Ep. 58 - Saving the Rainforest

"Save the rainforest." It is probably the most pervasive meme in environmentalism. It means a lot of different things to many different people, but what does it mean in practice? How do we save the rainforest? This week's guest is working on exactly that. Dr. Corine Vriesendorp is the director of the Andes-Amazon Project for The Field Museum. Their multifaceted approach is highlighting the need to conserve these biologically diverse areas while at the same time, empowering and engaging local communities and governments by helping preserve their quality of life. In total they have managed to protect over 9 million acres of pristine rainforest in countries like Peru, Ecuador, and Bolivia. This is one episode you do not want to miss!

Click here to learn more about Dr. Vriesendorp

Click here to learn more about the Andes-Amazon Project

Click here to support this podcast

Music by Moneycat

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!

Click here to support this podcast.

Ep. 54 - Megafaunal Dispersal Syndrome feat. Ryan from Science... sort of

What could be cooler than an evolutionary anachronism? It is fun to think about all of the plants on this planet that once shared their habitats with now extinct megafauna like giant ground sloths, mammoths, and gomphotheres. Well, there is a school of thought that at least some plants entered into an evolutionary relationship with these large mammals. This is especially true in the context of seed dispersal. The extinction of these animals at the end of the Pleistocene left some of these plants without seed dispersers. Their large fruits now go undispersed, often left to rot in the shade of their parent. To talk about this in more detail, (paleo)ecologist and host of the Science... sort of podcast, Ryan Haupt, for a fascinating discussion on where this theory came from and where it stands now. You may be surprised at some of the plants we talk about. This is part of a super fun crossover podcast (check out episode 241 of the Science... sort of podcast to hear me get interviewed by some of the Science... sort of team). 

Click here to check out Science... sort of

Click here to learn more about Ryan's research

Click here to support Ryan's sloth project

Click here to Support In Defense of Plants

Music by Moneycat

Ep. 53 - Getting to Know the Carnivorous Yellow Butterwort (Pinguicula lutea)

Butterwort may sound like a silly name for a plant, however, the genus to which the name refers is anything but. The genus Pinguicula houses some of the most beautiful carnivorous plants on the planet. Despite their intriguing nature, we know very little about this group of plants. This is where researchers like Sam Primer of the University of Illinois come in. I first met Sam at a conference where she gave a talk about the yellow butterwort of the American southeast. Since then I have been interested in the work she is doing. Because we know so little about this species, Sam has devoted the last few years of her life to gaining a deeper understanding about everything from their carnivorous habit to their ongoing conservation. Sam's work has opened up many new lines of inquiry into this enigmatic group of carnivores. Join us for a great conversation that you are sure to enjoy!

Click here to support this podcast

Music by Moneycat

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.

Music by Moneycat

Ep. 51 - Cemetery Prairies

Because they were never plowed under, pioneer cemeteries have functioned as an important refugia for prairie remnants. These small patches of habitat allow us to look back at what much of the midwest once looked like. They also harbor some of the rarest prairie plants that simply cannot survive in more disturbed habitats. As a tribute to these small nature preserves, Strange Bird blogger Sara Johnson and I set out on a mini tour of three cemetery prairie preserves here in central Illinois.

CLICK HERE TO CHECK OUT A PHOTO GALLERY OF THE TOUR

Learn more about the Prospect Cemetery Prairie

Learn more about the Loda Cemetery Prairie

Learn more about the Pellsville Cemetery Prairie

Click here to support this podcast

Music by Moneycat

Ep. 50 - Restoration Ecology with Author Paddy Woodworth

Restoration ecology represents a juxtaposition between science, the public, and human values. It is often a hot button topic full of strong and sometimes contentious opinions. The practice itself offers humanity a chance to regain what has been lost, to right at least some of our environmental wrongs. Whereas the science of restoration is in its infancy, the effort has been ongoing, sometimes for decades. Author Paddy Woodworth has written a wonderful book on the subject called "Our Once and Future Planet." He joins us for a thoughtful discussion regarding what he has learned about the subject after a decade of investigating it. As you will hear, he demonstrates just how complex the very idea of restoration can be, especially in a century of rapidly changing climate. This episode was produced in part by Allan of Kenosha, WI. 

Click here to pick up your own copy of "Our Once and Future Planet."

Click here to learn more about Paddy Woodworth

Click here to support this podcast

Music by Moneycat

Ep. 48 - Coffee Ecology

Worldwide, we humans drink roughly 2.25 billion cups of coffee per day. Our consumption of coffee comes at a great cost to the environment. Around 11 million hectares of land have been turned into coffee plantations, much of which consists of large scale, chemically laden, industrial monocultures. Because of its massive ecological impact, people like Dr. Ivette Perfecto from the University of Michigan have dedicated their research careers to helping make coffee farming more ecologically friendly. It all starts with small scale farmers in Latin America. By introducing ecological principals back into the farming practices of this region, Dr. Perfecto and her collaborators are helping to make coffee farming more sustainable, and at the same time, helping to educate local farmers about the importance of nature and all of its players. Join me for a fascinating conversation about coffee ecology. This episode was produced in part by Alan from Wisconsin.

Click here to learn more about Dr. Perfecto's research.

Click here to support this podcast. 

