I do not believe that the implication isn't exactly that. Rather ecologist study ecology while environmental scientists study environmental issues. There are ecological environmental scientists. Certainly there is an overlap between the two fields but that does not make the two fields any less distinct and separate. I do not believe that we need to try to pigeonhole either of the two fields we just recognize that they're both distinct yet due to the individual interests they overlap.
As Yasmin said, in many places in countries people only think of ecology as environmental sciences. That is ecologist are only environmentalists or environmental engineers above some type. In fact the majority of Americans think the same way. If you pick a random American out of the crowd and say to them "I am an ecologist" they are very likely to respond "so am I." However ecologists certainly know the difference even though random people do not. I think the issue this back in fact everybody SHOULD know the difference. I only put my 2 worth and because I wanted to change the subject line - I don't think anybody knew what "another picture" was all about. I just had surgery on my hand and am using voice activated software to writ= e this message - so please forgive any errors! Sincerely- Jim On 11/23/07, William Silvert <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > The implication is that ecologists do research and environmental > scientists > apply it. Yasmin's posting implies that this is true for Turkey, but I > question its universality. My problem is that there is increasing > awareness > of the need for interdisciplinary (rather than multidisciplinary) researc= h > that does not fit into our existing schema. > > By the distinction between interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary > research > I refer to fields such as physical chemistry, which overlaps both physics > and chemistry but is actually quite narrow -- it sits in the space betwee= n > them -- and the kind of research that involves a shallow knowledge of man= y > fields. > > There are many examples of ecosystems interacting with hydrological and > geological systems which need to be studied in depth, but although these > call for an interdisciplinary effort, they do not require the broad but > superficial knowledge of all areas that we think of as multidisciplinary. > And where should such prgrams be classified? If not environmental science= , > then where? > > Bill Silvert > > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "Malcolm McCallum" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > To: <[email protected]> > Sent: Friday, November 23, 2007 3:50 PM > Subject: Re: Another picture > > > > Yasemin is correct, ecology is not environmental science. > > > > Environmental science is an interdisciplinary area of study that > > encompasses the biological, chemical, geological, economic, and > political > > forces that mold how we use and manage our environment. It encompasses > > wildlife and fisheries management, ecotoxicology, and other similar > > fields. Ecology is a science that addresses the structure and function > of > > the biosphere. Although many ecologists find themselves working in > > environmental science, and many environmental scientists work > essentially > > as ecologists, they are very different. > > > > A simple parallel that might help discern the two fields is that > > Ecology is to environmental science as physics is to engineering. > > > > Malcolm McCallum > > > > On Thu, November 22, 2007 7:33 pm, yasemin baytok wrote: > >> Dear Ecologgers, > >> > >> With all do respect, I disagree with Andy's view that there is no > >> separation > >> between environmental and ecological science. I'm frustrated cause, > >> unfortunately in my country, Turkey, Environmental science =3D > >> environmental > >> engineering-agricultural engineering-forest engineering =3D Ecology! A= nd > >> they > >> seem liked to be so called "ecologist" and even believed they are. > --=20 James J. Roper, Ph.D. Ecologia e Din=E2micas Populacionais de Vertebrados Terrestres Caixa Postal 19034 81531-990 Curitiba, Paran=E1, Brasil E-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Telefone: 55 41 33857249 Mobile: 55 41 99870543 http://www.bio.ufpr.br/ecologia/ Ecologia e Conserva=E7=E3o na UFPR http://jjroper.googlespages.com Personal Pages
