Ep. 277 - Pitcher Plant Symbioses

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 lot to teach us about symbioses and evolution. Joining us to talk about this Dr. Kadeem Gilbert who has spent the last few years of his life studying pitcher mutualists in the tropical pitcher plants pf the genus Nepenthes. Dr. Gilbert is uncovering so many incredible aspects about these carnivorous plants that few have ever considered before. Settle in for an incredible conversation about pitcher plant ecologies. This podcast was produced in part by 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.

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Ep. 251 - A Florida Moth Keeping Invasive Species in Check

The movement of species around the globe is akin to opening Pandora's Box. Once an invasive species becomes established, it can be very difficult, if not impossible to get it under control. Every once in a while, however, nature provides us with a solution. In this episode we learn about how the incredibly beautiful ornate bella moth (Utetheisa ornatrix) is keeping some invasive peas at bay in Florida. The larvae of the ornate bella moths feed only on rattlebox plants in the genus Crotalaria. Not only do the caterpillars need rattleboxes for food, they also utilize its toxins for communication and defense. Join me and my guest Dr. Andrei Sourakov as we discuss how bella moths have shifted their diets to include invasive rattlebox plants and how this host shift is keeping their invasion at bay. This is a fascinating discussion about the ecological consequences of invasive plant introductions. 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.

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Ep. 250 - Nature's Best Hope: a conversation with Dr. Doug Tallamy

With his first book, "Bringing Nature Home," Dr. Doug Tallamy managed to distill decades worth of ecological science into a compelling story of the environmental benefits of native plants. Now he is back with an empowering new book entitled "Nature's Best Hope: A New Approach to Conservation That Starts in Your Yard." In a world full of doom and gloom, Dr. Tallamy's latest book is an uplifting and empowering guide to how each and every one of us can be part of the conservation movement and it all starts with native plants. With 83% of the land in the United States under private ownership, the power to help nature lies in the choices we make. Join Dr. Tallamy and me for an empowering discussion about how each and every one of us can play a role in restoring nature. This episode was produced in part by 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.

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