Stay ConnectedEarth to Humans is a bi-weekly interview series featuring conversations with some of the amazing humans who are fighting for a brighter and more just future for all of Earth’s inhabitants.
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Copyright: © Copyright Wild Lens, Inc. 2019
My guests today, Dr. Justine Karst, mycologist at the University of Alberta and Dr. Jason Hoeksema, professor of biology at the University of Mississippi, take us deep into the complex world of fungi, trees and the story we all might be getting wrong about their relationships. For a while now, there has been this narrative out there about trees communicating with each other through fungi. I’m sure you’ve heard of it. It’s a cool concept. Trees using the vast network of underground mycelium to not only communicate, but share and transfer resources and warn each other of dangers like bark beetle and wildfire.
It paints a visual of individual trees connected in a vast, sprawling network of entangled intelligence, altruism and shared wisdom. Kind of gives you this warm and fuzzy feeling. This concept is largely known as the “wood wide web” and if you’d asked me about it a few months ago, I would’ve been eager to tell this tale myself. Look anywhere and you’ll see article after article after podcast after book after popular culture reference of its existence as settled science. But what if I told you that this theory is far from having any semblance of scientific concensus, and not only that, but the evidence we have for it, might be a simplification of what’s actually going on.
Let’s start with the basics. The narrative of the “wood wide web” hinges on the relationship between trees and fungi, specifically mycorrhizal fungi. These fungi can form mutualistic associations with trees, connecting with their roots and extending a network of mycelium (the main body of the fungus) throughout the soil. The tree provides the fungi with carbohydrates it produces through photosynthesis (because fungi cannot photosynthesize themselves), and in return, the fungi can assist the tree with nutrient and water uptake.
This mutualistic relationship has been well-documented and is largely agreed upon within the scientific community. But where Justine and Jason feel we need to pump the breaks and gather more evidence, is in the interconnectedness and level of sophistication in communication and resource sharing proposed by the "wood wide web" theory. For many researchers, the primary function of mycorrhizal networks is to provide resources to individual trees, not necessarily to create a cooperative network of trees in a forest.
“I wish I would’ve caught it a lot earlier. But the only reason I started paying attention is because the claims got so crazy, and so incredible and so extraordinary.”
Several studies supporting the "wood wide web" theory are based on experiments under controlled laboratory conditions, a limitation that may not accurately represent the more complex and competitive conditions in a natural forest ecosystem. Basically, there’s just so much that we have yet to understand about these forest and mycorrhizal systems that Justine and Jason believe require much more evidence and experimentation for some of these popular claims to be substantiated and reach scientific consensus.
Moreover, while this concept of the “wood wide web” paints a romantic picture of the forests around us, this narrative might actually be oversimplifying the complexity of soil ecology and presenting the public with limited information that lacks evidence. The reality is, it’s just one of many possible interpretations of the evidence. The truth of soil ecology and tree-fungi relationships is likely more complex and nuanced, influenced by a myriad of factors we are just beginning to comprehend. So let's continue to explore, question, and learn about the awe-inspiring world beneath our feet, embracing its complexity and continuing to dig deeper into its mysteries.
Anyway, I learned so much from Justine and Jason on this episode, and I hope you do too!
-Sarinah
Resources:
https://olemiss.edu/hoeksemalab/jdh_papers.html
https://undark.org/2023/05/25/where-the-wood-wide-web-narrative-went-wrong/
Hannah speaks to the production team and star of Diving for Rays - a unique documentary, which tells the story of a conservationist whose dreams are abandoned due to a lack of visibility of LGBTQIA+ individuals within the sector she wants to join - marine science.
Egyptian filmmaker Omar Manjouneh is the director of the documentary, “Crocodopolis”, about the complex situation surrounding the presence of Nile Crocodiles in Lake Nasser, in Southern Egypt. Omar discusses crocodile research and conservation, the challenges that he has faced as a wildlife filmmaker in Africa, and the great potential that this film has to affect positive change.
As a science communicator, I’m always on the lookout for people with innovative, creative and accessible ideas who say no to the classic dry and mundane or overwhelming and intense communications methods we scientists can be guilty of. Social media is a frequent outlet of the videos, graphics and written pieces that I create, and I follow many other activists and creative conservationists, who regularly fill me with inspiration, which I very much appreciate in a world where doom and gloom often dominates.
