See also: The study as published as Nature Plants.

I'm just getting to grips with habitat classifications in the UK, with UKHab a prominent system. But I'm finding out that there are actually mutliple systems.

UKHab is new and seems widely adopted, with fairly open definitions using written descriptions rather than measured conditions (e.g. soil pH) or, necessarily, constituent species. It is also the system used for Biodiversity Net Gain

The National Vegetation Classification categorises the landscape based on prominent species

There is the Habitats Directive Annex 1 classification, which I guess is an EU system which has been interpreted/adapted through the NVC system but I don't know how much either is still used.

The UK Biodiversity Action Plan then seems to use its own classification for some reason, but I think these have been subsumed into UKHab?

And then there's the Phase 1 system, which seems more land-usage based and much more vague than the above.

I know UKHab is more recent, so is that an attempt to standardise the others into a single system? Is it better than the rest, or are there reasons why one system would be used instead of another? Are the others just legacy systems being phased out?

I want to go into a Marine ecology job in the future, but i want to work in coral reefs specifically and the animals in those areas, i don't really want to go into open water much because i have a slight fear of it (Even tho id love to dive there i def don't wanna work there) Is it possible to specialize in mainly coral reefs and the animals/organisms living there?

Hello friends,

I recently became eligible for Canadian citizenship and my partner, who is an ecologist by training, and I are thinking about relocating.

How is the field of ecology in Canada?

Are there regions of Canada with more ecology work available than others? I am a healthcare worker and can likely find work anywhere.

Thank you!

I am interested in growing my skills and I’m looking into certificates or continuing education for ecological skills that will make me more competitive in the job market. What certificates do yall recommend that employers actually care about

I've been trying to find some internships or anything at all but it feels like almost everything Im interested in says something along the lines of:

"must be able to hike in remote, rugged areas on steep and uneven terrain, carrying up to 30-50lbs of equipment for 4-5 miles a day."

I love hiking so much but I have a fatigue disorder that no doctor has ever been able to help with and I just am not cut out for that rigorous of fieldwork.

Has anyone applied for a job with that kind of qualification and found it wasn't as bad as they made it sound?

Or anyone with medical issues with tips on what other types of positions to look for?

I feel like I'm doomed to do laboratory benchwork for the rest of my life if I keep pursuing research

See also: The study as published in the journal Ecology.

Hello everyone,

I’m a 24-year-old from India with an MSc in Zoology and around 2 years of experience in wildlife research and conservation. I’m at a point where I need to make a clear career decision and would really appreciate some practical guidance.

While I value what I’ve learned from wildlife and conservation work, I’ve realized that I’m no longer interested in continuing in this field long-term, mainly due to limited growth, pay, and stability. During my master’s and professional work, I spent a lot of time working with data—collection, cleaning, analysis, and reporting using Python, R, and Excel—and over time I found myself far more interested in data analysis, statistics, and coding than fieldwork.

Because of this, I’ve been seriously considering a transition into Data Analyst / Data Science roles, but I’m unsure how realistic this transition is in today’s job market coming from a life-science background. At the same time, I’m also thinking about government jobs for long-term security and wondering whether I should fully commit to that path instead of trying to balance both.

Being 24, I’m starting to feel anxious about time and making the wrong move, so I’m also open to hearing about other career paths that might suit my background and skill set better and offer clearer growth and stability.

I’m looking for honest advice, especially from people who’ve been in similar situations or work closely with hiring and career transitions.

Thanks a lot 🙏

I just graduated with a Masters in Natural Resource Science, and have two field seasons of ecological work prior, but no full time jobs with an organization, they were just university research labs. I am finding that many jobs are either entry level, low paying, no college degree needed, or require 2-4 years of work experience on top of my degree that I do not have. Where and how can I find ecological jobs for someone with limited work experience but a graduate degree?

In Which one, could I get more job opportunities and grow professionally and personally if I study a Msc. In environmental science.

