In Defense of Plants Podcast

This week I touch on some recent adventures as well as some exciting things to come. I also discuss my disgust with cultivars.

Commonness and rarity are snapshots in time. The abundance of plant species can change drastically as conditions change around them. Over the last two years I have been investigating what makes some plant species rare while others are common. It has been an amazing journey. Join me in this episode as I explore this idea.

Novel approaches are always fun. Nowhere is this more apparent than in today's podcast. I am joined by Dr. Camille Holmgren from SUNY Buffalo State to talk 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.

In this week's episode I am joined by senior horticulturist Dave Janas of the Wilson Botanical Gardens in Las Cruces, Costa Rica. Dave is what I like to call a "plant guru." Join us for a discussion about all the wonder and beauty that is life at the Wilson Botanical Gardens.

Urban ecology is a growing field of study. In this episode I sit down for a talk with ecologist Dave Spiering from Tifft Nature Center in the City of Buffalo. Dave studies succession in these man-made environments and his experience as a restoration practitioner provides unique insights into how we can manage our urban environments in better way.

This week I take some time to catch up with an old friend. Melissa and I met while training for a seed collection job out west and since then she has been quite busy working on an advanced degree in ecology. We talk about her work in the so-called "Miracle Mile," which is a hotspot for conifer diversity and just how lucky we are to be pursuing a career investigating the natural world. It's always nice to see people who are passionate about the natural world.

Plants interact with fungi in incredible ways. From pathogens to important symbionts, it would seem that plants cannot escape the mycological community. There are plants out there that have reversed their role with fungi. These are the parasitic mycoheterotrophs. Join me for a discussion with Dr. Tom Horton from the SUNY college of Environmental Science and Forestry about these incredible marvels of evolution. This is certainly one you don't want to miss!

Do you think your state's flower is boring and uninspiring? American poet Robbie Q. Telfer does and he is calling for a change. He would like to see the state flower of Illinois represent something truly Illinoian. Robbie stops by the podcast for a conversation regarding his call to action and so much more. It is people like Robbie that remind us of the Ed Abbey quote - "The idea of wilderness needs no defense. It only needs more defenders."

Steve stops by for a fun discussion about some of our favorite nature-themed books.

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.

Chara represent the earliest stages of true plant evolution. They are also model organisms for a wide variety of research questions. Join me for an intriguing discussion with Dr. Mary Bisson from the University at Buffalo.

Steve Fleck returns for a fun and interesting discussion on yerba mate. This tea-like beverage is made from the leaves of a holly and is consumed as a coffee substitute all around the world. As such, it has some interesting ecological implications.

Join Matt for a discussion about Castilleja. Known commonly as the Indian paintbrush, these lovely parasites are a joy to encounter.

Sara from SylvaticaShop.com stops by to talk about terrariums. Their popularity has risen considerably in the last couple of years but all too often terrariums are done wrong. Join us for a discussion about what terrariums are and learn some ways of doing them right.

Community ecologist Dr. Robert Warren joins us for an interesting discussion about invasive species. We touch on research limitations, rapid evolution, and Eltonian noise. This episode is a refreshing departure from the normal.