Enter…Hila the Earth - an eco rapper, with whom my very first encounter was watching one of her amazing videos, in which she is twerking next to a giant glowing mushroom, dressed as an Earth cheerleader, rapping about mycelium. I went back through her archives and found raps about soil, recycling, composting, and even an eco-friendly remix of Cardi B’s WAP. Suffice to say, I was instantly hooked.
I wanted to get Hila the Earth on the podcast to learn more about the person inside the giant Earth costume, what motivates her and, with a whole world of inspiration to rap about, how she decides on her next topic. I hope you enjoy this episode, and the music of Hila’s that I’ve featured within it!
EarthToHumansPod.com
Hi everyone! Sarinah here! Coming to you live from my childhood bedroom visiting my mom following a beautiful trip down California along highway 395. This is my first ever Earth to Humans newsletter, so enjoy this maiden voyage as I try to re-connect with my early 2000’s Wordpress days writing to the ether.
My guest for this episode is an expert in natural resources management, a woman who's been on the front lines of one of the most crucial environmental issues facing us today. She's a problem-solver and policymaker, but above all, an advocate for our planet's most precious resource: water.
Can Great Salt Lake survive us?
Laura Briefer, the Director of Salt Lake City Public Utilities, has been working tirelessly to address the water crisis in Utah. She's been an integral figure in water policy for over two decades and has seen first-hand how the environment is shifting right in front of us. She is one of many stakeholders involved in preventing the disappearance of Great Salt Lake. A natural wonder that once stretched across nearly a quarter of the State of Utah (about 22,400 square miles), has been shrinking at an alarming rate.
As of 2021, Great Salt Lake now spans a mere 950 square miles, revealing more of the lake bed with each major drought. Lake beds contain a variety of heavy metals in the sediment that, when lake levels recede, dry out and form toxic dust.
These airborne dust particles not only affect human health, but also have devastating ecological implications. They can contaminate local ecosystems and have effects on air and water quality. Therefore, the issue of lake shrinkage is not only about the loss of water but also concerns the potential mobilization of hazardous substances that can impact both human health and the environment.
Through Laura's eyes, we'll explore what's happening to the Great Salt Lake, why it matters, and most importantly, what is being done about it. Laura Briefer brings a wealth of knowledge and a passion for sustainability to this issue. We're thrilled to have her this episode of the Earth to Humans Podcast. We love to hear your feedback, so have a listen and let us know what you think about the show!
An update from me
As I mentioned, I’m Sarinah, one of the producers and hosts behind the show and I’m super excited to be building this community with all of you and connecting on a deeper level. I work in a variety of creative and environmental spaces, from nature videography, photography and artwork, to wildlife surveying and field captures.
Lately though, I’ve been getting SUPER into block printing and linocutting. I started small, carving out tiny scenes into pink Pearl erasers, but am now moving onto larger rubber blocks so I can work in more detail. Something about the carving blade smoothly gliding over the stiffness of the rubber unlocked something in my brain launching me into a simultaneously soothing and instantly addicting new venture.
Earlier this year I represented two films that I produced and directed at the 2023 Wild and Scenic Film Festival in Nevada City, CA, where I got to connect with some truly inspirational fellow filmmakers and re-ignite my passion for good storytelling. I also got to represent Earth to Humans in the March issue of Diversity in Action Magazine where I was interviewed about what makes our podcast so unique and how the show has evolved and grown alongside our growing decolonized mindset around conservation and the environment.
After a long winter in the Sierra Nevada, I’m excited to finally get outside and go hiking and fishing and disappear into the woods for a while. I’m so grateful for Hannah and Matt and this amazing team and community that we’ve built together. Especially with the weight of all of the world’s current issues, its so healing to be able to fight alongside these two as well as you, our listeners, and do what we can to enjoy this beautiful planet and try to make it a better place for all of its inhabitants.
