In Defense of Plants
In Defense of Plants Podcast
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In Defense of Plants
In Defense of Plants PodcastEpisodes
In Defense of Plants
In Defense of Plants Podcast
 8 people rated this podcast
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It is impossible to make broad generalizations about the complex relationships between plants and microbes, but such challenges have not stopped Dr. Anny Chung from studying them. As you will here, there is a wide spectrum of possibilities betw
Upwards of 170 million acres of prairie once covered North America. Today, humans have reduced this to only 0.01%. The remnant prairies (fragments of the original, pre-colonial prairie landscape) that remain represent vestiges of this once grea
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 f
In this episode we look at what's going on inside the pitchers of carnivorous pitcher plants. Besides functioning as organs for prey capture and digestion, these highly modified leaves also serve as miniature ecological communities that have a
Ferns and lycophytes are very special plants. Their origins date back hundreds of millions of years. Representatives of these two lineages can be found all over the globe and yet we know much less about them than we do flowering plants. My gues
In this episode, we dive deeper into what is being done to bring the Ozark Chinquapin back from the brink of extinction. The Ozark Chinquapin (Castanea ozarkensis) is a tree on the brink of extinction. Like its more popular cousin, the American
The Ozark Chinquapin (Castanea ozarkensis) is a tree on the brink of extinction. Like its more popular cousin, the American chestnut, the Ozark Chinquapin is a victim of an introduce blight brought to this continent over a century ago. The loss
Magnolias are among the most iconic trees in the world. This family (Magnoliaceae) has also been around for a very long time. But, for all their history, intrigue, and interest, the magnolia family is not faring well in our modern world. Recent
The relationship between plants and mycorrhizal fungi is often painted as a beautiful, altruistic relationship, the reality is far more complex than that. Though this is one of the most important relationships on the planet, we still have a lot
Water lettuce (Pistia stratiotes) has long been maligned for its invasive tendencies. This floating aquatic aroid grows fast and responds well to poor water quality, and because of this, states like Florida spend lots of time and money on tryin
The Southeast is one of North America's biodiversity hotspots. Any trip through this region will be rewarded with lots of botanical splendor if you know where to look. Join Conservation Biologist Sara Johnson and me as we reminisce about a rece
I have said it before, and I will say it again: plants ARE habitat. Nowhere is this fact more apparent than in the field of wildlife ecology. From food to shelter, one simply can't understand the innerworkings of nature without understanding pl
Competition for nutrients is a major driver of plant evolution, especially in nutrient-poor soils. As such, plants have evolved myriad ways of getting a "root up" on the competition. Dr. Jim Dalling joins us to discuss two recent discoveries re
The Appalachian region may not readily seem like a fire-prone region, but parts of it certainly are. Fire can be an important tool in sustaining biodiversity, but modern understanding of its role is limited. That is why people like Dr. Don Haga
Wildfires are familiar to those living on Earth today, but what about in the past? How does one go about studying ancient wildfires through deep time? Some of the answers lie in coal deposits. Join me and Dr. Ian Glasspool as we explore how he
Good news is hard to come by in the world of plant conservation, but it is out there! Take, for instance, some recent examples on Santa Cruz Island in which the recovery of a handful of endangered plants, including island bedstraw (Galium buxif
How does one breath life into an extinct tree only known from fossils? There are a lot of answers to this question, but my guest today decided to go digital. Tim Stonesifer is the Assistant Director for Media Technology at Colby College and the
Fossil hunting is like playing the lottery, your odds of hitting big are infinitesimal, but it can happen. Such was the case for Dr. Bob Gastaldo and colleagues when they unearthed the remains of Sanfordiacaulis densifolia, an extinct tree from
Litter trapping plants don't worry about soil, they make their own! Because so many species in the tropics grow either epiphytically or in nutrient poor soil, some of them have turned to alternative solutions. Their anatomy is such that they co
For Dr. Rob Raguso, the phrase "stop and smell the roses" takes on a whole new meaning. Dr. Raguso studies the intricate world of floral chemistry. You are undoubtedly familiar with some of the wonderful odors flowers produce but such tantalizi
Plant pigments certainly catch the eyes of many organisms, but they serve many important functions beyond simple attraction. For instance, plant pigments can play a huge role in managing stressors like heat, sunlight, and more. Join me and Dr.
Plant stress starts at the molecular level but can influence entire ecosystems. That is why questions about drought, heat, and climate change fuel Dr. Lou Santiago's research. Join us as we explore the ins and outs of studying plant stress in d
Plants obviously need water to survive, but how do they interact with water in a more physical sense? How plants like trees capture and distribute precipitation can have massive consequences for ecosystem and societal processes. From soil forma
What wetland scene would be complete without a few cattails? The genus Typha is synonymous with wetlands yet as you will hear in this episode, we know so little about them. Joining us is Dr. Pam Geddes from Northeastern Illinois University to t
We take seeds for granted, yet still have much to learn about how they work. What factors play in to seed dormancy? How long can some seeds remain dormant? What cues are required to break dormancy? All these questions and more drive Dr. Grace F
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