As a research ecologist, I study the effects of forest management and natural disturbances on plants and animals.
The most important skills an ecologist can have are a love of nature, curiosity, willingness to be in the woods (even if it’s hot, buggy, or the mountains are steep), and the ability to stick with a study until it is complete.
What happens to bird communities after a low intensity fire that doesn’t kill very many trees, versus a fire that kills many trees and changes the forest structure? How do fire, timber harvesting, or high winds from hurricanes affect animals, or animal food sources such as acorns and berries?
I use different kinds of traps to catch animals. For reptiles and amphibians, I use buckets buried in the ground, with the opening at the ground surface. The animals fall into the buckets. For mice, I use traps that snap shut when the mouse goes in to get bait, like peanut butter and oats. These traps do not hurt the animals, and they enable me to compare how many animals are in different kinds of habitats.
One thing I have learned is that prescribed burning, timber harvesting, and other disturbances change the forest structure. Those changes to the forest may not be great for some animal species, but other species benefit from those different kinds of habitats.
I have always loved nature. As a young adult, I volunteered for the National Park Service helping the biologists. It was then that I figured out that I could actually get a job studying plants and animals.
