Before embarking on a career as a board-certified dermatologist, Dr. Steven Armus earned a BA in environmental population and organism biology at the University of Colorado Boulder. The owner of Native Prairie Restoration in Franksville, Wisconsin, Dr. Steven Armus draws on his undergraduate degree to provide services as a prairie technician and environmental biologist.
Environmental biologists investigate the effects of human activity on wild communities, focusing on the biology of the ecosystem. Specifically attempting to determine the conditions of an ecosystem, environmental biologists monitor the environment and perform other fieldwork.
For example, environmental biologists may assess the quality of water and soil, delineate wetland areas, and study “indicator species” as a means of better understanding a wild community’s health. In addition, environmental biologists may perform assessments to gauge the impact of human development on specific areas.
Environmental biologists are typically employed by federal and state agencies, though many work in the private sector. Due to increasing concerns about climate change, the demand for environmental biologists has expanded more than average in recent years, with growth expected to continue until at least 2022.
