DR. JAMES NARDI says you can tell a lot about a tree by the company it keeps. From life in the soil around their roots to the action up in their canopies, trees are swarming with engagement—unseen microbes and fungi, countless insects and other arthropods, and vertebrates like birds, squirrels, and even porcupines.

Jim Nardi spoke about their diverse community of companions. He is research scientist in the School of Integrative Biology at The University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, and the author and illustrator of several previous books. His latest is “The Hidden Company That Trees Keep: Life from Treetops to Root Tips” (affiliate link).

Plus: Enter to win a copy of the new book by commenting in the box near the bottom of the page.

Read along as you listen to the March 13, 2023 edition of my public-radio show and podcast using the player below. You can subscribe to all future editions on Apple Podcasts (iTunes) or Spotify or Stitcher (and browse my archive of podcasts here).

Read the full article