What scares ecologists?

In the spirit of Halloween, a non-comprehensive list of a few of the things that have frightened ecologists. The things we are scared of vary, with career trajectory and stage (graduate student, post-docs, faculty, non-academic), educational background, and goals. And even if the business of ecology doesn't scare you, some of the things we study should...


A few scary things

-That ghostly thesis - will it ever solidify?

-The undead paper

-Co-authors and supervisors

-Vampire reviewers: they've been around forever, they've seen everything, and they're looking for blood. (uncommon)

The whole process is pretty frightening.

-The Bayesian conspiracy:

• "Q. What is the Bayesian Conspiracy? A. The Bayesian Conspiracy is a multinational, interdisciplinary, and shadowy group of scientists that controls publication, grants, tenure, and the illicit traffic in grad students. The best way to be accepted into the Bayesian Conspiracy is to join the Campus Crusade for Bayes in high school or college, and gradually work your way up to the inner circles. It is rumored that at the upper levels of the Bayesian Conspiracy exist nine silent figures known only as the Bayes Council."

-The job market (or lack thereof?)

-The two-body monster

Fun but troublesome

-That our work is invisible

(0?)

-That our ideas come to life and go terribly wrong

-The science news makeover

And a few (of many) ecological topics that are truly scary

Kudzu

Zombie ants

Toxoplasmosis and human mind control

And the incredibly deadly mosquitoes?

(and all the pathogens it carries)