Music by Moneycat

Ep. 45 - Cycads

Who doesn't love cycads? I know I do and can you really blame me? The cycads are an incredible group of plants. They are also quite ancient. Arising long before flowering plants, this lineage has survived munching dinosaurs, continental drift, and mass extinctions and has undergone incredible adaptive radiations. Today cycads are in trouble. Habitat destruction and poaching now threaten many of the world's species. To get to know cycads a bit better I reached out to one of the world experts on this group of plants, Dr. Dennis Stevenson of the New York Botanical Garden. Dr. Stevenson has traveled the world to study and describe new species of cycad. He has been on every major continent and has encountered nearly every species in the wild. His work has helped us better understand the enigmatic and ancient group. Join us for a fascinating discussion about the cycads.

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

Click here to watch another great interview with Dr. Stevenson

Music by Moneycat

Ep. 44 - Litter Trappers

These 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 collect everything from dead leaves to bird droppings. A diverse community of soil microbes and invertebrates can then go to work to create nutrient rich humus. What's more, litter trapping abilities can be found in plants as distantly related as ferns and orchids! Join me for an interesting discussion with Dr. Scott Zona, the curator of Florida International University's Werthheim Conservatory to talk about his work finding and describing litter trapping plants. This is one discussion you don't want to miss. 

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

Click here to learn more about the Wertheim Conservatory

Music by Moneycat

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

Music by Moneycat

Ep. 41 - Orchid Sex

The orchid family is the most diverse plant family on the planet. Much of this diversity is driven by intricate and often highly specific relationships with their pollinators. My friend and fellow orchid fanatic Tierney Rosenstock joins us this week to talk to us about how a deep fascination with orchids turned into some pretty awesome research. Her work on the reproductive ecology of the pink lady slipper orchid reveals interesting evolutionary relationships and a need to understand the ecosystem beyond just your study organisms. 

Like Orchidology on Facebook!
 

Music by Moneycat

Ep. 36 - Lawn Psyche

Lawns are big business. With lawn care raking in over $30 billion annually in the United States alone, the pressure to have and maintain a lawn is ever-present. To understand some of the psyche around lawns in America, I turned to Betsy Breyer, a PhD student at the University of Illinois. Betsy is a social scientist who's research is currently focusing on the sociocultural aspects of our obsession with lawns. This is a complex issue that I have been stewing over for some time. I wanted to give the lawn the right kind of coverage and speaking with Betsy was a wonderful way to do just that. I hope you find this conversation as interesting as I do. 

Music by Moneycat

Ep. 35 - Soils

Soil is the black box of terrestrial ecology. Despite its importance, we know very little about it. That is where people like Dr. Elizabeth Bach come in. Her work on soil ecology is shedding light on some of what makes soil so special. Join us for an enlightening discussion about this wonderful substance. 

Dr. Bach's website - www.soilorganicmatters.org

Twitter - @soilorgmatters

Music by Moneycat

Ep. 34 - Cloud Forest Rescue Mission

A trip up into a Costa Rican cloud forest quickly turned into a rescue mission when we discovered a large chunk of it had been logged for cattle pasture. The ground was littered with plants that would have simply died had nothing been done. What you are about to hear is plant guru, Dave Janas, walking us through the process of rehabilitating the plants we were able to save. In propagating these plants, Dave is preserving at least some of the genetic diversity of these rapidly shrinking habitats. 

If you would like to help Dave in his mission to conserve and propagate Costa Rica's unique flora, consider donating coarse vermiculite to the Wilson Botanical Garden

Music by Moneycat

Ep. 32 - Conservation Genetics

There are many ways to conserve plants but there are certainly many obstacles as well. One of those obstacles lies in how many plants remain. Defining an individual in the plant world can be tricky. Genetics offers some ways of getting around this. Join me for a conversation on how genetic tools are being used to conserve an endangered Florida endemic called Polygala lewtonii.

Click here to learn more about Joel

Music by Moneycat

Ep. 30 - Kudzu

Kudzu (Pueraria lobata) is a plant that most people will readily recognize. This invasive vine is a relative of the pea and has the ability to carpet everything on the landscape including houses. Introduced to the North America from Asia, this species offers researchers a chance to understand not only plant invasion but also evolution. Join me for a conversation with Steven Callen regarding his research into this interesting legume. 

Click here to learn more about Steven Callen

Music by Moneycat 

Ep. 29 - Grand Prairie Friends

Remnant prairies are few and far between but this week's podcast is going to take you to one. The Grand Prairie Friends invited people out to their Loda Prairie site this weekend to help them with seed collection. I was happy to oblige and the resulting adventure was quite fun. Tune in this week to enjoy a tour of an original prairie. 
 

Click here to find out more about the Grand Prairie Friends

Music by Moneycat

Ep. 28 - The Friends of Langham Island

I spent the day volunteering with the Friends of Langham Island. They are a group of concerned citizens working to restore Langham Island's unique flora, which includes the endangered endemic Kankakee Mallow. It was a fun day and I met a lot of great people along the way. 

Click here to learn more about the Friends of Langham Island

Strategies for Stewards: from woods to prairies

Music by Moneycat

Ep. 22 - American Ginseng

American ginseng is one of those species that most people are aware of on some level. Despite its notoriety, it is hard to track down information on what this plant is as a species. Join me for a discussion with Dave DeViney, a man who truly knows ginseng. This interesting discussion covers many aspects of what makes this plant special.    

Music by Moneycat