It just seems like they’re really heavily invested in avoiding detection by sight with their crazy color/texture changing abilities, but that it wouldn’t be super useful if the animals they’re hiding from had good senses of smell or electroreception or echolocation or… any other acute senses really.

EDIT: A better phrasing of this question might be “why was it so evolutionarily advantageous for octopuses to get really good at avoiding detection by sight, when it seems like a lot of the predators and prey species they’d like to hide from have acute senses of smell/echolocation/electroreception?”

So i have a bunch of camera trap data with timestamps and species annotations where we used baited traps. This is over the course of 3 years.

I thought adding a occupancy model to my thesis but not sure if its actually the right thing given the assumption of creating this kind of modeling.

We have used baited traps for all stations, no control as this was never a part of the study design - and we wanted to se how carcasses was utilized by different species. So that means when the carcass is consumed, the number of scavengers decreases or stops all togheter. There is also seasonal changes in species richnes due to influx of migratory scavenging birds.

Can i use occupancy modeling for this kind of problem or would it not be the right fit? I also have several covariates that could be intresting to include

I know they both take into account species richness and evenness, but then what exactly makes them different in measuring the diversity of a sample? Is there anything that makes one better than the other in certain scenarios? I feel like every online resource has different answers for this.

I’m doing a research project on plant diversity between burned and mowed grassland plots, and I’m calculating both Simpson and Shannon just because it’s convenient to do so, but I’m not sure how they will indicate different things about my samples?

So as my title suggests, I am passionate and fascinated by the field but really I want to pursue education. I want to become a Secondary School Biology Teacher, but I can’t help but feel as if I am then pursuing the wrong degree. I’ll be taking out a student loan to do this and I really have to ask myself if it’s worth putting myself in debt over for the rest of my life. It’s something I am so passionate about and I love the idea of being a teacher, but I just don’t think such a thing is in the cards for me… The odds just don’t seem to be in my favour with pursuing this field. Which is a shame, because I love it and I’ve wanted to do it since I was little. Someone talk me out of this? Am I overthinking or am I being reasonable?

I graduated from college almost a year ago and managed to get tech jobs since then that are essentially exactly what i want to do in the future. I've talked to professors, graduate students, biologist, etc. who have all told me that I am on the right track to get into graduate school and basically that I'm "doing everything in right". I'm having a hard time even finding grad positions to apply to especially ones i'm actually qualified for. Every professor I email just says they don't have opening but will keep me in mind and even on job boards the past couple months have only found 3 positions to apply to and only one I received an interview for (i'm assuming i did not get it since i have not heard back but do not plan on accepting). I am hoping i'd be starting grad school in fall 2025 but i'm losing confidence in this plan. Is it just early to know about fall start dates or is there simply less opportunities out there? I heard the fact it's an election year could be why but I still feel like should be seeing more opportunities.

I was researching subject but i feel like i 'm not fulfilled. There is a document called "Sustainable Minerals Development: Best Practices in ASEAN" it gives a broad perspective and best practices, but i feel like there is something missing. Can you please share your knowledge and thoughts about what are the blastings effect on ecosystem and mitigating them? I would be glad if you can guide me to better sources.

I've developped a very simple game to learn how to fight against climate change in a playful way,: https://www.restepluk.fun/

The game is still to be improved and I'd be interested to get your constructed feedback on what and how it could be improved.

Couple of points:

• I'd like the game to stay very simple for the users (UX, ...).
• Whilst the current possible actions to fight against climate change are extracted from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change reports, the science and math implemented into the "model" are not - It's home made.

Let me know your thoughts .

Regards,

I was hoping to get some input from those who do season or long term field work. I am and Environmental student, and I am looking at some amazing internships coming up this summer. However, they do take me away from home for months at a time. I’m am struggling to navigate how to balance pursuing these dream positions, and spending extended time away from my family. What are solutions? What is the balance? Have you needed to make sacrifices? Was was worth it/ not worth it?

