In this month's Best Biome, Nicole tells the story of a grassland ecosystem so rare and so endangered that neither of her co-hosts had any idea it existed! We're talking about the once-ubiquitous canebrake ecosystems of the eastern United States, which were quite literally American bamboo forests, complete with their own prehistoric red pandas. Find out what happened to the unique rivercane landscape, and what's being done to save it today. Let the search for 30 ft.-tall grasses become your new ...
Aug 14, 2025•1 hr 1 min•Season 4Ep. 6
Our view of nature is often constrained by the idea of competition: life as a zero-sum game, where the victorious survive, and the defeated fade into extinction. But not every relationship in life is competitive! Sure, as living things, we must always be aware of our enemies, but our survival is just as closely tied to our social entanglements- our family, friends, neighbors, and communities. In a rebuttal to the hyper-competitive view of ecology, Rachel shares evidence from a growing field of b...
Jul 10, 2025•54 min•Season 4Ep. 5
Phytoremediation. A fun word to say, but what does it mean? Turns out it's quite simple: using the superpower many plants naturally have to heal our wonderful Earth from terrible soil contaminants. Allan pulls us off the dark abyss edge that is our current world to deliver a wonderful tale of plants. Primary Sources : Gerhardt KE, Gerwing PD, Greenberg BM. Opinion: Taking phytoremediation from proven technology to accepted practice . Plant Sci. 2017 Mar;256:170-185. Epub 2016 Dec 5. PMID: 281670...
Jun 12, 2025•55 min•Season 4Ep. 4
The Best Biome finally reps reptiles properly as Nicole tells us all about an enormous lizard of the South American grasslands. Buckle up for voracious appetites, raging hormones, and an unexpected peek into the evolution of endothermy. This is: the world's hottest reptile. Primary Sources : Tattersall, G., et al. 2016. Seasonal reproductive endothermy in tegu lizards . Hervas, L., et al. 2024. Mitochondrial function in skeletal muscle contributes to reproductive endothermy in tegu lizards . Her...
May 08, 2025•49 min•Season 4Ep. 3
This month on The Best Biome, Rachel takes us on a trip to the wetter, saltier cousin of grasslands: seagrass meadows! Is she making a desperate reach to connect the dots, or is she absolutely right that "seagrass meadows are the grasslands of the oceans?" Decide for yourself, dear listener, and get ready to think more about seaweed than you have in a while. Plus, there's manatees! A very special episode awaits. Primary Sources : Rundell, Katherine. 2024 Vanishing Treasures. Penguin Random House...
Apr 10, 2025•1 hr 5 min•Season 4Ep. 2
The grasslands of Japan are beautiful, full of volcanos, and revered by the people living there. Japan's unique model of conservation method of Satoyamas is one we wish the US would model - one where people push to thrive alongside the environment, not claim or set it aside. Allan hosts this episode and the five minute math break in the middle has been severely shortened (though stick around past the credits for a bit more). Primary Sources : Chakraborty, S. (2018). The Interface of Geology, Eco...
Mar 13, 2025•55 min•Season 4Ep. 1
In the final episode of the season for The Best Biome we lay out some concerns we have for the conservation of our beloved grasslands under a second term of the Trump administration. It's a hard discussion, but one we felt we needed to have. And boy was it a long one. If you don't feel up to listening now, we understand, though we still recommend you check out the action items at the end (see timestamps below to skip there). Much love to you all, and we'll be back in March. Timestamps: (00:00:00...
Dec 12, 2024•1 hr 57 min•Season 3Ep. 11
A big animal can make big changes in their environment... and cause big problems for the people who live alongside it. African Elephants have a fascinating relationship to the savanna and the people who call it home, where it is equal parts feared and revered. The world of elephant conservation is complicated, and in this episode, Nicole examines the nuanced stories of these beautiful beasts and the conflicts that surround them. Primary Sources : https://www.elephantvoices.org/ - great general i...
Nov 14, 2024•1 hr 7 min•Season 3Ep. 10
Happy Halloween from your grasslands PR Team! This month, Rachel confronts one of her worst childhood fears to bring us a tale of the strange and slithering: a group of animals so odd and cryptic that the existence of many species was only confirmed after their habitat was bulldozed. We're delving into the fascinating world of worm lizards, a world full of unknowns that still begs to be explored. After all, how can we learn about an animal that's virtually impossible to observe in the wild? A fa...
Oct 24, 2024•56 min•Season 3Ep. 9
Possibly the best episode of all time (according to me, Rachel). Allan gives us EVERYTHING. Great science, high quality takes, crying with laughter, investigative reporting and red string conspiracy boards. To what end?? Drafting porcupines, well-known "tree-lovers," into the Best Biome (grasslands). Potentially. Hear us out! +++ Primary Sources +++ North American Porcupine (Erethizon dorsatum). Alaska Department of Fish and Game- North American Porcupine (Erethizon dorsatum). (n.d.). Porcupine ...
