Ep. 567 - Moss Traits and More

In Defense of Plants Podcast

In Defense of Plants

Natural Sciences, Ecology, Nature, Plants, Botany, Science

4.8 • 1.3K Ratings

🗓️ 1 March 2026

⏱️ 40 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

Overlooking mosses is overlooking so many important aspects of ecosystem function. From nutrient cycles and seed banks to erosion control and atmospheric composition, mosses can play important roles. But how do we go about understand moss ecology in this way? Dr. Mandy Slate starts with their traits. How do you scale from moss adaptations for dehydration to things like carbon and nitrogen cycles? Tune in and find out! This episode was produced in part by Kim, Tanya, Neil, Matthew, April, Dana, Lilith, Sanza, Eva, Yellowroot, Wisewren, Nadia, Heidi, Blake, Josh, Laure, R.J., Carly, Lucia, Dana, Sarah, Lauren, Strych Mind, Linda, Sylvan, Austin, Sarah, Ethan, Elle, Steve, Cassie, Chuck, Aaron, Gillian, Abi, Rich, Shad, Maddie, Owen, Linda, Alana, Sigma, Max, Richard, Maia, Rens, David, Robert, Thomas, Valerie, Joan, Mohsin Kazmi Photography, Cathy, Simon, Nick, Paul, Charis, EJ, Laura, Sung, NOK, Stephen, Heidi, Kristin, Luke, Sea, Shannon, Thomas, Will, Jamie, Waverly, Brent, Tanner, Rick, Kazys, Dorothy, Katherine, Emily, Theo, Nichole, Paul, Karen, Randi, Caelan, Tom, Don, Susan, Corbin, Keena, Robin, Peter, Whitney, Kenned, Margaret, Daniel, Karen, David, Earl, Jocelyn, Gary, Krysta, Elizabeth, Southern California Carnivorous Plant Enthusiasts, Pattypollinators, Peter, Judson, Ella, Alex, Dan, Pamela, Peter, Andrea, Nathan, Karyn, Michelle, Jillian, Chellie, Linda, Laura, Miz Holly, Christie, Carlos, Paleo Fern, Levi, Sylvia, Lanny, Ben, Lily, Craig, Sarah, Lor, Monika, Brandon, Jeremy, Suzanne, Kristina, Christine, Silas, Michael, Aristia, Felicidad, Lauren, Danielle, Allie, Jeffrey, Amanda, Tommy, Marcel, C Leigh, Karma, Shelby, Christopher, Alvin, Arek, Chellie, Dani, Paul, Dani, Tara, Elly, Colleen, Natalie, Nathan, Ario, Laura, Cari, Margaret, Mary, Connor, Nathan, Jan, Jerome, Brian, Azomonas, Ellie, University Greens, Joseph, Melody, Patricia, Matthew, Garrett, John, Ashley, Cathrine, Melvin, OrangeJulian, Porter, Jules, Griff, Joan, Megan, Marabeth, Les, Ali, Southside Plants, Keiko, Robert, Bryce, Wilma, Amanda, Helen, Mikey, Michelle, German, Joerg, Cathy, Tate, Steve, Kae, Carole, Mr. Keith Santner, Lynn, Aaron, Sara, Kenned, Brett, Jocelyn, Ethan, Sheryl, Runaway Goldfish, Ryan, Chris, Alana, Rachel, Joanna, Lori, Paul, Griff, Matthew, Bobby, Vaibhav, Steven, Joseph, Brandon, Liam, Hall, Jared, Brandon, Christina, Carly, Kazys, Stephen, Katherine, Manny, doeg, Daniel, Tim, Philip, Tim, Lisa, Brodie, Bendix, Irene, holly, Sara, and Margie.

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Transcript

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0:00.0	Hey, everyone. Exciting news. Every episode of the In Defensive Plants podcast, the entire back catalog,
0:05.8	are now available wherever you get your podcast. I'm really excited about this. I know many of you
0:10.8	have been asking for it, and it's finally happened. So go start your binge today. But in the
0:15.5	meantime, let's get on with the show. Hello, everyone, and welcome to the Ind Defensive Plants podcast, the official podcast of
0:22.5	Indefensiveplants.com. What's up? This is your host, Matt. Welcome to the show. How is everyone doing
0:26.7	this week? We are keeping the bryophyte train moving today, and we're looking at it in a slightly
0:31.2	different context. We're looking at how tiny mosses interact with the world around them and how you
0:36.5	can scale those interactions up
0:38.0	to try to understand their effects on entire ecosystems and how we can do better in conserving
0:43.0	not only bryophytes but the important processes that they impact. Joining us to talk about this is
0:48.4	Dr. Mandy Slate, who is super jazzed on everything bryophyte. This is such a fun and enlightening
0:53.8	conversation and it will make you look at the bryophytes in your neck of the woods in a whole new light, so I don't super jazzed on everything, Brow Fight. This is such a fun and enlightening conversation,
0:54.6	and it will make you look at the Brow Fights in your neck of the woods in a whole new light.
0:57.9	So I don't want to keep you from it any longer. Let's jump right into it without further ado.
1:01.3	Here's my conversation with Dr. Mandy Slate, welcome to the podcast. I can't wait to pick your brain today, but first let's start off with an introduction.
1:25.1	Tell everyone a little bit about who you are and what it is you do.
1:28.5	I am an assistant professor at Ohio State University, and most of my research is really centered around
1:36.7	understanding how plants interact with their environment and how that influences their way of functioning,
1:46.7	and then using that information to direct restoration and conservation of it. Excellent. You have an impressive sort of trajectory in terms of
1:52.1	the scope of what you look at and its impact on the environment and how that can be used to
1:55.9	improve things. But was that what it was always about for you? How did you get into this line of work?
2:01.3	No, not at all.
	...

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