In Defense of Plants Podcast

Historically speaking, palm taxonomy has been a bit tricky. This is due in large part by the difficulty in collecting and preparing proper specimens. Thankfully, with the advent of affordable DNA technologies, botanists are gaining new insights into palm diversity that aren't possible based on morphology alone. My guest today is Dr. Andrew Henderson of the New York Botanical Garden who has dedicated his career to understanding palms of the world. Lately his work has taken him to Southeast Asia and especially Vietnam where he and his colleagues are unlocking wonderful insights into the world of palms. The data they generate are also being used to help establish new protected areas that will provide a hopeful future for palms and all of the other species that live in those forests. Join us for a fascinating dive into the palm biodiversity. This episode was produced in part by 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.

In May of 1980, Mount St. Helens erupted, creating a path of destruction for hundreds of miles. No one thought life would return to that stretch of mountain for decades but they were wrong. In only a few short weeks, plants began sprouting and fungi started fruiting. The ecology of Mount St. Helens has been full of surprises ever since and that is exactly the topic of this episode. Joining us is author Dr. Eric Wagner to talk about his new book "After the Blast: The Ecological Recovery of Mount St. Helens." Throughout the pages of this book, you will learn both about the science of understanding ecological succession in the wake of the volcanic eruption as well as how it changed the people who have spent 40 years studying it. It is a wonderful story that combines ecology, sociology, and anthropology to paint a picture of nature that can give us a feeling of hope. This episode was produced in part by 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.

What does it take to live many hundreds or even thousands of years? For trees, it often means growing in places like cliffs where few other things can. My guest today has studied ancient cliff dwelling trees from all over the world and has uncovered some of the oldest living forests on our planet in the process. Joining us is Dr. Doug Larson whose work demonstrates that, far from excluding life, extremely harsh habitats can serve as refugia for plants and all of the organisms they support. Join us for one of the most mind blowing scientific journeys I have ever had the pleasure of encountered and along the way, learn what these ancient trees can teach us about our species and more. This episode was produced in part by 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.

Longleaf pines once covered 90 million acres of southeastern North America. Today, human development has seen that number reduced down to 3 million acres. The decline in this tree has come at great cost to the ecosystems it once comprised. From the longleaf pine itself to one of the most biodiverse understory plant communities on the continent, these habitats are vital to ecosystem health. Luckily, organizations like The Longleaf Alliance are stepping up to return this tree to at least some of its former glory. Join President Carol Denhof and me for a conversation about how The Longleaf Alliance is realizing this goal. This episode was produced in part by 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.

This week we are joined by director of The University of Minnesota Center for Forest Ecology, Dr. Lee Frelich to discuss an invasive species problem that threatens plant diversity and ecosystem functioning wherever it occurs. Earthworms are very powerful ecosystem engineers. They alter the entire structure of the soil, affecting everything that grows there. Invasive worms are changing entire ecosystems from the bottom up and it is largely going on out of sight and out of mind. Join us for an enlightening discussion about this issue. This episode was produced in part by 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.

This week we take an even closer look at the world of field guides with science historian Dr. Sara Scharf. Field guides began as a tool for botanists to better understand the plants in their region but they have since grown to encompass all forms of life. Learn how some of the most iconic figures in the world of biology had a hand in refining field guides as a tool and even how the need for education following the French Revolution drove them to become readily accessible to the public. You will be surprised just how important the field of botany has been in developing everything from libraries and index cards to modern database management algorithms. This is one episode you don't want to miss! This episode was produced in part by Sara, Kenned, Vaibhav, Kendall, Christina, Brett, Jocelyn, Kathleen, Ethan, Kaylee, Runaway Goldfish, Ryan, Donna, 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.

Today we take a step back for a fun conversation about field guides. Field guides are wonderful tools that help us identify the species with which we share the world. In this episode we are joined by Bill and Steve, hosts of The Field Guides Podcast, a funny and educational show all about natural history. The thoughts expressed in this show are based on our experiences with field guides of all kinds and by no means reflect any objective truths. But I think this episode offers listeners a nice introduction to the ins and outs of buying and using field guides effectively. So join a couple of old friends for a dive into the world of species identification. This episode was produced in part by Kenned, Vaibhav, Kendall, Christina, Brett, Jocelyn, Kathleen, Ethan, Kaylee, Runaway Goldfish, Ryan, Donna, 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.

Hoyas are a group of vines that are gaining a lot of popularity among houseplant growers in recent years but what are these plants exactly? Where do they come from? What are they related to? How do we succeed in growing them in and around our homes? Our guest today has answers to all of these questions and more. Joining us is Hoya specialist Doug Chamberlain. Doug runs a blog and video series dedicated to his adventures in Hoya growing. To call Doug's hobby an obsession would be an understatement as he is all in when it comes to this incredible genus. Listen in as we sit down for a chat about his life with this incredible, beautiful, and often mysterious group of plants. This episode was produced in part by Kenned, Vaibhav, Kendall, Christina, Brett, Jocelyn, Kathleen, Ethan, Kaylee, Runaway Goldfish, Ryan, Donna, 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.

What does it take to go from orchid seed to orchid adult? Today you are going to find out. Joining us from the Atlanta Botanical Garden is Micropropagation and Seed Bank Coordinator, Jason Ligon. Jason is in charge of propagating some of North America's rarest plants with the goal of returning them to the wild. As you will learn, orchids and other small-seeded plants require special techniques to ensure fer germination and growth but that doesn't deter Jason. He loves all of the learning that comes with new challenges. With the help of his colleagues, volunteers, and partners, Jason is ensuring that rare orchids and other species of conservation concern have a future on this planet. This episode was produced in part by Vaibhav, Kendall, Christina, Brett, Jocelyn, Kathleen, Ethan, Kaylee, Runaway Goldfish, Ryan, Donna, 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.

From seed collection to restoring populations, this episode is all about what it takes to save rare plants from extinction. Joining us is Dr. Joyce Maschinski, Director of Plant Conservation for San Diego Zoo Global, and President and CEO of the Center for Plant Conservation to discuss how these two incredible organizations are at the forefront of plant conservation efforts. As you will hear, plant conservation is a collaborative effort involving many interesting and innovative approaches. The best part is, all of these resources are made available to anyone who wants to learn via the Center For Plant Conservation's Rare Plant Academy. Dive into the science of plant conservation with us and learn how inspiring these efforts truly are. This episode was produced in part by Christina, Brett, Jocelyn, Kathleen, Ethan, Kaylee, Runaway Goldfish, Ryan, Donna, 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.