Category Archives: Agriculture & Forestry

Conservation: History and Future

Conservation: History and Future
What is Conservation? Defining Conservationism We define conservation as a broad approach to preserving what is already there and the due care and attention to protecting it for the future (1). It is also dedicated to restoring something to a natural state and maintaining equilibrium. It is a practice and a philosophy, utilizing scientific tools…
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How GIS is Revolutionizing Agricultural Science

How GIS is Revolutionizing Agricultural Science
Geographic Information Systems (GIS) technology is transforming agricultural science by enabling precision farming, soil quality mapping, and climate-responsive crop planning. While still emerging in mainstream agricultural education, professionals combining GIS expertise with agricultural science knowledge earn competitive salaries—environmental scientists earn a median salary of $81,690 annually with 6% job growth projected through 2032. This technology…
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The Future of Agriculture: Biotechnology and GM Crops

The Future of Agriculture: Biotechnology and GM Crops
Agricultural biotechnology uses living organisms and genetic techniques to improve crop yields, enhance disease resistance, and develop sustainable farming solutions. Techniques like selective breeding have influenced agriculture for millennia; modern biotechnology emerged much more recently. Today's biotechnology careers typically require degrees in plant biology, biomedical engineering, or environmental biotechnology, with master's or doctoral degrees preferred…
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Invasive Species: How They Affect the Environment

Invasive Species: How They Affect the Environment
One consequence of globalization is that in addition to people and products moving across the globe, wildlife has been transported as well. This practice of transporting animals from their native regions to new areas dates back thousands of years. The Roman Empire frequently brought back animals from foreign lands to use for entertainment in the…
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History of Agriculture

History of Agriculture
There are many options for those wishing to study an agriculture-based degree due to the nature of the breadth of the subject. With the exploration of modern concepts such as GM, environmental change, sustainability as well as the business and scientific sides, potential students are spoiled for choice for employment and degree options. In most…
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Environmental Consequences of Fishing Practices

Environmental Consequences of Fishing Practices
Industrial fishing practices harm ocean ecosystems in four major ways: overfishing depletes species like Atlantic cod beyond recovery, destructive gear damages seafloor habitats and coral reefs, ghost fishing gear continues killing animals for years, and bycatch traps millions of sea turtles, marine mammals, and seabirds annually. These impacts create cascading effects throughout ocean food webs,…
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What is Botany? Plant Science Careers & Degrees

What is Botany? Plant Science Careers & Degrees
Botany is the scientific study of plants, including flowering species, algae, fungi, and vascular plants like ferns. As one of the world's oldest natural sciences, botany explores plant structure, growth, reproduction, metabolism, and ecological relationships. With climate change threatening global plant biodiversity, botany has never been more critical to our future. Table of Contents What…
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Phytoliths: What They Are and What They Tell Us

Phytoliths: What They Are and What They Tell Us
Phytoliths are microscopic silica structures that form inside plant cells and survive long after decomposition, providing evidence of ancient plant life and environments. These "plant stones" help archaeologists and environmental scientists reconstruct past ecosystems, understand early agriculture, and trace human impacts on landscapes dating back thousands of years. Most research roles require a Master's degree…
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Entomology 101: Study of Insects

Entomology 101: Study of Insects
What is Entomology? Entomology is now a well-established degree and with the scope of the environmental sciences continuing to expand, the evidence that we can acquire from it is expected to continue to have the broadest possible appeal. Though classed as a subsection of zoology, it is a deep enough subject to require specific undergraduate…
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Birds as Environmental Indicators

Birds as Environmental Indicators
Humans have invented a variety of instruments to monitor the health of ecosystems.  For example, to examine water quality in a wetland, an environmental scientist may use a sensor to measure dissolved oxygen in the water or perform chemical assays in the lab to examine heavy metals in the soil. However, in some cases we…
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