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Field Science

Waist deep in a stream, hanging from the tree canopy in a tropical forest, or drilling into underground reservoirs. It is possible to study the environment and experience it too!


Who's monitoring what's happening in our ecosystems?

Field Scientists

These folks have a crucial role to play. Without them, we wouldn't even know what was going on. They're constantly taking samples from the air, from streams and rivers, from wetlands, from fields, from riverbanks, and many other places. Their analysis creates the hard evidence policymakers need to be able to write regulations that set safety guidelines and pollution limits.

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Who's developing ways to clean up contamination?

Field Scientists

Accidents do happen, and when they do, we need ways to resolve them. Research scientists work in the lab, looking for chemical and biological solutions to existing and potential contamination problems. Field scientists are called onto the scene. They identify polluted areas, the cause, and the best technique for handling a specific problem based on the pollutant and the type of eco-system effected.

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Who’s helping determine how we use the land that’s left?

Soil and wetland scientists

Soil scientists work in the field to create inventories and map natural resource boundaries. Similarly, wetland scientists create maps that delineate the edges of wetlands so that governments can take appropriate measures to protect identified areas. Scientists are also called in to assess land being considered for development and weigh in on conservation/development planning issues.

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Who’s creating more sustainable ways to grow plants and animals?

Research and field scientists

Scientists in many fields are contributing to this issue. Some are working to develop new plant breeds that require less fertilizers and pesticides. Others are testing to find pesticides that are less harmful to the environment. Similar work is being done on the animal side to minimize the use of hormones and antibiotics in livestock.

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Who's researching the medicinal properties of plants?

Research and field scientists

Most of our drugs have evolved from studying the bio-chemical properties of medicinal plants. Field scientists often collaborate with indigenous peoples to learn about plant species with medicinal properties. Research scientists study their bio-chemical properties and create man-made compounds that replicate these beneficial effects. Other scientists study ways to stabilize and incorporate these compunds in foods.

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Who's analyzing the impact of factory farms?

Field scientists

The ways crops are grown (including fertilizer and pesticide use) and the ways animals are raised (including their food supply and waste run-off) are greatly impacted by the size of a farm as well as farm management practices. Field scientists analyze quantitative measurements to determine input and output differences and evaluate the effectiveness of various techniques.

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Who’s researching plant diseases to find solutions?

Research and field scientists

What happens when a new disease or insect infestation threatens to destroy an entire year’s crops? Research and field scientists immediately begin investigating to identify the cause and figure out the best way to intervene. When no crisis is looming, the same folks work on developing new techniques for alleviating more common-place problems, like worm-filled apples.

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Who’s helping decide how remaining tree resources will be used?

Field scientists

Field scientists create inventories and map natural resource boundaries. They are also called in to assess land being considered for development and weigh in on conservation/development planning issues.Scientists analyze whether clearing a piece of land would create soil erosion, threaten indiginous wildlife, or effect water quality and other resources.

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