Field equipment to support research and conservation of fishes in Canada’s inland waters

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Our research uses Canada’s freshwater lakes and rivers to understand the evolution, ecology and conservation of fishes through intensive field-based research coupled with leading-edge laboratory techniques. The present grant will provide equipment to support the field component of this research, comprising a boat suitable for sampling fishes from inland waters and a vehicle suitable for accessing remote field locations in Ontario. Over the next 5 years, this equipment will be used to support four major projects. The first project will examine the role of hormones as key mediators of differences in reproductive behaviours and fitness through their effects on gene transcription and the allocation of resources to competing biological functions. The second project will examine morphological specializations that facilitate foraging on different prey items and its role in mating systems and speciation. The third project will study the role of sperm competition as a determinant of male fitness, and in particular evaluate the importance of a number of commonly measured sperm traits (e.g. number, motility, speed). The fourth project will work to quantify the capacity of fishes to respond to climate change and to persist in their current habitats. Together these projects will advance research that addresses fundamental biological questions while providing practical knowledge that will be critical for managing and safeguarding Canada’s valuable freshwater fish communities. The equipment will contribute directly to the hands-on training of 8 graduate students, 12 undergraduate students and 2 postdoctoral fellows in aquatic sampling, watercraft operation, fish identification, habitat classification, and experimental design. These skills are in high demand, and will produce highly-qualified personnel that are capable of working in the cross-disciplinary areas of science, resource management, and private industry.