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

大规模的生态、进化和环境研究严重依赖于合作性的野外工作;对于那些涉及物种或生态系统保护问题的研究尤其如此。安大略西南部有两个相互关联的处于危险之中的生态系统：安大略森林和五大湖。该地区有最多的鱼类，鸟类和两栖动物物种在加拿大的任何地方都处于危险之中。因此，迫切需要扩大这一地区的应用和基础实地研究以及人力资源合格人员培训。所要求的车辆将支持加拿大7个顶级生态/进化/环境研究项目的综合实地考察，并将全年用于外部资助的项目。项目的多样性确保了车辆在四季中的充分使用：夏季将车辆用于生态和进化实地研究将是我们使用的很大一部分。所有7个CoPI也有具体的额外运输需求，以访问和工作的鲑鱼秋季产卵运行在安大略和魁北克。冬季使用的卡车将主要涉及候鸟研究和采样冬季运动鱼类在南部安大略和魁北克。春季使用的车辆将集中在生殖行为和成功的风险本地和入侵淡水鱼类在南部安大略。因此，该车辆对于将齿轮和HQP运输到远程研究地点进行合作研究至关重要。

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.