Vehicle for field research

Baerlocher博士研究了水生真菌的多样性和生态功能。溪流中的食物网主要由植物落叶提供燃料，其中大部分是秋季落叶的形式。水生真菌对这些物质进行修饰，供溪流无脊椎动物消费，这些无脊椎动物反过来支持包括鱼类在内的更高层次的消费者。因此，微生物分解对植物(通过回收无机养分)和动物(通过使植物垃圾对消费者更有营养)来说都是一个关键过程。该项目分析了新不伦瑞克和新斯科舍省不同溪流中的真菌群落，并研究了河岸植被、水化学、地理和人为压力如何影响它们的组成和生态功能。这需要经常使用可靠的实地调查工具。汉密尔顿博士研究候鸟的生态和潮间带群落动态。芬迪湾的上海湾为半唇形琵鹭等物种提供了重要的栖息地。对琵琶和群落其他成员之间相互作用的研究有助于了解基本的生态知识，并为指导保护决策提供数据。野战车辆将提高我们进行这项研究的能力。Kaczmarska调查了加拿大大西洋泥滩和沼泽的微生物群落。尽管它们对沿海生产力作出了重大贡献，但它们的组成和多样性几乎是未知的。传统的、以形态为基础的方法需要先进和专门的分类学专业知识。另一种选择是分子技术，Kaczamarska博士已经在纯培养上成功地实施了这项技术。这些研究现在将扩展到芬迪湾上游泥滩上的自然混合社区。为了进入各个地点，一辆可靠的崎岖地形车辆是必不可少的。

Dr. Baerlocher investigates the diversity and ecological functions of aquatic fungi. Food webs in streams are fueled primarily by plant litter, much of it in the form of autumn-shed leaves. Aquatic fungi modify these materials for consumption by stream invertebrates, which in turn sustain higher level consumers including fish. Microbial decomposition is therefore a key process both for plants (through recycling of inorganic nutrients) and animals (by making plant litter more nutritious for consumers). The program analyzes fungal communities in various streams in New Brunswick and Nova Scotia and examines how their composition and ecological functions are affected by riparian vegetation, water chemistry, geography and anthropogenic stress. It requires frequent access to a reliable vehicle for field surveys.  Dr. Hamilton investigates the ecology of migratory shorebirds and intertidal community dynamics. The upper Bay of Fundy provides important habitat for species such as the Semipalmated Sandpiper. Studies of interactions between sandpipers and other members of the community contribute to basic ecological knowledge and provide data to guide conservation decisions. A field vehicle will improve our ability to carry out this research.Dr. Kaczmarska investigates microbial communities of mudflats and marshes in Atlantic Canada. Despite their substantial contributions to coastal productivity, their composition and diversity are virtually unknown. Traditional, morphology-based approaches require advanced and specialized taxonomic expertise. An alternative is molecular techniques, which have successfully been implemented on pure cultures by Dr. Kaczamarska. These studies will now be expanded to natural, mixed communities in mudflats in the upper Bay of Fundy. For access to the various sites, a dependable rough-terrain vehicle is essential.