Abstract
This paper demonstrates the ways and degrees to which contemporary, U.S.-based, employed or retired ecologists aggregate into guild-like groups on the basis of their valuations of 15 professional traits. Principle components analysis of survey data from 904 Ecological Society of America respondents led to five emergent factors from the 15 traits: 'enjoying nature,' 'preserving nature,' 'questing for knowledge,' 'possessing epistemic expertise,' and 'accepting religious foundations for valuing nature.' Subsequent cluster analysis on these factors yielded four groups of respondents we designated as 'youthful relativists,' 'older naturalists,' scientific objectivists,' and 'optimistic traditionalists.' Surprisingly, the majority of respondents were negative about the 'enjoying nature,' or 'preserving nature' factors, a matter for further exploration. Also, differential levels of doubt existed as to the maintenance of objectivity during the practices of research, and especially in participation in environmental issues.