Vehicle for large-scale field experiments and surveys

获得可靠的交通工具是从事实地研究的生物学家的基本要求。这项NSERC RTI提案要求为两个研究项目共享一辆丰田西耶纳CE小型货车提供资金。马塞尔·多尔肯领导的一个项目涉及大规模的野外实验和对地理距离遥远的人口进行抽样。这项研究计划的目标是研究植物种群的进化和生态学，特别是两性和雌雄异株之间的进化过渡，这是开花植物最常见的进化过渡之一。第二个研究项目由加里·伯内斯领导，旨在了解能量代谢如何影响野生鸟类的生活史策略和繁殖成功。目前的研究正在调查成年鸟在压力下是否会调整后代的性别比例，以及成年鸟给儿子和女儿分配能量的方式是否不同(考虑到养育儿子在精力上往往更昂贵)。这两个研究项目都需要具有灵活内部空间的车辆，用于(A)运送研究团队及其设备，以及(B)大量植物和组织样本。拟议的车型是唯一一款将灵活的内部空间与低运营成本(包括《消费者报告》和J.D.Power在同类车型中获得的最高燃油效率和可靠性评级)、拖车能力、5星级安全评级和全面保修相结合的车辆。在多尔肯和伯内斯的实验室之间共享这辆车将在一年的时间里最大限度地利用它。多尔肯实验室在夏季和秋季进行了大部分的野外实验和种群采样。伯内斯实验室在春季和初夏进行鸟类能量学研究。通过消除租用大型车辆几个月的需要，一辆野战车辆将为多尔肯和伯内斯的运营补助金节省大量资金，并将在4年内收回成本。在预期的15年寿命中，它将节省12.5万美元的研究资金。

Access to a reliable vehicle is an essential requirement for biologists engaged in field research. This NSERC RTI proposal requests funding for a Toyota Sienna CE minivan to be shared between two research programs. One program, headed by Marcel Dorken, involves large-scale field experiments and the sampling of populations across substantial geographic distances. The goals of this research program are to investigate the evolution and ecology of plant populations with a specific focus on evolutionary transitions between hermaphroditism and dioecy, one of the most common evolutionary transitions in the flowering plants. The second research program, headed by Gary Burness, seeks to understand how energy metabolism influences life-history strategies and reproductive success in wild birds. Current research is investigating whether adult birds adjust sex ratios of their offspring when under stress, and whether adults allocate energy differently to sons versus daughters (given that sons are often energetically more costly to rear). Both of these research programs require a vehicle with flexible interior space for (a) the transport of research teams and their equipment, and (b) large numbers of plant and tissue samples. The proposed model is the only vehicle that combines a flexible interior space with low operating costs (including the highest fuel efficiency and reliability ratings from Consumer Reports and J.D. Power in its class), the power to tow a trailer, 5-star safety ratings and a comprehensive warranty. Sharing the vehicle between the Dorken and Burness labs will maximize its use over the course of a year. The Dorken lab conducts the majority of field experimentation and population sampling in the summer and autumn. The Burness lab conducts its research on avian energetics in the spring and early summer. By removing the need to rent large vehicles for several months, a field vehicle will result in substantial savings to the Dorken and Burness operating grants, and will pay for itself within 4 years. Over the course of an expected 15-year life span, it will save $125,000 in research funds.