On Thursday, January 20, the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) announced that Trent University researchers, Drs. Dennis Murray and Paul Wilson are recipients of two 2010 Strategic Project Grants (SPG) totalling $1,083,500.00.

Dr. Dennis L. Murray, Canada Research Chair in Terrestrial Ecology and associate professor in the Department of Biology at Trent, received $560,750 for his project on the development of models predicting large-scale connectivity and sustainability of Canada lynx populations, working in collaboration with Dr. Paul Wilson from Trent University as well as Dr. Jeff Bowman from the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources and Dr. Jim Roth at the University of Manitoba. The amount was awarded over a three-year period from 2010 to 2012 and builds on a recently completed Strategic NSERC grant provided to Drs. Wilson, Murray and Bowman. Professor Murray’s work will develop models that predict population changes for lynx, leading to a comprehensive understanding of factors affecting long-term sustainability and viability for the species. Such work has national as well as international implications because of the recent decline in lynx numbers in their southern range and the listing of lynx as threatened in southern Canada and the United States. Specifically, the research will examine how factors such as habitat loss, hybridization with bobcats and competition with coyotes are contributing to the lynx population decline, and how changes in land management practices or fur harvest regimes may mitigate further decline and range loss. This research project was profiled as the cover story of Canadian Geographic. 

Dr. Paul J. Wilson, Canada Research Chair in DNA Profiling, Forensics and Functional Genomics, and associate professor in the Department of Biology and the Forensic Science Program at Trent was granted $522,750 for his work on the development of genetic-based functional connectivity models for boreal caribou herds and ecotypes, awarded for a three- year period from 2010 to 2012. Professor Wilson’s research, in cooperation with Dr. Micheline Manseau at Parks Canada, and research scientists in the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources, will develop models incorporating genetic, environmental, landscape, anthropogenic and ecological data for the purpose of implementing effective land-use decisions around the threatened species of the boreal caribou. Furthermore, this project will examine the genetic differences among boreal ecotypes, forest dwelling and migratory tundra types, in Ontario and Manitoba to understand their evolutionary relationship and the potential impacts of forestry and mining on each ecotype. This research expands on an existing collaborative NSERC grant provided to Drs. Wilson and Manseau in partnership with Manitoba Hydro to develop non-invasive genetic applications for population delineation and population size estimation.

NSERC is a federal agency that helps make Canada a country of discoverers and innovators for the benefit of all Canadians. The agency supports some 28,000 university students and postdoctoral fellows in their advanced studies. NSERC promotes discovery by funding more than 11,800 university professors every year and fosters innovation by encouraging more than 1,500 Canadian companies to participate and invest in post-secondary research projects. The goal of the SPG Program is to increase research and training in targeted areas that could strongly enhance Canada's economy, society and/or environment within the next 10 years.

Posted on Friday, February 4, 2011.