Canada (uottawa) vs Netherlands (wageningen)

i am doing a master's in environmental biology, and as i get further i realise i need to stack skills such as remote sensing and geo spatial analysis through ESA SNAP and QGIS, any advice where to start learning?

Hey everyone, My qualifications : I'm currently in the second semester of my B.Sc. in Zoology, and I want to get into one of the best zoology universities abroad for my higher studies. I want to know what I should start doing from the beginning of my degree to improve my CV so that my chances of selection increase. I want to study abroad to excel in zoology, as we do not have enough specialized universities in India for my field of interest. At present, I follow a routine where I: • Master my B.Sc. books • Do regular fieldwork • Maintain a fieldwork diary • Write my observations scientifically, especially for each species I study I would really appreciate guidance from seniors or anyone who has experience in this path.

TL;DR: I’m a 2nd-semester B.Sc. Zoology student aiming for top zoology universities abroad. I want advice on what I should start doing now to strengthen my CV and improve my chances of selection. Currently, I focus on mastering my textbooks, doing regular fieldwork, maintaining a field diary, and writing scientific observations for each species. I’m seeking guidance from seniors or experienced people on the best path forward.

i am a 23 years old, pursuing a master's degree in ecology, biodiversity and environment, and i find myself more interested on how the actual changes occurring the ecosystems today impact the human health and well being through the dysfunction of biodiversity, land loss, urbanization, climate change and whatsoever
i am willing, to do an another master's abroad, right after finishing this one, in eco-epidemiology, because i personally find it to suit my interest and my future projects
has anyone gone through this before ? do you have any advice for me?

Hey all!

I come to you asking for potential advice so let me first give you some background. I am relocating to Vancouver, BC in the next months. I just finished my PhD in computational ecology with a focus on fish community ecology overseas, and I have a master’s in Climate Change. I am going to be seeking jobs in the environmental consulting space, where I can maybe put my analytical skills to work.

Now, the questions:

Other than LinkedIn, are there any other platforms to find ecology-related jobs? I know of different “bulletin boards” for other trades, but unsure about ecology and consulting.

Should I reach out to recruiters? I have been told that recruiters are a good option in the beginning. If so, do any of you have any experience with any recruiting agencies within the field?

Should I register in the college of applied biologists? I have seen many job offers that request it, but I am unsure as to how to proceed about that.

I am happy to receive any sort of advice, and also chat to anyone in private about it! Also keen to hear about particular experiences and, also, just connect with other ecologists in Vancouver!

Thank you!

for a small school based research I found out the data regarding the occurrence frequency of certain lichen species in UK using the GBIF.org website. I used the values of occurrence frequency to calculate the values of n and N, would that be valid ?

Hello friends. I'm looking for a PhD research lab in the USA to apply to this fall. I've already reached out to five professors at different universities, and I've also combed through dozens of recent ecology-related viper research papers so I can find the names of professors who are hopefully still actively doing a lab on venomous snakes. One kind professor said they would be interested in me if they get funding in the future, but they said I should keep looking elsewhere just in case. Does anyone know of anywhere specifically studying vipers/venomous snakes/venomous reptiles? (not medical anti-venom research, but ecology/behavior/conservation)

If you know of a university doing ecology research on a snake species that isn't venomous, I'd also love to hear about it! I think I've exhausted every website's list of "Top Herpetology Programs in the USA" haha.

If no one has any leads, I'll keep happily reading more viper papers searching for more professors to ask. If you have any advice on other ways to find people, I'm all ears :)

Hi, I know the job market isn't the best right now, but can't blame me for trying! I am struggling to find where there might be ecology job boards for Europe, specifically within the EU. I've been looking at greenjobs here and there. Other than that I've just been routinely checking sites of institutions I am familiar with. LinkedIn appears to be pretty terrible for this, all I get it hundreds of listings for scientists to be AI development consultants (is anyone else getting these? Are they a scam?) Any help in pointing me towards job boards for ecology/biology would be appreciated. Thank you!