A book, particularly a “textbook” can easily create the impression that it has all the facts and nothing more needs to be learned. Science, however, is a process, and knowledge continues to grow. In principle, scientists should have a short and clear set of questions that need to be answered, and familiarity with the tools that will help answer those questions. Going out and studying the first thing that catches our eye, or measuring everything we can think of, is not advisable. It happens too often. Wetland ecology, more than most, would benefit from a stronger grounding in the methods and tools of science. Here I would like you to think about how wetland ecology fits into the last 100 years of scientific progress, and how we can take it forward for everyone's benefit. Everyone from new graduate students to seasoned and graying professors can benefit from taking a little time to reflect on the big picture. So let us start with the age of exploration and the search for … the source of the Nile … and penguin eggs.

Some context: the great age of explorers

There was a time when exploring the world's geography was a part of science in general, and a part of wetland ecology. Wallace, co-discoverer of evolution, began his scientific career with an expedition to the Amazon. Darwin made his epic voyage to the Galápagos. Von Humboldt set a world elevation record climbing a peak in the Andes.