Biology and geology

From
Date
I've read the interesting exchange concerning the futre home of
paleontology, biology or geology. I tend to agree with Bill and Una, but I
view it a little bit differently. I have two degrees in biology, and a
Ph.D. in geology. Paleo. by its modern nature is interdisciplinary, and in
my opinion that is what makes it such an exciting field. To ignore its
geological roots, or the fact that a fair to huge amount of geological
informaiton is required for fossil study, would be unwise. On the other
hand, biologists sometimes criticize, with justification, the
occassionally naive biology practiced by the some of us. BUT, in terms of
studying the hisotry of life, we are in a unique posiiton, with one leg in
each major discipline.
Many paleontologists, myself included, have found gainful employment in
BIOLOGY departments. I teach general zoology, invert. courses, and
PALEONTOLOGY. All in the Biology department. Right now, I am on a year's
leave, and am visiting the GEOSCIENCES department in Tucson. How many
other fields of study do that sort of thing? If biology departments wish
to hire paleontologists, go for it. Biology holds as much of a future for
our field as does geology. And the future of paleo. does not lie so much
in biostrat. and company work, but rather in the areas of evolutionary
biology, systematics, paleoecological and climatological reconstruction,
etc.

Peter Roopnarine

Dr. Peter D. Roopnarine
Department of Geosciences
University of Arizona
Tucson AZ 85721

OR

Dr. Peter D. Roopnarine, Asst. Prof.
Department of Biology
Southeast Missouri State University
Cape Girardeau MO 63701

http://biology.semo.edu