Hey everyone, I'm finally applying to graduate programs after 2 years post-undergrad. I received my B.S in Ecology from a state school in New York in June 2022. I finished my degree with a 2.8 GPA which I understand is not great and considered below average when it comes to masters programs.

While I got straight A's and B+ in all of my major classes (general ecology, wetland ecology, limnology, biogeochemical science, entomology, genetics, chemistry, etc) I got C's and low passing grades in the compulsory courses of Physics, Calculus, Statistics, and Algebra. I learned only in my final semester of college I have a math disability with the comprehension of a 6th grader, so it made math and physics super difficult for me.

Despite all that bad stuff, In undergrad I was a student researcher who had my thesis published my junior year. I presented my research at four conferences during my junior and senior year, led three other research projects (unpublished) and interned at my school's limnology center. After graduation, I got an internship with the University of Wisconsin and was a field scientist and lead researcher for another study that nearly got published but my funding was pulled after the internship ended.

Since graduation, I've worked in the private environmental consulting industry for two years. My first position was at a small environmental firm as an environmental scientist working on wetland delineations, habitat assessment, GIS data analysis, and permitting for large-scale residential and commercial projects.I left that company after a year and since have been employed as an environmental scientist with a larger, national consulting firm doing NEPA and due diligence work (Phase 1).

Now that I've been in the "real world" for nearly 2 years, I've decided it's time to get my master's. I've been applying to programs in Europe because my partner lives there, but I'm feeling super insecure over my GPA. I was wondering if anyone's been in a similar situation and had success being accepted into programs with a low GPA but a lot of research and work experience despite that. I'm more confident than ever I'm ready to dive back into academia and I would hate for my poor understanding of math to affect my future prospects.

Thanks!

I'm going on a last minute road trip from Seattle to Banff, taking the route through eastern Washington. I'm in undergrad studying ecology at UW, and have really been enjoying learning more about the ecosystems I've grown up around. Until this fall, I didn't even know that garry oak savvanas were a (semi-common) thing around here! Does anyone have any suggestions on where a good place to stop in the Spokane, Coeur d'Alene, or Kaniksu forest area that might be a good educational experience or that someone studying ecology might find interesting? Or even in/around Banff tbh. The classes I've taken have mostly revolved around restoration ecology, but I'd love to learn about it all. TIA!

edit: I'm also really interested in learning more about indigenous ecology. Obviously with such limited time I won't learn much, but if anyone knows of anywhere we could stop that would give us some more insight into that topic that would also be greatly appreciated!

I need numbers which are clear to understand, allot of the sources are chemistry "mumbo jumbo";Which i as a bioligy student do not understand. These things are almost never clearly explained

Can anyone help, you guys are my last resort

Example clear numbers:
average Ph-level in Fictionalbodyofwatersea 9.6 Ph
average salinity-level in Fictionalbodyofwatersea 9.6 ppt
Etc

Hi friends! I'd like to know if anyone has good textbook recommendations for introduction to Ecology. I work in environmental education and realize I need a refresher. TIA!

Since a very young age I have always been very curious. Because of this I went to a specialized school in math and science where I took two math and two science courses from 7th to 12th grade. I had to also take an exam every year to get into the school plus mantain a good GPA. Because of this I got accepted into a program where they helped me get into the #1 school in my island. I choose a biology major because I loved animals from a scientific perspective, always liked to see documentaries on my free time. My first two years where bad because they put me on advanced courses (precalculus, bio 1 and chem 1) because of my school. I got C’s in basically all of my courses and then failed chem 2. After that i’ve just kept on getting bad grades (C’s basically every semester or failing one course out of my schedule). This has resulted in me having to retake classes, basically all of the chemistries and calculus. I’m pretty good with biology, and mostly gotten A’s and B’s but this has left me with a 2.65 GPA and a 2.27 on math/science. I feel so burnt-out and tired all of the time. My dream was to become a veterinarian but i’m not so sure i’ll make it, because of my interest’s (which lean much more towards ecology then molecular biology), people and grades. My experiences have been pretty diverse in handling wildlife and other types of animals (horses, dogs). I’m just so lost and convinced that I won’t make it in life. I have really bad coping mechanisms for stress and it all just bottles up. Any advice?

