All-terrain utility vehicles for field-based research in animal ecology and evolution

这笔RTI补助金将为我对新斯科舍省萨布尔岛野生(野马)种群的个人研究工作提供必要的设备支持。这项长期(30多年)的研究是第一年，是我动物生态学和进化论整体研究计划的重要组成部分。我的实地工作需要两个两人的团队定期对350-400匹马进行采样，以确定地点、行为、形态和生物样本。该岛长42公里：这项提议是为了关键地购买两辆6×4全地形John Deere Gator多功能车，用于沿海滩运送研究人员。鳄鱼将通过海路运往该岛，并将在那里保留15-30年。每个短吻鳄携带两个人，所以这台设备每天可以支持四个人的实地活动。证明John Deere Gator是我在Sable Island工作的最佳交通工具很容易：对于学生来说，Gator是迄今为止最安全的全地形交通工具，它们是Sable Island车站工作人员强烈推荐的可靠机器。六轮鳄鱼车具有宽轮距、最高时速限制为30公里，以及低压、高浮动轮胎和差速器锁相结合的特点，是海滩旅行的完美选择。沙滩在涨潮时经常被冲刷，造成地形不规则性，包括流沙区域，可能导致四轮车辆在高水位线以下搁浅。黑貂岛上的旅行条件可能很恶劣，失明、风沙、海雾和雨水是一个特别的问题(即使戴着护目镜)；因此，绝对有必要为操作员提供一些围栏(驾驶室)。约翰迪尔提供的出租车就是为了这个目的。有了这两辆车，我已经安排了一名本科生和两名研究生明年夏天和我一起在萨布尔岛工作。到第四年，我计划让最多六个人在岛上工作。NSERC对我的项目的投资将在研究、生产力和高素质人员培训方面获得令人印象深刻的回报。

This RTI Grant will provide essential equipment support for my work on the individual-based study of the wild (feral) horse population of Sable Island, Nova Scotia. This long-term (30+ year) study is in its first year and comprises an important component of my overall research program in animal ecology and evolution. My field work requires two, two-person teams to regularly sample 350-400 horses for locations, behaviour, morphology, and biological samples. The island is 42 km long: this proposal is directed at the critical purchase of two 6 × 4 all-terrain John Deere Gator utility vehicles for transporting researchers along the beaches. Gators will be shipped by sea to the island and will remain in place for 15-30 years. Each Gator carries two persons, and so this equipment will support the field activities of four people each day. Making the case that the John Deere Gator is the best vehicle for my work on Sable Island is easy: Gators are by far the safest all-terrain vehicles for students to use and they come highly recommended as reliable machines by staff at Sable Island Station. Six-wheeled Gators with a wide wheel base, maximum speeds limited to 30 km/h, and low-pressure, high-flotation tires combined with differential lock are perfect for beach travel. Sand beaches are subject to frequent washouts at high tide leaving irregularities in terrain, including areas of quicksand that can cause stranding of four-wheeled vehicles below the high water mark. Conditions of travel can be severe on Sable Island, with blinding, wind-driven sand, sea mist, and rain being a particular problem (even with goggles); hence, it is absolutely necessary that there be some enclosure (a cab) for operators. John Deere provides cabs just for this purpose. With these two vehicles, I have scheduled one undergraduate and two graduate students to work with me on Sable Island next summer. By year four I plan to have up to six individuals working on the island. NSERC's investment in my program would see an impressive return in terms of research productivity and training of highly qualified personnel.