Back Garden Biology

Oxford University
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Back Garden Biology Podcast

In this fun and informative series Dr Lindsay Turnbull, Associate Professor and Fellow of The Queen’s College, Oxford University, looks at the biology of the back garden. This series is recorded hot off the press in a normal garden in England beginning in March 2020 and would be of interest to anyone from age 5+. The series is particularly useful for children missing school who would like to carry on practical work in their own garden and have an expert help them understand the theory behind everyday biology. Packed with things to see right now, take the edge off your enforced boredom by venturing into the back garden.

  1. 08/02/2021

    The Worm that Turned

    The species with the biggest biomass in any garden is almost certainly the earthworm. These humble denizens of our soil provide essential services by turning over soil and promoting plant growth. Professor Peter Holland explains why Darwin found them so fascinating and Lindsay explains how their muscles work, allowing them to escape from birds, no matter how early they turn up.

    17 min

  2. 25/01/2021

    Seeing the Wood for the Trees (Part II)

    We take a walk around a local park to admire more winter trees and see why conifers win over broadleaved trees as we move further North, but even they have to drop their needles during the winter in the farthest reaches of the Boreal forest. Creative Commons Attribution-Non-Commercial-Share Alike 2.0 UK: England & Wales; http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/2.0/uk/

    13 min

  3. 07/01/2021

    Seeing the Wood for the Trees

    In winter the bones of the trees are laid bare, giving us a chance to see their skeletons. Join Lindsay as she takes a tour round Wytham Woods in Oxford, showing you how to identify our common native trees from their bark and the shape of their branches. Creative Commons Attribution-Non-Commercial-Share Alike 2.0 UK: England & Wales; http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/2.0/uk/

    17 min

  4. 06/08/2020

    One billion years a slave

    Peering into a drop of pondwater allows you to look back in time and see key events in the history of life on Earth. In this episode we learn where plants obtained the machinery needed for photosynthesis and find out how hard it is for multicellular beings to form. Creative Commons Attribution-Non-Commercial-Share Alike 2.0 UK: England & Wales; http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/2.0/uk/

    17 min

  5. 28/07/2020

    Feed the birds?

    What do birds like eating and what decisions do they have to make when visiting a bird feeder? Not quite tuppence a bag - Brits spent around 200 million pounds a year on bird food. But what do birds like eating and what decisions do they have to make when visiting a feeder? Lindsay visits her mum's garden to get some close-up shots, Friederike Hillemann tells us about her research in Wytham Woods and Annette Fayet explains how puffins face similar problems. Creative Commons Attribution-Non-Commercial-Share Alike 2.0 UK: England & Wales; http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/2.0/uk/

    17 min

  6. 10/07/2020

    Interview with a Vampire

    Find out how plants like mistletoe and hayrattle extract resources from their hosts and how hayrattle engages in a game of rock, paper, scissors, that makes managing meadows a whole lot easier. Around half of the species on our planet are parasites. Plants can play this game, being either partially or fully parasitic on their hosts. Find out how plants like mistletoe and hayrattle extract resources from their hosts and how hayrattle engages in a game of rock, paper, scissors, that makes managing meadows a whole lot easier. Creative Commons Attribution-Non-Commercial-Share Alike 2.0 UK: England & Wales; http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/2.0/uk/

    15 min

  7. 30/06/2020

    Much ado about mothing

    Dedicated to moths, this episode explores how and why these unsung heroes deserve more attention. Lindsay examines the horse chestnut leaf miner and hunts for spectacular hornet moths in her local park; Doug Boyes explains why he is a life-long fan; and Professor Ben Sheldon empties his moth-trap so we can all see who’s hanging out in the garden at night. Creative Commons Attribution-Non-Commercial-Share Alike 2.0 UK: England & Wales; http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/2.0/uk/

    20 min

  8. 15/06/2020

    Stop the pigeon? Never!

    Woodpigeons are common garden birds, whose familiar call has been likened to someone complaining about their feet. But woodpigeons make fantastic parents, and like all pigeons and doves produce a kind of 'milk' to feed their young. Find out more about them and discover how an Oxford PhD student is trying to uncover more about the feral pigeons in town centres and their wild relative, the rock dove. Creative Commons Attribution-Non-Commercial-Share Alike 2.0 UK: England & Wales; http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/2.0/uk/

    17 min
See All (20)

About

In this fun and informative series Dr Lindsay Turnbull, Associate Professor and Fellow of The Queen’s College, Oxford University, looks at the biology of the back garden. This series is recorded hot off the press in a normal garden in England beginning in March 2020 and would be of interest to anyone from age 5+. The series is particularly useful for children missing school who would like to carry on practical work in their own garden and have an expert help them understand the theory behind everyday biology. Packed with things to see right now, take the edge off your enforced boredom by venturing into the back garden.

Information

  • Creator
    Oxford University
  • Years Active
    2020 - 2021
  • Episodes
    20
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Oxford University
  • Show Website
    Back Garden Biology

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