What term describes an early kind of biologist who made and recorded observations about organisms in nature?

The term being referred to in this item is the naturalist. They study the natural environment. They generally have a broad studied things with broader range of interest than the particular specialty. Some of them may not have the proper training and do not hold a degree; however, they appreciate nature. 

Mendel's studies yielded three "laws" of inheritance: the law of dominance, the law of segregation, and the law of independent assortment. The experiments discredited the blending theory, and I believe that this one proved the model of dominance