Category Archives: Ecologist

Ecologist

Ecology: Examining the Relationships Between Living Things

Ecology: Examining the Relationships Between Living Things
Ecology is an environmental science in its most literal sense – the study of environments and the entities within it. Although closely associated with environmentalism and conservation today, it does not necessarily follow; an ecology can also be human gut flora, how the elements of an urban environment function, and the ecology of soil nutrient…
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Invasive Species: How They Affect the Environment

Invasive Species: How They Affect the Environment
One consequence of globalization is that in addition to people and products moving across the globe, wildlife has been transported as well. This practice of transporting animals from their native regions to new areas dates back thousands of years. The Roman Empire frequently brought back animals from foreign lands to use for entertainment in the…
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Phytoliths: What They Are and What They Tell Us

Phytoliths: What They Are and What They Tell Us
Phytolith studies require an understanding of several disciplines at once. Though the method is used primarily as a tool of archaeology and anthropology (the study of humans in the past) it does require a solid background in plant biology. Therefore, people who go on to research and study phytoliths will often have a heavy focus…
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Birds as Environmental Indicators

Birds as Environmental Indicators
Humans have invented a variety of instruments to monitor the health of ecosystems.  For example, to examine water quality in a wetland, an environmental scientist may use a sensor to measure dissolved oxygen in the water or perform chemical assays in the lab to examine heavy metals in the soil. However, in some cases we…
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Birds & Ecosystem Services

Birds & Ecosystem Services
The Value of Birds Birds are present throughout almost every habitat across the globe.  No matter where you go, there is always evidence of birds even if you don’t see the animals themselves.  Things like holes pecked in tree bark by woodpeckers or the remnants of a nest are indicative of the presence of birds. …
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Natural Gas 101: Pros & Cons

Natural Gas 101: Pros & Cons
Natural gas is a fossil fuel, like oil and coal. It’s formed from decayed organic material transformed by high temperatures and pressures over millions of years into bubbles of methane gas. Conventional sources are found in underground gas fields or oil fields. Unconventional sources are more challenging to extract because the gas is locked inside…
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Hydroelectric Power 101

Hydroelectric Power 101
Hydroelectric power uses the kinetic energy of moving water to produce electricity. It's the most widely used form of renewable energy, generating 19% of electricity worldwide (1). While large-scale projects have had mixed results in the developing world, when done properly, hydroelectric is a cheap, clean and effective method of producing energy. Hydroelectric Methods Most…
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Dendrochronology: What Tree Rings Tell Us About Past and Present

Dendrochronology: What Tree Rings Tell Us About Past and Present
Studying Dendrochronology Dendrochronology is the study of data from tree ring growth. Due to the sweeping and diverse applications of this data, specialists can come from many academic disciplines. There are no degrees in dendrochronology because though it is useful across the board, the method itself is fairly limited. Most people who enter into studying…
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Is Environmental Science Really a Good Major?

Is Environmental Science Really a Good Major?
Is Environmental Science Really a Good Major? Imagine your family has been asking for years what you will specialize in when you go to college and you have just decided to change from “undeclared” to environmental science”. Will you be met with blank stares, head shakes, or grumbles about “you’ll never do anything good with…
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What We Wish We Had Known before Majoring in Environmental Science

What We Wish We Had Known before Majoring in Environmental Science
If given the chance to do it all over again, a small group of Environmental Science majors were asked what they wish they had known before they started.  The list may surprise you!  Some themes were more common than others, but you should find some helpful hints! Take Your Chemistry Classes Seriously Chemistry is everywhere! …
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