#114: Mistletoes Are Keystone Species - Dr. David Watson

Today’s episode is about one of the coolest plants that I can think of - both figuratively and literally!  Stick with me for a moment. When you think of a parasite, what comes to mind? Maybe mosquitoes, ticks, tapeworms. Probably nothing you want to invite into your house or property. But there are parasites that are super beneficial to ecosystems. The parasite I’m speaking of is also the cool plant I alluded to. Well, it’s actually a large category of parasitic plants. In fact, they’ve separately evolved on five different occasions. What are they? Well, mistletoes, of course!  Dr. David Watson joins us all the way from Australia to talk about these spectacular plants. Today you’ll learn why mistletoes are beloved by birds, provide food for many other animals, are key to nutrient cycling, and why they are literally cool plants. There are even mistletoes that grow on, get this, other mistletoes! Find Dr. David Watson on Bluesky.  FULL SHOW NOTES including photos! Support Us On Patreon! Buy our Merch! Music: Spellbound by Brian Holtz Music License (CC BY 4.0): https://filmmusic.io/standard-license Artist site: https://brianholtzmusic.com Discover the Jumpstart Nature Podcast - entertaining and immersive, it's the nature fix we all need. Check past Nature's Archive episodes for amazing guests like Doug Tallamy, Elaine Ingham, and Rae Wynn-Grant, covering topics from bird migration to fungi to frogs and bats!