Migration, poaching and overuse for direct or indirect consumption threaten biodiversity and ecosystems that the scientific community must preserve. I decided to introduce my undergraduate students to these areas of research in their final year project, to foster future ecologists but for 7years, I have been facing a fierce opposition from colleagues who brazenly discourage my students in their endeavours and external examiners who downgrade their reports on the basis that there was no wet lab component in their conservation investigations.
I am exasperated and now forced to quit such an exciting area of research in a part of the world where ECOLOGY is gradually relegated to the background.
Dear Aline Edith,
What wet lab component in Conservation biology ? I'm hearing for the first time such priority ! Should work in the area, with community, land owners, administrations. I worked as practical ecologist several years (Vice-chief of the Dep. of Environment protection in Transcarpathians Province of Ukraine, the Carpathians Mountains, and was responsible for conservation projects. Yeah, we had have the cameral work, but at the end, when field investigations where finished. And how to write even primitive background for a perspective NC object? Should have lists of species from different taxonomic groups, esp indicating groups, rare animals and plants, threatened, and relict or/and endemial.
So, my students are working sometimes with materials from the Pacific Ocean – if necessary, but mainly in field conditions.
Sincerely,
Andrey
Hi Aline,
I am afraid I know what you are talking about. Unfortunately some biologists still believe field work does not lead to "serious" science, but we are too busy to worry about their ignorance aren't we.
Of course ecology, and conservation biology, may also need lab work, but it all depends on your objectives: tell your colleagues that field work still represents an irreplaceable part of science, and invite them to spend more time reading scientific articles. Perhaps they will discover a new world...
Please don't give up. Especially in countries such as yours, conservation biologists are a vital resource so I am sure your teaching activity has tremendous potential to make a huge difference.
Best wishes
Danilo
There is no such restriction. Its up to objectives of study. Well in a situation like yours, you can design studies having both components.
I suggest directing them to recent articles based on non-lab field work in ecology and conservation that have been published in the most prestigious international science journals: Science, Nature, PNAS. You would only need to look at a few issues of each to come up with great examples. Or, of course, virtually entire issues of Conservation Biology and Biological Conservation (highly respected journals).
I understand your frustration, and sympathise. Actually I don't think any wet lab experiment is necessarily rquiered for conservation ecology research. This is widely rported in human ecology and conservation ecology literature. Field research, and even qualitative approaches, can an do afford very valuable information, and should be pursued without restriction.
Dear Andrey, Danilo, Faraz, Abhijit, Milton, Truman, Rafael
Thank you all very much for your contributions. I had wondered if it was necessary to share my fears and worries with another audience before taking a major decision. I am very glad I did because I now understand that my approach to conservation science is in tune with that of many biologists. The discipline is very much alive and has a great future although it is not a common ground for all.
Sure I will not give up, I can't quit because I am not understood, I will continue sowing these seeds in future generation scientists and hopefully someday, I will have a nest of researchers, with more practical perspectives to conservation biology/ecology.
Thank you again
Aline
This is the umpteenth case of would be conservationists-computers-dependents, or "external examiners" as you name them. The form more important than the substance. Conservation failures are often due to them. Mere (often useless), computer work as many love to do, won't save species but action in the field (where they don't like to be). You are doing the right thing Aline, keep up with the good work. If you need supporting facts please don't hesitate to ask.
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