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What is a Limnologist?
Mary McMahon
Mary McMahon
A limnologist is someone who studies inland water systems such as lakes, rivers, streams, and marshes. Limnology incorporates a range of other scientific disciplines, ranging from freshwater biology to meteorology. Many limnologists are employed by regional governments to monitor ecosystem health, and they also work for universities and companies which may have a vested interest in the environment of a particular region. A career in limnology can be quite fascinating; many colleges around the world offer limnology as a field of study or as a focus within a major.
The word comes from the Greek limne, which means “lake.” A limnologist studies both a particular aquatic system and the surrounding environment. He or she looks at how the body of water interacts with its watershed, and how changes in the environment affect the water. Limnologists also keep track of the plants and organisms found in inland waters, and they often track things like weather patterns and the impact of human activity on the areas that they study.
In order to become a limnologist, someone typically studies biology with a focus on aquatic systems. Some limnologists like to focus on freshwater exclusively, while others work with inland bodies of brackish or salt water. Limnologists learn to identify various organisms in a body of water, ranging from fish to microscopic creatures like water bears, and they may study the populations of larger animals which interact with a particular water system.
For people who enjoy working in the field, limnology can be a good career choice. Many limnologists spend a great deal of time in the field collecting samples and making observations, periodically returning to their laboratories to conduct tests and catalog the creatures that they find. The biology of even a small pond can get quite complex, furnishing months or years of study for a limnologist who wants to fully understand the interconnected relationships in nature.
In addition to enjoying the outdoors, a potential limnologist should have a passion for observation and a very keen eye. Mathematics abilities also help, since limnologists may need to make calculations in the course of their work. Depending on where you wish to work, a sense of cooperation can be helpful, since you may work with other scientists or organizations, although some limnologists do work on their own in more isolated areas. Given the plethora of inland bodies of water in the world, there will always be work for a limnologist to do.
Mary McMahon
Ever since she began contributing to the site several years ago, Mary has embraced the exciting challenge of being a AllTheScience researcher and writer. Mary has a liberal arts degree from Goddard College and spends her free time reading, cooking, and exploring the great outdoors.
Learn more...
Mary McMahon
Ever since she began contributing to the site several years ago, Mary has embraced the exciting challenge of being a AllTheScience researcher and writer. Mary has a liberal arts degree from Goddard College and spends her free time reading, cooking, and exploring the great outdoors.
Learn more...AS FEATURED ON:
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![An inland stream.]()
By: ChianuriAn inland stream. -
![A limnologist is a person who studies inland water systems such as lakes.]()
By: Tomas SeredaA limnologist is a person who studies inland water systems such as lakes.
Discussion Comments
Limnologists like me spend a great deal of time assessing the condition of surface waters such lakes and rivers and how much they might need the water "cleaned up" so to speak to either improve conditions for aquatic life (fish and bugs mainly). Or, we spend time modeling the water quality dynamics to determine how much nutrients would be expected in the waterbody and what are the impacts of the nutrients in a system.
However, I did spend lots of time with more mundane things mentioned above while in graduate school.
One of the things I remember from taking a class in limnology at school was that a eutrophic lake is not necessarily unhealthy. a eutrophic lake is one in which, usually, there is no flow, and a lot of nutrients, so they tend to become overgrown with pond weed and algae.
Of course, because there is no flowing water, they might be quite polluted, but not necessarily. So, when people point out what looks like a stagnant lake, I try to explain that it might just naturally be like that, and it's not necessarily a bad thing from a natural point of view.
@anon31008 - I don't think limnologists would be officially regulated, although they would have to comply with local guidelines as to what they can do in the field. Particularly if they are studying bodies of water that other people depend on for food or drinking water.
They might also be subject to regulations concerning the organisms that they study, depending on where they live, as there might be animal cruelty laws they should abide by.
They might also have a society or group they can join, that might have guidelines for research.
I don't know though, limnological research might be subject to different conditions in different countries.
@anon150063 - I don't think there would be a "typical" day for a limnologist, really. It would depend on what they were studying, who they were working for and how much seniority they had.
They might be collecting samples for analysis in the morning, and studying them under a microscope, or using different tests in the afternoon. They might be writing grant proposals, or academic papers or reading other peoples' research in order to keep up to date with their field.
They might be attending conferences, or teaching, or even keeping aquariums for other people.
They might be campaigning against water pollutants, or helping environmental groups to remove them.
It could be a very varied job, or it might be sitting over a microscope all day, every day (which will probably be the case for people who are just starting out in the field).
It's the sort of thing you do for the love of it, I think.
What is a typical day Limnologists have?
Are Limnologists officially regulated?
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