So I found this random TV programme (Rough Science) where a group of scientists are put on an island and have to achieve tasks given scrap materials and not much time. I found it interesting because there seems to be a strict hierarchy of usefulness of the different sciences involved.

In no particular order:
Physicist #1 - Really good at recreational stuff; lighting, music, etc.
Physicist #2 - Really good at electronics with a vague understanding of chemistry.
Chemist - Spends his entire time trying to turn natural substances into useful chemicals for everyone else to use. Highlight: Tried to extract phosphorus from bones and failed dramatically.
Biologist - Contributes no useful biology but seems to have a go at everything else; good at chemistry.
Botanist - Basically pointless, even though they're surrounded by plants. Keeps getting the kiddy tasks, like "make a kite from some leaves" or "make some panpipes from bamboo." She's really nice though.

So in conclusion, it seems that the biologist has the broadest generic knowledge that he can apply to a range of situations... The physicists are the ones who you'd really want around on a desert island, provided it had enough man-made things for them to use (metal coils, magnets, etc)... The chemist on occassion does useful things like make alcohol, but nothing the biologist can't do; everything complicated he attempts seems to fail... And the botanist is clearly there to make up the numbers.

Good show, by the way. I like the way the scientists have to talk down to the presenter, because she's stupid and expects everything to work straight away.