Trevor Padgett (B.Ed. M.Sc.)’s Post

#NewPaper Our latest paper from the University of Guelph People, Plants and Policy Lab has just been published in the Canadian Journal of Forest Research. It’s on the clonal plant ecology of Labrador tea in old growth boreal forests. My Indigenous colleagues have taught me that Labrador tea is an important #ethnobotanical plant for Indigenous Peoples across the boreal, where it is used as medicine to treat a variety of ailments. It also makes a refreshing cup of tea. While our lab is largely focused on nature conservation, policy and governance, I have a deep love of botany and plant science and it was a delight to work on this ecological science study with my former student Yu Zhao Ni and my former supervisor Dr Azim Mallik from my own grad school days. As many as 90 percent of understory plants in the boreal are clonal and regenerate and spread asexually rather than by seed. Labrador tea is a fascinating example of a clonal plant in that it has the ability to produce new shoots by layering if its stems make contact with the soil (eg., pinned to the ground by snow) and root adventitously. Some trees, like black spruce, can do the same! It’s thought that this may be an adaptation to the harsh growing conditions in the boreal or lack of optimal conditions for seed germination in the absence of fire. #LovePlants 🌿 #PlantEcology #Ethnobotany

I've been invited to give a talk about my new book "Birds & Flowers: An Intimate 50 Million Year Relationship" on 11th September at the Oxford Ornithological Society. Details here: https://lnkd.in/dtiJZRzw #ornithology #botany #pollinators #ecology

Why does Native Plant Trust spend so much time making sure botanists have the most accurate taxonamies? Each species represents a cohesive evolutionary lineages. Conservation begins by understanding the margins of these lineages, even when they are hard to interpret (see prior post about Hawthorns) so we can tell which lineages are doing well and which are not even when the lineage is spread out across a large area. Publications from Native Plant Trust's #botanists and #conservationists including the digital Go Botany (https://lnkd.in/ewH8Wzrf) and printed Flora Novae Anglae and Flora Conservanda thus serve a critical purpose. They ensure that conservation practitioners, policy makers, and passionate advocates know what they are looking at and what needs help. As Robert Langellier makes clear in this opinion piece, we need to know what a species is to know which species need conserving. That takes taxonomists.

A recent discussion with a very dear client, who, despite not coming from an ecology background has a keen interest in the subject and has gone ahead with several practical experiments regarding the same in their own home, underscored a VITAL point - why do our houseplants, our indoor species checklist, almost exclusively consist of non-native species? Yes, most all the Pothos, Calatheas, Dracaenas, Philodendrons, and Aglaonemas, which make the bulk of the houseplants popular in India, are natives of Africa and S & C America, or from E Asian islands. The baton of native ecology seems to be held largely by our own Rubber Plant - Ficus elastica. This field, therefore, is open for us ecologists. How many native species from the Indian subcontinent - be it tree, shrub, herb or climber, can be ushered into the houseplant trade?

Two new species of Eugenia (Myrtaceae) from the Brazilian Atlantic Forest ($) This study describes two new species of Eugenia from Atlantic Forest remnants in the vicinities of Rio de Janeiro city, Brazil. The new taxa Eugenia delicata and E. superba are proposed based on a literature survey, examination of herbarium specimens and intensive field work in the study area. #Botany

This week, we’re taking a look at an episode of It’s Hot in Here from April, 2015, entitled: “Ecology of Fear and Fear of Ecology - Can Science do More to Improve Human-Wildlife Cohabitation?” Host Dr. Rebecca Hardin reviews a few clips from Dr. Matthew Kauffman in which he discusses the ecology of fear, or how animals’ environment is affected when they are under normal predator-prey stress. An acute example brought up is Aspen trees in Yellowstone National Park. During the time when wolves were extirpated from the region, Aspen trees began to lose their habitat, due to deer eating the tubers which their saplings spawn from. When wolves were reintroduced, the region in which they denned saw a resurgence of Aspens. Many assumed that hunting grounds for the wolves all around the park would also recover due to the the deer’s fear (and thus spending less time in each region), but this was not the case— only the area in the immediate vicinity of the dens recovered. This challenged earlier assumptions about fear in ecology. Podcast guest Mayank Vikas connects this to the treatment of snow leopards in India, which are hunted extensively due to their livestock poaching. A similar unforeseen effect, much like the blow to Aspens, could occur due to this practice, should the leopards be extirpated. Listen to the podcast for yourself: https://lnkd.in/emp5Hcv3

