Palaeobiology (inlcuding anatomy, biomechanics, interrelationships, palaeobiogeography, palaeoecology) of theorpod dinosaurs

尽管兽脚类(食肉恐龙)只占已知恐龙的一小部分。它们是最重要和最有趣的恐龙群体之一。近年来，在中国东北部发现了带羽毛的兽脚亚目动物，现在知道它们是现存鸟类的近亲。在它们的巢顶上还发现了其他标本，甚至还有保存在母亲产道中的蛋。对几种兽脚类恐龙骨床的挖掘甚至揭示了阿尔伯脱龙、惧龙和特暴龙等食肉动物的社会行为。这个项目将研究兽脚类动物分类和生物学的各个方面，包括它们之间的关系，它们身体的组成部分是如何移动的，它们与鸟类的关系，以及它们与环境的关系。它将提供有关加拿大西部和全球其他地区兽脚亚目动物的骨骼、多样性和分布的新信息。该项目将加强我们对北美和亚洲之间恐龙迁徙模式的了解，因为亚洲恐龙代表了晚白垩世北美恐龙的一些最亲密的近亲。该项目的一个主要目标是弄清楚哪一类兽脚亚目动物是现代鸟类的近亲。这样的项目将给脊椎动物古生物学领域带来更大的曝光率，预计将增加公众和科学的兴趣。希望这一结果将带来急需的赞助，以支持这一迷人领域的进一步研究。该项目将使加拿大受益，因为它将使我国自然遗产的一个非常重要的方面得到国际承认。

Although theropods (carnivorous dinosaurs) comprise only a small fraction of known dinosaurs. they are one of the most significant and interesting groups of dinosaurs. In recent years, theropods with feathers have been discovered in northeastern China, and it is now known that they represent the closest relatives of living birds.  Other specimens have been found on top of their nests, or even with eggs preserved in the birthing canal of the mother. The excavation of several theropod bonebeds has even revealed aspects of social behaviour in carnivores like Albertosaurus, Daspletosaurus and Tarbosaurus. This project will examine various aspects of theropod classification and biology, including their relationships to one another, how components of their bodies moved, their relationships with birds, and their relationships to their environment. It will provide new information on the skeletons, diversity, and distribution of theropods of western Canada and other parts of the globe. The project will enhance our knowledge of dinosaur migration patterns between North America and Asia because Asian dinosaurs represent some of North American dinosaurs' closest relatives during the Late Cretaceous. A major goal of the project is to clarify which particular group of theropods is the closest relatives of modern birds. Such a project will bring greater exposure to the field of vertebrate paleontology and is expected to increase both public and scientific interest. It is hoped that the results will bring much needed sponsorship to support further research in this fascinating field. The project will benefit Canada in that it will create international recognition for a very important aspect of our country's natural heritage.