Grant: Research Tools and Instruments

Dr. Reader conducts research on carbon cycling in aquatic systems. Her research aims to understand the influence of dissolved organic matter on the global carbon cycle, with a particular focus on the influence of terrestrially sourced carbon and global change processes on coastal ecosystems. She has a long-term monitoring field station at Seal Cove Brook on the southern Avalon Peninsula and conducts research at other rivers and bays across the Island of Newfoundland. Dr. Morrill focuses on the identification of biogeochemical signatures of locations that can support life in extreme pH conditions, and assesses novel techniques for carbon sequestration, using ultramafic-hosted springs. Her research starts in the field at several well-exposed ultramafic rock sites in NL where she has created a long-term, subsurface, microbial observatory. Reactions taking place in these environments also lead to effective sequestration of CO2, and through understanding these reactions she aims to develop innovative climate change mitigation strategies. Dr. Corlett examines ancient and modern shallow marine ecosystems to evaluate the effects of changes in atmospheric oxygenation and weathering, linked to long-term climate change, on shallow marine ecosystems. There are shifts in oxygenation and weathering patterns at critical extinction and radiation events throughout Earth's history, such as at the Ediacaran-Cambrian Boundary, and approaching the Cambrian-Ordovician Boundary, exposed in SE and NW Newfoundland. Dr. Corlett also works in modern systems, to understand how terrestrially derived nutrients affect carbonate-producing biota, and how carbon is stored in marine sediments. Together, we propose to purchase a field truck and a smaller side-by-side utility vehicle. Our field sites range from relatively close to the St John's campus (within an hour's drive) to remote locations on the western, northern, and southern coasts of Newfoundland (some sites >700km from main campus). Each of us has field sites related to our research programs with both Drs. Morrill and Reader requiring regular access to field vehicles (weekly to monthly) and Corlett requiring vehicles that meet her mobility needs, given that she has a physical disability that makes certain types of trucks inaccessible and certain field sites inaccessible without a utility vehicle. These vehicles will also be used by our high qualified personnel (HQP) throughout their research programs. Through purchasing our own field vehicles, we can ensure that these HQP are provided with opportunities to do safety training prior to operation of the vehicles. We propose a full cab truck that can seat at least 5 people, as well as a full (2m) bed for carrying samples and equipment. We also propose to purchase a side-by-side utility vehicle that can be trailered by the truck, as many of our sites are on logging roads or otherwise unpaved roads, along pole lines, and down ATV tracks.