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Ecologist - A Constantly Changing Profession For A Constantly Evolving Science

The definition of ecology, according to wikipedia.com is "the scientific study of the relation of living organisms with each other and their surroundings." This is pretty broad terminology and doesn't cover nearly everything about ecology, but it gives one a general idea. Ecology is a unique science, one that's constantly changing, so ecologists may find that the ecosystem they are studying today is significantly different than the same ecosystem only a few years ago. If you find ecology an interesting career choice, you'll need to understand that to be an ecologist means your research is constantly evolving.

It often seems that many scientific branches overlap, and in fact they do. But specifically, ecologists study the relationships of living things to their environment. This means that they study such things as how we as humans impact our own environment, or how man-made structures affect wildlife, or how human intrusion into forestland (such as mass timber cutting in rain forests) impacts the environment in that area. Once enough research is obtained, efforts are made to find and implement ways to bring the ecosystem back into balance. For instance, an ecologist might look at the quality of water in a lake to determine the amount of pollution in the water and how it affects the fish in the lake and animals that drink the water. Then, if the water pollution is determined to significantly impact the surrounding environment, the ecologist tries to determine what is needed to restore the lake to it's proper balance.

It's an interesting and diverse field. Ecologists usually specialize in some form of biological science, making it a desirable field of study for anyone who is interested in ecology but wants to study in a particular field. A bachelor's degree is the bare minimum most companies will accept in a candidate, but for research, most require master's degrees or at least bachelor's degrees with several years' experience in the field. The average salary of an ecologist is about $50,000 a year, although it does vary widely from company to company.

To be an ecologist, you need to understand how ecosystems work. You'll need to record mounds of data, and rather often, as ecosystems change constantly. You'll need to be meticulous and thorough in acquiring your data, making sure that others who may need to review your findings are able to understand them. You need to be able to work well with other scientists, as on major environmental projects, it's rare for one scientist to work alone; almost always you'll work as one part of a group. And you'll need to have a sincere desire to help the environment. You need to be versatile and willing to work outside in all types of weather, and in all temperatures. Often you may be required to travel to other areas to work on specific projects and because many projects involve wilderness areas, you may be forced to live in trailers or tents, as there may be no hotel accommodations nearby. The ecologist who is dedicated to his profession is happy to be of service, even in less than ideal conditions.