I want to help in the conservation of the biodiversity. Which major do I want?
I want to help in the conservation of the biodiversity of animals.
I don’t know what the name of the career I want is, but I know what I want to do. I really want to do field research and study the population of a certain animal.
Should I major in conservation biology? Or should I major in zoology? Or something else?
Should I forget about minoring in chemistry? I enjoy chemistry and its easy to do. But would having that extra notch on my belt be a good thing? or a waste of time.
Having a minor, as long as you can afford the extra coursework, never hurts you. It gives you a more well-rounded understanding far beyond that of just the subject matter. (basically – it looks good…and it’s always good to have more knowledge over less!)
Both conservation biology and zoology have many cross-over themes in their studies. I majored in wildlife ecology and conservation, but zoology courses were part of my curriculum. Honestly, your major is not the be-all-end-all many people make it out to be. If you truly plan on pursuing conservation/biodiversity, you will need to proceed towards graduate school – and that is where you will need to narrow your choice down.
For now, any choice that gives you a decent background in genetics, population dynamics, evolutionary history, etc is a great starting point for conservation.
Good luck! I am always excited to see more people enter conservation.
Also, it depends on your school’s programs. Some schools may have a better zoology department, some better conservation.
You really need a strong base in genetics, but there are many branches of science involved.
Conserving biodiversity does not start with keeping rare species from going extinct, but in ensuring that species have the genetic breadth (read variability) to allow them to adapt to changing situations. When we allow a species to get into trouble, lose all of its genetic variations, we have a negligible chance of keeping that species.
Studies of what habitat and food supply a species needs to survive is important, but making sure that species do not become totally dependent on a habitat or food supply that is hard to maintain starts a lot earlier.
It is of urgent concern to know what within a species genetic makeup may make them most susceptible to extinction .
Take your pick: wildlife conservation, fisheries, zoology. Just make sure you get a good background in statistics to go along with your major.
My degrees are in vertebrate zoology or zoology, with a minor in biostatistics to go with my master’s. A part of my consulting is the estimation of biodiversity in streams.
I’m employed as a biodiversity officer and have a degree in zoology and a masters in biodiversity, conservation and management. :0)
Please bear in mind you’ll also need loads of practical experience to get a job in conservation. I suggest plenty of volunteer work alongside your academic qualifications.
none of the above… conservation of biodiversity starts within urself, within ur heart… discipline and respect!
Chemistry wouldn’t hurt. Whether it helps would depend on the exact field you go into – studying amphibians or coral reefs it could be crucial for instance (pollution levels in water), but for monitoring wolf populations and predation patterns it wouldn’t really do much, AFAIK. If you want to get into cellular research or even something like pheromone signaling it would also be needed.
I’m pretty good at book learning, but chemistry is one area I never could master, although I find it interesting. If you have a talent there, don’t waste it. Knowledge is never a waste of time, IMO.