Hi, I'm currently an undergraduate student studying for my ecology final that is very very soon. I had (and am still having) trouble understanding one of our lectures about population ecology... (density dependent/independent growth models, dynamics, etc.) and the lecture slide shows are really unclear. I was wondering if any of you would be able to help me find a website with sample graphs of different logistic growth models?? I really really tried looking all over the internet but was unsuccessful, so here I am, posting on the ecology subreddit as a last resort... Here are the topics I need to know from the review guide that I'm unable to find any resources to study from... :( any guidance or explanation would be appreciated. Thank you!

"Density independent, discrete time model: what demographic processes contribute to the model, the dynamics of the model, the critical values of lambda, the dynamics of the model at different values of lambda.

Density independent, continuous time model: what demographic processes contribute to the model, the dynamics of the model, the critical values of r, the dynamics of the model at different values of r.

Density dependent, continuous time model: understand what depends on population density; the dynamics of the model, when population growth is at its maximum, when per capita growth is at its maximum, the dynamics of the model at different values of r.

Density dependent, discrete time model: the dynamics of the model.

Density dependent, delayed continuous time model: the dynamics of the model."

I was wondering if anyone had any recommendations for texts concerning freshwater macroinvertebrate sampling? I am curious about the design of sampling methods and would also be interested in reading about how macro populations in a water body change in different conditions (seasonally, under certain types of pollution etc.). Essentially, I’m curious about what information you can know about a water, based on monitoring its macroinvertebrate counts over time and how much data you need to know that information. Thanks!

I am starting my BSc in Ecology and Wildlife Conservation. My main goal is to do a Post Graduate Certificate in Education and become a secondary school (high school) biology teacher, but I also love the idea of working in the ecology field though I’m not 100% certain what role, be it a habitat surveyor or environmental consultant etc. As the title suggests I am married to an amazing women, she herself has graduated and she fully supports me going to uni, almost insistent infact on me pursuing my dreams lol But I keep getting told how this career isn’t a good one to pursue if you want to start a family, as my wife and I want to do. Are there any of you out there with partners and kids that work in this field? Can it be done?

From articles I've read, they say the Miyawaki method increases forest growth rate due to competition, but I don't particularly understand why. In farming for example, eliminating interspecies competition is the goal when it comes to increasing productivity and yield.

So why does the Miyawaki method increase growth rate of forests so well? Shouldn't the density combined with huge amounts of competition make each species grow slower, since they aren't allowed high amounts of energy or nutrients? Or is it more along the lines of because of competition, each species must grow deeper more expansive root systems, grow taller, etc.?

Wondering if anyone is an ecologist in Hawaii that wouldn’t mind chatting. & Can you become an ecologist with a forestry degree?

Hi all! I'm looking for a new laptop that will be able to run ArcGIS, statistical and modelling software. I currently have a dell inspiron. It's a mid-level and ran things relatively okay, with some crashing due to datasets being large. I'll most likely be working with large datasets moving forward in work and education. If it helps, most of what I'll be looking at is involving disease ecology, so I'd be using population data, landscape data etc most likely. TIA! :)

Recently, I have done some research on Greenpeace, and what I asked myself is, if Greenpeace is Greenwashing or not? As far as I get it their intention is it to raise public awareness, by protests and campaigns. However what impact do they really have in regards of protecting the environment and do they make any claims that are untruthful.?

Wondering if anyone works for the DFWH in Hawaii that I can talk to.

Hi, I'm trying to find a good thread where I can get info about working as a herbarium digitization tech, I have a bio/eco background plus pro experience in digital archiving which I feel could really be useful in a niche career helping with global access to biodiversity of plant specimens. Tried to post on a museum thread and got booted.