An ecology lab is a place where scientists can conduct research on the environment and ecology. The lab provides a controlled environment in which to test the effects of living organisms interacting with one another, such as the effects of humans on plants and animals. In terms of shaping public policy and protecting the environment, the information uncovered in an ecology laboratory could be extremely useful.
There are a few characteristics that almost every ecology lab will share. There will almost always be a place to keep track of and store specimens. A space for experimentation and observation will also be available. The lab’s tools are determined by its sophistication and specialization. Microscopes, slides, dyes, and other materials are needed to observe very small objects that aren’t visible to the naked eye in an ecology lab that focuses on molecular ecology.
Ecology labs are divided into two categories. A research ecology lab’s main purpose is to answer unanswered questions and determine what, if any, solutions are required to solve the problems that have been identified. The main purpose of an educational ecology lab is to teach students proper laboratory techniques that will be used in the ecology field. In some university labs, both functions may be given nearly equal attention.
Any number of questions can be answered in an ecology lab. For example, if a species’ reproduction rates drop unexpectedly, animals, either dead or alive, may be brought into the lab to be studied. Blood tests, autopsies, and other tests may be performed in the ecology lab to see if there is a common cause that can be discovered.
In some cases, public policy research is also critical. A greenhouse mitigation research program, for example, is currently underway at the Natural Resource Ecology Laboratory. It points out that agricultural use consumes a lot of fossil fuels, which could account for up to a third of man-made global warming. Some of the negative effects of agricultural production may be reduced if the laboratory can research and find more efficient ways to grow food.
An ecology lab plays an important role in science, no matter how small or large the project is. While field studies can provide a wealth of information, some observations require the use of a laboratory setting. The cause and roots of problems would be difficult to determine without controlled environments in which to study certain elements of nature. Ecology labs assist in answering some of these critical questions.