Natural history is the careful observation of nature, wherever nature is. Ultimately, it is what ecological, evolutionary, and behavioral science are supposed to explain.
There is a contemporary trend in many major research institutions to de-emphasize
the importance of natural history education in favor of theoretical, laboratory, or simulation-
based research programs. This may take the form of removing biodiversity
and field courses from the curriculum and the sometimes subtle maligning of natural
history research as a “lesser” branch of science.
Natural history knowledge is integral to any competitive science program through
a comprehensive review of the ways in which they continue to shape modern theory
and the public perception of science. Fundamentally, we are all interested in understanding the natural world, but we can often fall into the habit of abstracting our research away from its natural contexts and complexities. Doing so risks losing sight of entire vistas of new questions and insights in favor of an overemphasis on simulated or overly controlled studies.
Privacy Policy | © CyberTracker Conservation 2021. Unless otherwise stated, all text and images
on this site are copyright.
Website built by AlexM
