"Four-season Research Field Vehicle for Studies and Training in Ecology, Evolution, and Environmental Science"

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Large scale ecological, evolutionary and environmental research is critically dependent on collaborative fieldwork; this is particularly true for those involving species or ecosystems of conservation concern. Southwestern Ontario houses two interlinked at risk ecosystems: the Carolinian forest and the Great Lakes. This region has the highest number of fish, bird, and amphibian species at risk anywhere in Canada. Thus there is a critical need to expand applied and basic field-based research and HQP training in this region. The requested vehicle will support the integrative fieldwork of 7 of Canada's top ecological/evolutionary/environmental research programs and will be used year-round for externally funded projects. The diversity of the programs ensures full use of the vehicle across all four seasons: Intense summer use of the vehicle for ecological and evolutionary field research will form a large part of our use. All 7 of the CoPIs also have specific additional transportation needs to access and work on fall spawning runs of salmonids in Ontario and Quebec. Winter use of the truck will primarily involve migratory bird research and sampling winter sport fish in southern Ontario and Quebec. Spring use of the vehicle will be concentrated on reproductive behaviour and success of at risk native and invasive freshwater fish species in southern Ontario. This vehicle is therefore critical for gear and HQP transport to remote study sites for collaborative research.