the future. Join us for an important discussion on the impacts of herbivore dynamics on forest health and regeneration in eastern North America. This episode was produced in part by Chellie, Paul, Dani, Tara, Elly, Colleen, Natalie, Liam, Ario, Nathan, Laura, Cari, Laura, Kali, Margaret, Mary, Connor, Nathan, Jan, Jerome, Brian, Melody, Azomonas, Ellie, University Greens, Cynthia, John, Ashley, Peter, Cathrine, Melvin, OrangeJulian, Porter, Grif, Jules, Joan, Les, Marabeth, Ali, Margaret, Southside Plants, Robert, Keiko, Bryce, Brittany, Helen, Amanda, Mikey, Rhiannon, Michelle, Kate, German, Joerg, Alejandra, Cathy, Jordan, Judy, Steve, Kae, Carole, Mr. Keith Santner, Dana, Chloe, Aaron, Sara, Kenned, Vaibhav, Kendall, Christina, Brett, Jocelyn, Kathleen, Ethan, Kaylee, Runaway Goldfish, Ryan, Donica, Chris, Shamora, Alana, Laura, Alice, Sarah, Rachel, Joanna, Griff, Philip, Paul, Matthew, Clark, Bobby, Kate, Steven, Brittney, McMansion Hell, Joey, Catherine, Brandon, Hall, Vegreville Creek and Wetlands Fund, Kevin, Oliver, John, Johansson, Christina, Jared, Hannah, Katy Pye, Brandon, Gwen, Carly, Stephen, Botanical Tours, Moonwort Studios, Liba, Mohsin Kazmi Takes Pictures, doeg, Clifton, Stephanie, Benjamin, Eli, Rachael, Plant By Design, Philip, Brent, Ron, Tim, Homestead Brooklyn, Brodie, Kevin, Sophia, Mark, Rens, Bendix, Irene, Holly, Caitlin, Manuel, Jennifer, Sara, and Margie.

Learn more about Dr. Russell’s work

Learn more about Forest Ecosystem Health at UMN

Learn more about the AVID volunteer program

Support this podcast

Pick up a copy of my book

Nab some In Defense of Plants merch

Music by Moneycat

Ep. 314 - The Silversword Alliance

In this episode, we take a deep dive into the wild world of the Hawaiian silversword alliance. This group of daisy relatives represents one of the most remarkable adaptive radiations on the planet and is comprised of three genera: Wilkesia, Argyroxiphium, and Dubautia. From tiny cushion plants to woody trees and vines, these unique plants have done amazing things on the Hawaiian Archipelago. Even more amazing is the fact that all of them can trace their origins back to a single seed of a daisy relative called a tarweed growing in California. Against all odds, that seed made it across the Pacific and the rest, as they say, is history. Joining us to talk about that history is Dr. Bruce Baldwin, a professor at UC Berkeley and curator of the Jepson Herbarium. Dr. Baldwin has spent his career trying to unravel the evolutionary mysteries of this group and has made some important insights into the processes of evolution along the way. This episode was produced in part by Chellie, Paul, Dani, Tara, Elly, Colleen, Natalie, Liam, Ario, Nathan, Laura, Cari, Laura, Kali, Margaret, Mary, Connor, Nathan, Jan, Jerome, Brian, Melody, Azomonas, Ellie, University Greens, Cynthia, John, Ashley, Peter, Cathrine, Melvin, OrangeJulian, Porter, Grif, Jules, Joan, Les, Marabeth, Ali, Margaret, Southside Plants, Robert, Keiko, Bryce, Brittany, Helen, Amanda, Mikey, Rhiannon, Michelle, Kate, German, Joerg, Alejandra, Cathy, Jordan, Judy, Steve, Kae, Carole, Mr. Keith Santner, Dana, Chloe, Aaron, Sara, Kenned, Vaibhav, Kendall, Christina, Brett, Jocelyn, Kathleen, Ethan, Kaylee, Runaway Goldfish, Ryan, Donica, Chris, Shamora, Alana, Laura, Alice, Sarah, Rachel, Joanna, Griff, Philip, Paul, Matthew, Clark, Bobby, Kate, Steven, Brittney, McMansion Hell, Joey, Catherine, Brandon, Hall, Vegreville Creek and Wetlands Fund, Kevin, Oliver, John, Johansson, Christina, Jared, Hannah, Katy Pye, Brandon, Gwen, Carly, Stephen, Botanical Tours, Moonwort Studios, Liba, Mohsin Kazmi Takes Pictures, doeg, Clifton, Stephanie, Benjamin, Eli, Rachael, Plant By Design, Philip, Brent, Ron, Tim, Homestead Brooklyn, Brodie, Kevin, Sophia, Mark, Rens, Bendix, Irene, Holly, Caitlin, Manuel, Jennifer, Sara, and Margie.

Episode image by Forest & Kim Starr licensed under CC BY 2.0

Learn more about Dr. Baldwin’s work

Learn more about the Hawaiian silversword alliance

Get a copy of “Tarweeds & Silverswords: Evolution of the Madiinae (Asteraceae)”

Support this podcast

Pick up a copy of my book

Get some customizable In Defense of Plants merch

Music by Moneycat