On International Plant Appreciation Day, it is crucial to emphasize the importance of science education, especially within the field of botany. Plant biology lessons offer a profound insight into the vital role that plants play in our ecosystem and their significant contribution to the overall well-being of our planet. Understanding the intricate mechanisms of plant life not only enriches our knowledge but also fosters a deep-seated admiration for the natural world that surrounds us. Through education and awareness about the diverse array of plant species, we can develop a profound respect for the interconnectedness of all living organisms on Earth. Delving into the realm of plant biology allows us to comprehend the intricate processes of photosynthesis, where plants convert sunlight into energy, sustaining life on Earth. Additionally, it unveils the crucial role of plants in carbon sequestration, aiding in the regulation of our planet's climate. Furthermore, exploring the adaptations of various plant species to different environments showcases the resilience and diversity present in the plant kingdom. Statistics reveal that a staggering number of plant species are yet to be discovered, underscoring the vast potential for new scientific breakthroughs and the importance of continued research in this field. By celebrating the beauty and complexity of plants, we pay homage to their indispensable role in maintaining ecological balance and ensuring the survival of countless species, including our own. Let us seize this occasion to deepen our appreciation for the wonders of the plant world and recognize the profound impact they have on sustaining life as we know it. 🌱🌿🪴🥬🍃 #plantappreciationday #internationalplantlove #globalplantobsession #plantadmirationworldwide #botanicallove #plantappreciationsociety #worldwideplantpassion #internationalgreenerylove #plantadorationday #globalplantenthusiast

Tree Diversity Helps Keep Fire Ants at Bay 📝 🧵 https://botany.fyi/wf15ym When there are more tree species in a forest it’s harder for fire ants to invade. #Botany #PlantScience #InBrief Why do species invade some places easier than others? Wang and colleagues look at the role of biodiversity in helping resist invasion by looking at fire ant numbers and nests across areas with varying tree diversity. They found that more tree types can suppress fire ant populations in complex ways. The research could help manage fire ant invasions in forests and other green spaces. The ecologists found an odd result. Areas with more tree species had fewer fire ants overall, but more fire ant nests. The explanation might be that the diversity provided more food sources for fire ant nests. However, they also provided more habitat for other ant species, which helped keep fire ant numbers down. Wang and colleagues tracked the ants in an experimental forest plantation in China with plots containing 1, 2, 4 or 8 tree species. Here they counted fire ants and their nests across these different plots. They also measured things like soil temperature and other insects present. Fire ants are a damaging invasive species in many parts of the world and while previous research has looked at how plant diversity affects pest insects, less is known about fire ants specifically. Wang and colleagues found that high canopy cover was particularly helpful in fighting invasion as these can harbour fire ants natural predators. Wang, P., Wu, D., Wang, Y., Shen, Z., Li, B., Shu, Z., & Chu, C. (2024). Tree species richness suppresses red imported fire ant invasion in a subtropical plantation forest. Journal of Applied Ecology. https://lnkd.in/e37nxWdm ($)

Last week we held an event at Garden in the Woods, our native plant botanic garden in Framingham, MA, for conservation circle and sustainer level members. The event featured Dr. Avalon C. S. Owens, a Harvard University entomologist who studies how artificial light affects firefly courtship and reproduction, among other issues. At our event, Dr. Owens talked about what makes a firefly a firefly (something called a lantern organ), lightning bug taxonomy (they are actually beetles, there are more than 2,500 species, and not all of them fly! not all of them glow!) and morphology, and ecology, behavior (each species has a unique flash pattern behavior, and the females of one species of New England firefly actually imitates the flash pattern of another species, attracting the males and eating them!).—CEO Tim Johnson In the image, Dr. Owens is using a red light to inspect a firefly. The red light is used as fireflies vision is limited to seeing light in the yellow range. #nativeplanttrust #newengland #newenglandnativeplants #nativeplants #fireflies #lightpollution #anthropogeniclight #entomology #fireflyhabitat #habitat #plantsarehabitat #gardeninthewoods #plants #botany #animalsneedplants #plantsneedanimals

Unusual plumage variation in birds not so black and white https://lnkd.in/ewD3GehD #nature #wildlife #biodiversity #ecology #environment #habitats #conservation #climatechange #birds