How to Become an Ecologist

Taking care of the environment should be the responsibility of every person on Earth. After all, if we don’t look after the environment, then who will? While some people do their bit by picking up papers off the ground, others want to take it a step further by studying the environment. It’s a profession, and many people have made it their career. If you wanted to know how to get into that profession, then this guide is for you. People who respect the environment know that all living beings (people, animals and plants) that inhabit the Earth and keep a fragile balance. If this harmony is broken, for example when there are forest fires or when water is wasted or contaminated it create imbalance in the environment.

Before wanting to be an ecologist you must be responsible, kind and determined not to spoil the environment.

Be responsible to the Environment

Reflections that help us to be responsible:

• Water:
  It is a limited good. There is not enough water for everyone. That is why we must save it.
• Waste:
  Pollute a lot. We try to generate as little as possible and recycle all we can.
• The chemical products:
  They pollute the water and the atmosphere and are difficult to eliminate. We try to use the least possible and use biodegradable products.
• Energy:
  It has a limit and its abusive use has a price. We reduce energy consumption (electricity, oil …).

Become and Ecologist

Ecology as a science has been taken up by many people all over the world not because of social status or salary but because of the love of nature. Those who seek to become ecologists must have a heart for nature so as to have a fulfilling career life. In a world that is increasingly being industrialized, ecologists are considered the most important individuals to support sustainable development in managing global warming and preserve endangered species.

Ecologists are primarily concerned with issues of the ecosystem and specifically the distribution and relationships among living organisms and between the organisms and their natural environment.

Topics of concern include composition and distribution, biomass, and the changing state of organisms within and even among ecosystems.

Skills Required to Be an Ecologist?

• Essentially, ecologists aim at explaining adaptations and life processes; abundance and distribution of organisms; the development of ecosystems; the movement of energy and materials through living communities; and the distribution and abundance of bio-diversity in the environment.
• Ecologists do not normally have typical day because the environment is dynamic and thus to be an ecologists one has to be very adaptive and flexible to work effectively and efficiently. Career opportunities for ecologists range from teachers or lecturer in the field offices, schools or universities, zoo keepers and wildlife reserve staff, environmental researchers and environmental consultants to government and corporate organizations.
• The common work activities may include: classification of organisms- taxonomy; field surveys; analysis and interpretation of collected data by use of specialized software; performing an environmental impact assessment on new or existing projects; writing reports and making recommendations; teaching on environmental science; habitat creation and management; keeping up to date with new legislation and policies on environmental issues; and contributing ideas on policy changes based on ecological findings.
• To become an ecologist one has to undergo some studies in ecology. Ecology is a branch of biology that is inter-disciplinary. In this sense, the study involves physiology, genetics, evolutionary biology and ethology. It is the scientific study of relationship among living organisms and how they interact with their natural environment. It helps one to master how ecological functions are affected by biodiversity. It is to a large extent a human science as it is also concerned with city planning or urban ecology, wetland management, natural resource management, human social interaction, economics and community health.
• The level of education in ecology will depend on ones ambitions and aspiration. For some positions a certificate in ecology will suffice while in some, one has to go for a diploma, a bachelors degree, a masters degree or even a PHD. Normally, one first studies general ecology then take up specialized areas such as flora, fauna, marine, terrestrial, freshwater among others. Courses crucial to ones work as an ecologist include biological sciences, animal ecology, environmental sciences, animal and plant ecology, physiology, environment policy and management, laboratory and field techniques, and conservation management. Science skills that are required to be an ecologist are observation and measurement of natural phenomenon, and designing and carrying out experiments. Research ecologists are required to be skillful in statistical analysis, laboratory approaches and global information systems.

To become an ecologist, however, is not only considered a career but a service to humanity and to all organisms that exist in the universe. Despite being a desirable career choice for those who have the love of nature, one has to make an informed decision when choosing this path because the pay is considerably lower than the pay in other careers. The pros, however, outweigh the cons.

After reading our guideline, you should have a very good idea of the path to take if you want to become an ecologist. The truth is that the world needs more people who are going to make it their life mission to look after our environment. It’s essential that all of us do our bit, but people who have an obsession with the environment have an opportunity to make a difference while being able to support themselves throughout the fight.