Nature of the Upstate

About Nature of the Upstate

A podcast sharing my investigations of the natural world around the upstate, South Carolina. Since I'm new to this area, I thought I'd research different nature topics of what I've observed while exploring the outdoors and share my findings with you. So sit back, enjoy listening, and please subscribe. And remember to spend time outdoors!

Publisher

lbeltran13

Category

science

Language

en

Explicit

No

First episode

30 Jan 2025

Latest episode

1 Jul 2025

Latest episodes

6 episodes in the feed.

1. 

   1 Jul 2025

   Puckery Persimmon

   The host explores the American Persimmon tree, detailing its physical attributes, harvesting methods, flavor profile, and cultural folklore, offering listeners a deeper understanding of this native fruit.

2. 

   5 Jun 2025

   Turtles on Logs: Meet the River Cooter

   This episode explores the River Cooter turtle, a common species in South Carolina wetlands, discussing its identification, life cycle, and ecological importance.

3. 

   1 May 2025

   Buzzworthy Bumblebees

   In this episode of Nature of the Upstate, we take a closer look at the important world of bumblebees. Here in South Carolina, community scientists through the Southeast Bumblebee Atlas have identified four native species. We’ll learn a bit about these four species, as well as why bumblebees are essential to the environment, what threats they face, and how you can support these pollinators in your backyard and beyond. Community Science projects: https://www.bumblebeeatlas.org/pages/southeast (https://www.bumblebeeatlas.org/pages/southeast) https://www.inaturalist.org/ (https://www.inaturalist.org/) Information about Bumblebees: Bie, M., Song, K., Dong, H., Zhao, W., Lin, H., Shi, D., & Liu, D. (2025). Advancing sustainable agriculture through bumblebee pollination: Bibliometric insights and future directions. Sustainability, 17(5), 2177. https://doi.org/10.3390/su17052177 (https://doi.org/10.3390/su17052177) https://xerces.org/bumble-bees (https://xerces.org/bumble-bees) Field Guides: Beadle, D., & Leckie, S. (2018). Peterson Field Guide to the Common Bees of Eastern North America. Princeton University Press. Williams, P. H., Thorp, R. W., Richardson, L. L., & Colla, S. R. (2014). Bumble Bees of North America: An Identification Guide. Princeton University Press.

4. 

   1 Apr 2025

   Where the Bells Bloom

   In this episode of Nature of the Upstate, we explore Shortia galacifolia, also known as the Oconee Bell. This rare flower is found only in a few spots in the Upstate, and searching for it during its brief bloom has become a yearly tradition for some. We’ll discuss its biology, the story of its re-discovery, and the conservation challenges it faces today. References: https://www.appalachianhistory.net/2018/03/the-long-trail-of-shortia-part-1-of-2.html (https://www.appalachianhistory.net/2018/03/the-long-trail-of-shortia-part-1-of-2.html) https://www.appalachianhistory.net/2018/03/the-long-trail-of-shortia-part-2-of-2.html (https://www.appalachianhistory.net/2018/03/the-long-trail-of-shortia-part-2-of-2.html) Fox, S. J., Eberth, L., Rogers, S. M., Stetler, H. C., Gabbard, B. L., White, E. E., & Morris, A. B. (2024). The importance of understanding clonal structure for species listing and recovery: Case studies from the rare Oconee bells (Shortia brevistyla and Shortia galacifolia; Diapensiaceae) and the federally endangered bunched arrowhead (Sagittaria fasciculata; Alismataceae). Conservation Genetics. https://gobotany.nativeplanttrust.org/species/shortia/galacifolia/ (https://gobotany.nativeplanttrust.org/species/shortia/galacifolia/) https://highsouthadventures.com/Blue%20Ridge%20Escarpment.html (https://highsouthadventures.com/Blue%20Ridge%20Escarpment.html) https://www.huh.harvard.edu/book/shortia-galacifolia (https://www.huh.harvard.edu/book/shortia-galacifolia) https://www.idigbio.org/content/portal-curiosities-asa-gray-and-quest-shortia-galacifolia-%E2%80%93-case-study-importance (https://www.idigbio.org/content/portal-curiosities-asa-gray-and-quest-shortia-galacifolia-%E2%80%93-case-study-importance) https://ourwildyard.com/oconee-bell-flower-shortia-galacifolia/ (https://ourwildyard.com/oconee-bell-flower-shortia-galacifolia/) https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/shortia-galacifolia/ (https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/shortia-galacifolia/)

5. 

   1 Mar 2025

   Spring Rain Brings...Salamanders!

   On chilly, rainy nights, Spotted Salamanders emerge from the forest floor for their annual migration to ephemeral ponds to breed. In this episode, I discuss their life cycle and what I discovered through almost a decade of salamander monitoring. References: https://srelherp.uga.edu/salamanders/spotted-salamander/ (https://srelherp.uga.edu/salamanders/spotted-salamander/) https://amphibianx.com/can-you-touch-a-salamander/ (https://amphibianx.com/can-you-touch-a-salamander/) Blackwell, E. A., Cline, G. R., & Marion, K. R. (2004). Annual variation in population estimators for a southern population of Ambystoma maculatum. Herpetologica, 60(1), 8-13. https://doi.org/[DOI if available] Carolina Herp Atlas. (2019). Ambystoma maculatum distribution records in South Carolina. Retrieved from https://www.carolinaherpatlas.org (https://www.carolinaherpatlas.org) Kerney, R., Kim, E., Hangarter, R. P., Heiss, A. A., Bishop, C. D., & Hall, B. K. (2010). Intracellular invasion of green algae in a salamander host. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 108(16), 6497-6502. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1018259108 Mitchell, J., & Gibbons, W. (2010). Salamanders of the Southeast (Wormsloe Foundation Nature Books). University of Georgia Press. https://doi.org/[DOI if available] (ISBN: 9780820330358)

6. 

   30 Jan 2025

   A Frosty Surprise

   In this episode, we explore the science behind tiny yet powerful ice columns and their role in soil movement and erosion. References: Brink, V. C., MacKay, J. R., Freyman, S., & Pearce, D. G. (1967). Needle ice and seedling establishment in southwestern British Columbia. Canadian Journal of Plant Science, 47(1), 135–140. https://doi.org/10.4141/cjps67-022 (https://doi.org/10.4141/cjps67-022) Grab, S. W. (1999). A pilot study on needle ice-induced stream-bank erosion in the Mashai Valley, Lesotho Highlands. South African Geographical Journal, 81(3), 126–134. https://doi.org/10.1080/03736245.1999.9713672 (https://doi.org/10.1080/03736245.1999.9713672) Ponti, S., & Guglielmin, M. (2023). Advances in understanding the cooling rates and bending of needle ice: Photogrammetric and thermal observations leading to the spatial distribution of needle ice creep. Earth Surface Processes and Landforms, 48(13), 2463–2479. https://doi.org/10.1002/esp.5639 (https://doi.org/10.1002/esp.5639)

Podcast Authority Score: 17 / 100

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33

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0

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