Monthly Archives: October 2014

Introduction to Ornithology

Introduction to Ornithology
The study of birds, their biology and habits, habitats and evolution and a multitude of other aspects of birds, has a long tradition within the discipline of zoology. There are no degrees in ornithology and most come to the study of birds through a BS/BSc in zoology. Most research-based jobs require at least a Masters…
Read more

Natural Gas 101: Pros & Cons

Natural Gas 101: Pros & Cons
Natural gas is a fossil fuel, like oil and coal. It’s formed from decayed organic material transformed by high temperatures and pressures over millions of years into bubbles of methane gas. Conventional sources are found in underground gas fields or oil fields. Unconventional sources are more challenging to extract because the gas is locked inside…
Read more

Hydroelectric Power 101

Hydroelectric Power 101
Hydroelectric power uses the kinetic energy of moving water to produce electricity. It's the most widely used form of renewable energy, generating 19% of electricity worldwide (1). While large-scale projects have had mixed results in the developing world, when done properly, hydroelectric is a cheap, clean and effective method of producing energy. Hydroelectric Methods Most…
Read more

NEPA 101: Introduction to United States Environmental Policy

NEPA 101: Introduction to United States Environmental Policy
What is NEPA? The National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) is one of the shortest laws to exist and is less than 6 pages in length.  NEPA was passed by Congress in 1969, signed into law on January 1, 1970 by President Richard Nixon and set the stage for environmental policy for the United States (1). …
Read more

Fracking: What Is It and How Will It Affect You?

Fracking: What Is It and How Will It Affect You?
Those most involved in the study and procedures of fracking are geologists as it concerns natural processes of the ground beneath our feet – the soil and rock formations and of course the fossil fuels that organisations and governments wish to exploit. Most people involved in technical aspects of the fossil fuel industry are geology…
Read more

Principles and Applications of Aerial Photography

Principles and Applications of Aerial Photography
Desk based research is not just about reading papers for vital pieces of information, it is not just about tables, graphs, facts and figures. For many, primary data is all around us; aerial photography, for example, is an important source of information for researchers in landscape studies. This includes disciplines such as Landscape Archaeology (the…
Read more

Drought Issues Facing the United States

Drought Issues Facing the United States
What is Drought? The dictionary defines drought as “a period of dry weather” or “an extended shortage (1).” Drought has always been difficult to define because it varies based on location and associated impacts to the human and natural environment (2). In all cases, drought is temporary in nature, tends to be cyclical and results…
Read more

Dendrochronology: What Tree Rings Tell Us About Past and Present

Dendrochronology: What Tree Rings Tell Us About Past and Present
Studying Dendrochronology Dendrochronology is the study of data from tree ring growth. Due to the sweeping and diverse applications of this data, specialists can come from many academic disciplines. There are no degrees in dendrochronology because though it is useful across the board, the method itself is fairly limited. Most people who enter into studying…
Read more