Sep 12, 2024•59 min•Season 3Ep. 8
Bees know more than you. Okay, that may be a slight exaggeration, but they definitely know more than you realize! From complex problem solving to tool use to wing-sparkle navigation, bees illuminate our understanding of insect cognition. In this episode, Nicole invites us to perceive the world as our buzzy, bumbly friends might, in beautifully smooth 240 fps. Primary Source: Buchmann, S. 2023. What a Bee Knows: Exploring the Thoughts, Memories, and Personalities of Bees . Island Press. Support u...
Aug 08, 2024•44 min•Season 3Ep. 7
Desertification is a major threat to many grasslands, so let's study the best real-world example: The Horqin Grassland, aka the Horqin Sandy Lands. How has this landscape changed over time, what can it teach us about the future of arid grasslands, and which approaches by Inner Mongolia and China to fight desertification give us hope? We love a hopeful story, and this certainly is one. Primary Sources : Visual timeline of land deterioration and reversals. (Image) https://www.scitepress.org/Publis...
Jul 11, 2024•50 min•Season 3Ep. 6
We get patriotic (kinda) in this special episode where all three hosts work together to petition for new national symbols for the US of A. New floral emblem, new national symbol, and a brand new category all-together. Why do we love non-native national symbols? Who knows. Do better, America. Photos and more are at our site . Primary Sources : As if this silly episode could have any. Do let us know who picked the best emblem though. Contact: Website Facebook Twitter TikTok info@grasslandgroupies....
Jun 13, 2024•1 hr 10 min•Season 3Ep. 5
The fastest land animal in North America, second fastest in the world: the graceful, wonderful, pronghorn. Nicole shares all the reasons these icons of the American prairie are truly the best from their evolutionary history to their epic stare battles between each other and rump flashes to warn of predators. Primary Sources : Kitchen, D. 1974. Social Behavior and Ecology of the Pronghorn . Wildlife Monographs, No. 38., pp 3-96. Bender, L., Rosas-Rosas, O.,Hartsough, M., Rodden, C., Morrow, P. 20...
May 09, 2024•58 min•Season 3Ep. 4
Patas Monkeys are weird little guys with fabulous mustaches and very intricate relationships with a special tree on the African savannah. We talk acacias, ants, and the Lorax as Allan tries to make Nicole love just a single primate. Photos and more are at our site . Primary Sources : Palmer, T., Stanton, M., Young T., Goheen, J., Pringle, R., and Karban, R. 2008. Breakdown of an ant-plant mutualism follows the loss of large herbivores from an African savanna . Isbell, L. and Young, T. 2007. Inte...
Apr 11, 2024•54 min•Season 3Ep. 3
This is a special podcast swap episode where we host Kindred Podcast's Power of Fire episode. Learn about the history of fire, how it shapes the landscape and people that live there. Speakers: Tony Incashola Jr., forest manager for CSKT (Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes), and Stephanie Gillin, information and education program manager and former wildlife biologist for the CSKT at the Flathead Indian Reservation. Kindred Podcast hosts: Kate and Jen. Producer: Kat Gatti. Primary Sources : K...
Apr 09, 2024•1 hr 5 min
The long-legged, sickle claw wielding seriema is a wonderful bird that provides insight into the extinct terror birds of old. Rachel explains the link between past and present and we ponder whether or not scientists ever bother actually looking at birds. Photos and more are at our site . Primary Sources : Oswald, T., Curtice, B., Bolander, M., Lopez, C. January 2023. Observation of Claw Use and Feeding Behavior of the Red-Legged Seriema and Its Implication for Claw Use in Deinonychosaurs . Journ...
Mar 14, 2024•1 hr 1 min•Season 3Ep. 2
The conservation story of Canada's polar-vortex-loving Wood Bison is one of colossal mistakes, stacked odds, and (to our gleeful surprise) hope and optimism. These animals have survived drowning, disease, and hybridization, and have gone on to... success? Allan explores this topic in today's episode. Primary Sources : 2018 Wood Bison Recovery Strategy (SARA Series) https://www.canada.ca/en/environment-climate-change/services/species-risk-public-registry/recovery-strategies/wood-bison-2018.html#t...
Feb 08, 2024•54 min•Season 3Ep. 1
It's snowy and getting colder where we're at, but that doesn't mean you shouldn't go outside. Rachel gives a compelling argument as to why winter is the best time of year for birding and gives insight into the Christmas Bird Count: a citizen science project dating back over a hundred years. Learn more about the Christmas Bird Count here . Primary Sources : Gill, F. B., Prum, R. O., & Robinson, S. K. (2019). Ornithology. W.H. Freeman, Macmillan Learning. Sibley, D. (2020). What it’s like to b...
Nov 26, 2023•1 hr 3 min•Season 2Ep. 23
This episode is a little different. We celebrate spooky season with the haunting tales of feldgeist, Sinkhole Sam, and the Ohio Grassman. These stories haunt the minds of those who visit prairies and fields across the globe. Be weary, you never know what's lurking in the tall grass. Photos and more are at our site . Contact: Website Facebook Twitter TikTok info@grasslandgroupies.org Support us: Bonfire Merch Store Or donate: Donorbox...