Let's keep fighting and do our part to make sure the Earth’s voice is heard,
Sarinah
In this captivating podcast episode, acclaimed Cherokee author Blake Hausman shares his creative journey behind "Riding the Trail of Tears," a groundbreaking science fiction novel that skillfully intertwines indigenous culture and futuristic elements. Join us as we explore the transformative power of storytelling and the profound connections between Native American history and speculative fiction.
I was lucky enough to be brought onto the Hellbent team last year to create content for their online storytelling and, after watching the film for the first time, I was so excited to be part of such an incredible project. Having worked together for months, it was great to sit down with the film’s Co-Directors, Justin Grubb and Annie Roth, to ask them all the questions I’d been wanting to ask them for ages, as well as those I thought our listeners would enjoy hearing the answers to.
This, now multi-award winning, short film documents a mother and daughter team in Grant Township, Pennsylvania, as they take on a huge fracking corporation to protect their water source and, in the process, save the habitat of the highly endangered, incredibly sensitive and thoroughly weird-looking hellbender salamander. I instantly fell in love with Stacy and Judy - the film’s main characters, as their warmth and determination was contagious, and I was behind their community 100%. The film is empowering and hopeful, but the story is far from over. This is one of the very few ‘rights of nature’ cases that has been upheld in the US and, with many having been overturned since designation, Grant Township is far from being out of the woods.
The people behind the film are working hard to make sure this film is seen by as many people as possible, so that other communities can gain inspiration and encouragement to fight their own battles, and protect both human and nature’s rights.
Oh, and I won’t end this article without mentioning the beautiful animation created by the multi-talented Katie Garrett (also the film’s editor) stunning cinematography, and the magnificent original score, which features in the podcast episode and was composed by Micah Anderson. Having listened to me bang on about how great the film is, I’m sure you want to watch it, so here’s a link. You have to register for free and then you’ll get access to five of the films in the Jackson Wild World Wildlife Day Showcase (including ours). AND if you love it too, please vote for the film to win the Audience Award, as the more attention the film gets, the more people will know about it and will be inspired by its message.
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Welcome back to Earth to Humans! On our first episode back for the season, Sarinah speaks with guest, Beth Pratt, Executive Director for California at the National Wildlife Federation and renowned conservationist who has worked tirelessly to protect and restore wildlife habitats across the state (which is huge by the way).
In this episode, we'll be discussing Beth's unique relationship with a certain mountain lion known as P-22, who became a symbol of the coexistence between wildlife and humans in urban areas. P-22 captured the world's attention when he journeyed from the Santa Monica Mountains to Griffith Park, right in the heart of Los Angeles, where he settled down and made his home. His presence in the city provided a rare opportunity for people to connect with wild animals and inspired many to take action to protect the city’s remaining wild spaces.
We had Beth on the show back in 2017, but a lot has changed since then. For one, the famed 101 freeway wildlife crossing that was then just an idea still in need of final funding, now looms completed over the huge 10 lane freeway. Unfortunately since our last interview, P-22 was captured by wildlife officials in December 2022 due to concerns related to his health and a few days later, on December 17, 2022, was euthanized.
Our conversation discusses the impact of his loss on the local community and the wider conservation movement as well as the challenges facing urban wildlife and the importance of preserving natural habitats in cities in order to support biodiversity and the survival of these precious predators.
So, join us as we delve into the fascinating world of urban wildlife and learn more about the amazing journey of P-22, the people who have been touched by his impact, and the many urban species he has inadvertently saved due to his global impact.
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When I first heard about the organization that today’s guest, Jennifer Hartman, works for, I felt like I could’ve found my dream conservation job. Two of my greatest loves in life combined - dogs and biology. Apparently this is quite a common perception, but it takes a very special type of person, and an even more special type of dog to join this well-oiled team.
Rogue Detection Teams is made up of field biologists, known as ‘bounders’, and rescue dogs, chosen for their supreme desire to fetch. These human-canine teams head out into some of the most hostile environments on the planet for days or weeks at a time, all in the name of conservation. They’ve made numerous important new discoveries, contributed to crucial conservation work, and informed management plans for ecosystems and the species that call them home.
In this emotional interview, Jennifer shares her highlights and heartbreaks, and I realize why I might not actually be cut out for the job after all.
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