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CAREERS IN ECOLOGY
Citation:
Lackey, R T. CAREERS IN ECOLOGY. Presented at Lecture at Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR, November 21, 2002.
Description:
Many non-scientists treat "ecology" and "environmentalism" as roughly interchangeable words, thus the word "ecologist" commonly has come to signify a particular part of the political spectrum. As used in the scientific community and in this presentation, however, ecology is loosely defined as the scientific and technical discipline that deals with studying and assessing the ecological consequences of human actions on the interrelated physical and biological world. Thus, "ecology' is a scientific discipline, not a shorthand description for a particular political or policy perspective. Five examples of typical career opportunities for those trained in the science of ecology are: (1) assessing the consequences of introduced chemicals, especially herbicides and pesticides; (2) developing the science that informs policy makers and the public on issues of ecological sustainability and sustainable development; (3) understanding the importance of biological diversity, including the role of exotic and invasive species; (4) managing land and water resources, including fish, forest, and wildlife management; and (5) growth management including land-use planning.