Botany, once a compulsory component of many biology degrees and school programs, is rapidly disappearing. It has been over a decade since a student was enrolled in a botany degree in the UK, and most botany professors are not being replaced once they retire. The decline of botany as a discipline is attributed to multiple factors, including the rise of scientific reductionism, the decline of natural history collections, and the application of new technologies.
Botanical education is struggling for resources and recognition, and it is struggling even to keep up with the advancements in the field. The extinction of botanical education is comprised of two simple interacting cycles: the fall in plant awareness due to lack of exposure to new technologies, and the low uptake of botany students at the undergraduate level. To address this problem, it is important to foster interest in botany and plant science.
It seems unlikely that botany degrees composed mainly of plant science modules will be reinstated in universities anytime soon. However, there is a need to address the retargetability of science PhDs to match market needs. In India, most universities still run botany or other plant science courses but struggle to produce quality plant scientists. Additionally, a survey found that the number of undergraduate degrees earned in botany has decreased by 50%, and the number of graduate degrees has also decreased.
In conclusion, botany is facing a decline due to various factors, including the rise of scientific reductionism, the decline of natural history collections, and the increasing communication about exciting advances in the field.
📹 The Future of Botany: Crash Course Botany #15
We’ve learned a lot about plants throughout this series, but there’s much more to discover. In this episode of Crash Course Botany …
What happened to modern botany?
Modern Botany, founded by Dr. Simon Jackson in 2016, is an Irish business that aims to build a global ethical brand. The brand features premium, high-performing Cosmos Natural plant-based products that are good for skin and the planet. The brand features a collection of exceptional multi-tasking products with powerful natural ingredients derived from Ireland’s native plants. The panel of experts, including Beauty Editor Sarah Halliwell, International Skin Expert Olga Kochlewska, and Brand and Marketing Manager Rachel Gallagher, discussed the benefits of opting for natural skincare products and the brand’s philosophy of “Revel in Nature”.
Is botany a life science or not?
Life sciences encompass various disciplines such as biology, zoology, botany, and ecology, which study living things and continue to uncover new discoveries about animals, plants, and fungi. The University of Surrey offers life sciences degrees, taught by the School of Biosciences and Medicine, accredited by the UK’s Royal Society of Biology, ensuring each degree equips students with valuable transferable skills. The field’s wide-reaching nature offers numerous degrees to suit various interests.
Is botany hard?
To become proficient in the field of botany, it is recommended that one should initially undertake the collection of dried, pressed, or photographic specimens of wild plants native to the region in which one resides. This will facilitate the development of the ability to identify each plant using herbal methods, thereby introducing the student to all technical aspects of botany.
Does NASA have botanists?
Gioia Massa, a seasoned research botanist at NASA Kennedy Space Center, emphasizes the importance of botany in astrobotany research. To join a team that designs and performs experiments that send plants to space, one should pursue a 4-year botany degree at a research university, with a bonus if the university has laboratories actively involved in astrobotany research. This will provide hands-on experience and help form connections in the small world of plants in space.
In the long term, a Ph. D. in botany or a related field is required to be involved in astrobotany research at a higher level. Postdoctoral researchers and professors drive the direction of an academic laboratory’s research, and a Ph. D. will provide the technical research skills required for a new discipline like astrobotany. Working in an academic laboratory that actively seeks funding for spaceflight research is the best bet for those who love science and the process.
What is causing the extinction of plants?
The current rate of plant and animal extinctions is significantly higher than natural or historical rates, primarily due to habitat loss, habitat changes, over-exploitation of wildlife, introduction of harmful nonnative species, pollution, and disease spread. Salmon populations are not endangered worldwide, but some in the Pacific Northwest are healthier and occupy protected habitats like the Hanford Reach on the Columbia River and Olympic National Park streams. These healthy populations are a testament to the importance of habitat conservation and the preservation of species.
Is botany still a thing?
Botany, also known as plant science, plant biology, or phytology, is the science of plant life and a branch of biology. Botanists, plant scientists, or phytologists specialize in studying approximately 410, 000 species of land plants, including 391, 000 species of vascular plants and 20, 000 bryophytes. Botany originated in prehistory as herbalism, with early humans identifying and cultivating edible, poisonous, and possibly medicinal plants. Medieval physic gardens, often attached to monasteries, contained plants possibly having medicinal benefits.
These gardens were precursors to the first botanical gardens attached to universities, founded from the 1540s onwards. One of the earliest botanical gardens was the Padua botanical garden, which facilitated the academic study of plants. Efforts to catalogue and describe their collections were the beginnings of plant taxonomy and led to the binomial system of nomenclature of Carl Linnaeus in 1753.
In the 19th and 20th centuries, new techniques for studying plants were developed, including optical microscopy, live cell imaging, electron microscopy, analysis of chromosome number, plant chemistry, and the structure and function of enzymes and other proteins. In the last two decades of the 20th century, botanists exploited molecular genetic analysis techniques, including genomics, proteomics, and DNA sequences, to classify plants more accurately.
What is the future of botany?
A career in botany offers various opportunities for those who enjoy the outdoors, such as ecologist, taxonomist, conservationist, forester, or plant explorer. These careers can take you to exotic lands and allow you to live and work in the great outdoors. Mathematicians may find fields like biophysics, developmental botany, genetics, modeling, or systems ecology exciting. Plant physiologists, plant biochemists, molecular biologists, and chemotaxonomists are also interesting fields.
Plant structure may appeal to those who enjoy microscopy and the beauty of intricate form and design. Microbiology, phycology, or mycology are popular fields for those fascinated with microscopic organisms. Ornamental horticulture and landscape design require artistic use of plant form and color. Plant biologists who enjoy working with people have a wide range of opportunities in teaching and public service.
Why are plants disappearing?
A report by the Royal Botanic Gardens in London warns that one in five of the world’s plants is at risk of disappearing forever due to growing populations and clearing land for agriculture and urban development. The report, one of the first to describe all known plants, identifies 391, 000 plants, with over 80, 000 in danger of becoming extinct. The growing populations and clearing of land for agriculture and urban development are contributing factors.
Why are trees disappearing?
Deforestation is the destruction of forests for various purposes, including production of materials, consumer goods, building neighborhoods, logging, and lumber use. It is also caused by farming, drilling, mining, and wildfires. The long-term benefits of trees are being sacrificed for short-term gains. City trees are disappearing, with San Jose experiencing a steady decline in its trees each year. This is a serious problem in major cities, as they lack the forest and tree areas found in suburbs and rural areas.
Trees are essential in cities where pollution and toxic particles are prevalent, as they capture debris and toxic chemicals, trapping them, and releasing oxygen for life on Earth. If more trees are disappearing from major cities worldwide, it may be time to plan to plant more trees and develop more nature parks. The planet must work together to address all issues resulting from deforestation and ensure the long-term benefits of trees for all.
Where do botanists make the most money?
The state of Washington is the most lucrative location in the United States for those seeking employment as a botanist, with New York and Vermont also offering highly competitive salaries.
Add comment