Bug Talk

This podcast is created by the Department of Entomology at Michigan State University. Its hosted by multiple co-hosts and its goal is to introduce the person behind the scientist. You will hear conversations with entomologists and scientists to learn more about their lives, what inspires them and what interests them outside of work. Follow the podcast on Twitter or Instagram @bugtalkpodcast. You can direct message us on Twitter if you'd like to reach out to us. You can also follow us on YouTube on the Bug Talk channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCYJf8hS87OdcxZT9K1BqKhQ/videos. Artwork illustrated by Elisabeth Darling.

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Bug Talk

Restoring the Louisiana Coastline: Interplay Between Basic and Applied Research

April 23, 2025 • Zsofia Szendrei • Season 1

[RE-UPLOAD FROM JUN. 23, 2020]

In this episode Andrea Glassmire and Kayleigh Hauri talk with a collaborative research group from Louisiana State University and the LSU Ag Center – Rodrigo Diaz, James Cronin, Laura Meyerson, Tracy Meyerson, Xuelian Meng, John Nyman, Ana Salgado, and Joshua Snook. They are collaborating on a project examining the mechanisms causing the die-off of an important wetland grass system, Phragmites australis, that stabilizes the Louisiana coastline. The Phragmites die-off is a multi-faceted problem, and each collaborator is investigating different aspects of this die-off. The restoration of Phragmites is an applied ecological challenge that will be important for stabilizing the Louisiana coastline, and the only way to accomplish this is using basic research to understand what the mechanisms are.

The Phragmites research team includes additional scientists studying the role of plant pathogens, soil microbes, plant volatiles, and Asian parasitoids. For a glimpse, please see the research topics covered here!

You can follow Bug Talk on Instagram and Twitter @bugtalkpodcast, and YouTube @bugtalk6645