Conservation biology?

Maynard Phoubandith: Oh the bombardment of questions! AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!Now, on to the slow and painful process of answering them (not necessarily in order).Conservation biology is relatively new compared to other areas of the field, so there really haven't been any freakishly groundbreaking breakthroughs. Sure, there are plenty of successes, i.e. listed (threatened, endangered, etc.) species conservation, the development of best management practices for a variety of species and habitats, various applications of conservation at the landscape scale, advances in conservation genetics, etc., but this field is very concrete and limited compared to say, theoretical physics. If you're looking for something more theoretical, look into ecology.For the most part, con bio research is heavily based on adaptive management for a species, habitat, landscape, etc. (i.e. figuring out the best possible way to manage a resource by experimenting on the side while! the best known processes are implemented immediately.) It is indeed serious research that actually saves quite a bit of time, effort, and money, but it's often slow research that may take anywhere from months to decades, depending on the scale. From a genetic standpoint, managing the genetic diversity of populations and tracing genetic origins across geographic areas and landscapes is an extremely valuable management practice as habitats become increasingly fragmented and populations more isolated.Again, this isn't really a field for breakthroughs, but conservation biologists are charged with a more fundamental, arguably more important task: figuring out how the planet's biological/ecological systems work, how to manage them for best results, and how to manage them to the benefit of the human race, i.e. so we don't use/destroy so many resources so that we're beyond the point of no return.It depends who the "other scientists" are. Among other biologists/ecologists, they're ! generally viewed favorably, but as far as other fields like ph! ysics, chemistry, etc., I really have no experience outside of a few get-togethers with some physics grad students (apparently they're all impaired when it comes to cooking on a charcoal grill). I'm assuming the majority/overall opinion would be neutral.The biggest employer of conservation biologists is the federal government, so most individual scientists devote their efforts to working with a few species, a single habitat type, a specific management practice (i.e. fire ecology), etc., but there's no rule that says one must become specialized, or that one can't switch specialties.Yes, conservation biologists are really making a difference, but that difference is rarely understood or acknowledged by the public or the media. It's underappreciated, dirty work. The most important thing to keep in mind is that conservation biology is a field that is often severely hindered by humans, whether physically by habitat loss/fragmentation, or in the realm of politics and economics.Con! servation biologists are a big part of a coagulation of fields that fight for preserving and conserving natural resources. Many times, we are fighting a losing battle, but again, that's not because of the science or the field, it's because of societal interference, i.e. politics and economics....Show more

Ardell Luy: Ygggh