Oct 30, 2023•56 min•Season 2Ep. 22
Grasshopper mice are small but fierce. They howl like wolves, stalk their prey like cats, and finish up with a quick face clean. These solitary animals like to live life dangerously and enjoy even venomous meals. Photos and more are at our site . Primary Sources : Grasshopper Mouse Hunting and Howling [YouTube] Animal Diversity Web . Regents of the University of Michigan. USDA Bulletin: Life History and Habits of Grass-hopper mice, genus Onychomys . (1939). [PDF] Richardson, D., Karczmar, A. G.,...
Aug 03, 2023•1 hr 2 min•Season 2Ep. 21
Nicole talks painted dogs: a surprisingly wholesome and fun-loving animal. They are excellent hunters, take care of not just their pups but their elderly, and rarely squabble amongst themselves. Photos and more are at our site . Primary Sources : Painted Dog Conservation website. Painted Dog Research Trust website. Robert L. Robbins. (2000). Vocal Communication in Free-Ranging African Wild Dogs (Lycaon pictus) . Behaviour , 137 (10), 1271–1298. COZZI, G., BEHR, D. M., WEBSTER, H. S., et al (2020...
Jul 20, 2023•1 hr 3 min•Season 2Ep. 20
Enjoy this episode of very good facts and very good nonsense. We revisit a nice game of stump the podcast host, this time with more bug viscera and talking ourselves out of an obvious answer. Our Info: Website Facebook Twitter info@grasslandgroupies.org
Jul 06, 2023•1 hr 1 min•Season 2Ep. 19
In the Páramo grasslands of South America is a cloud covered land where a unique ecosystem thrives. Allan tells us all about a plant that drinks clouds plus the miraculous little hummingbirds that call this place home. Photos and more are at our site . Primary Sources : Luteyn, J. 1999. Páramos: A Checklist of Plant Diversity, Geographical Distribution, and Botanical Literature . Taxon, Vol. 48, No. 3. Buytaert, W et al. 2005. Clay mineralogy of the soils in the south Ecuadorian paramo region . ...
Jun 22, 2023•1 hr 3 min•Season 2Ep. 18
Did you know meerkats are far more murderous than they seem or that their burrows can be as wide as a Purple Worm's? All this and more as we delve underground and find out why they can be so aggressive and who would win in a fight: 1000 meerkats or Nicole. Primary Sources : Gómez, J., Verdú, M., González-Megías, A., Méndez, M. 2016. The phylogenetic roots of human lethal violence . Nature 538, 233-237. Dyble, M., Houslay, T., Manser, M., Clutton-Brock, T. 2019. Intergroup aggression in meerkats ...
Jun 08, 2023•53 min•Season 2Ep. 17
Conservation can be DEPRESSING, so for Mental Health Month we decided to share ONLY positive news and stories (after taking a little break for our brains). Rewire those neurons everybody, because it's not all bleak. Good news so far in May: Biden-Harris Administration announced $36 million for national forests and grasslands Dakota Prairie Grasslands received $464,000 of that to improve access. US Department of Agriculture and the Interior announced $2.8 billion in funding for 2024 authorized by...
May 25, 2023•58 min•Season 2Ep. 16
Wherein Rachel makes a definitive list of best bird nests in North American grasslands. Primary Sources : A Field Guide to Birds Nests by Hal Harrison The Birder's Handbook by Paul R. Ehrlich Madison Audubon's Into the Nest Contact Website Facebook Twitter info@grasslandgroupies.org...
Apr 27, 2023•1 hr 23 min•Season 2Ep. 15
Ostriches are one of the strangest birds we've ever talked about. They are the world's biggest bird and toughest survivor. They nest together, have radiators for necks, and can drink saltwater. Photos and more are at our site . Primary Sources : "Strangest Bird Alive". 2016. National Geographic. Documentary. Schou, M.F., Bonato, M., Engelbrecht, A. et al. Extreme temperatures compromise male and female fertility in a large desert bird. Nat Commun 12, 666 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-02...
Apr 13, 2023•1 hr 1 min•Season 2Ep. 14
Soils define habitats as much as the plantlife, so let's talk about that! How do you identify a soil species, and should grassland ecosystem restorations include soil microbe transplants? Photos and more are at our site . Primary Sources: Prairie: A Natural History of the Heart of North America by Candace Savage [ Affiliate Bookshop Link ] Current and Future Perspectives on Microbially Focused Restoration Strategies in Tallgrass Prairies: [ Link ] Contact Website Facebook Twitter info@grasslandg...
Mar 30, 2023•1 hr 7 min•Season 2Ep. 13
Basic midwest feeder bird or mysterious exotic tundra sparrow? Actually, both! Harris's Sparrows, one of the most enigmatic North American sparrows, are about to travel well out of reach into the remote frigid north, so let's gossip about them before they're gone. Only a handful of studies have been done with this species, and to this day we lack pretty basic Breeding Bird Survey information about their populations. Primary Sources : Norment, C. J., S. A. MacDougall-Shackleton, D. J. Watt, P. Py...
Mar 16, 2023•53 min•Season 2Ep. 12
