Project:

Do Hidden Park Foreigners have Different DNA Barcodes than Native Homebodies?

Students:

Kaitlyn Yang, Grace Ye

Institution:

Hunter College High School, Stuyvesant High School and St. Francis College, Brooklyn

Mentors:

Kathleen Nolan

Abstract:

DNA will be extracted, isolated, amplified, and analyzed from Central Park, Washington Market Park and Rockefeller Park, Brooklyn Bridge Park, and Rockaway Community Park. Trees and shrub DNA barcode signatures will be analyzed and compared and contrasted. The efficacy of frozen versus fresh, and deciduous versus evergreen samples will also be analyzed. This work is important in the face of a changing climate and species loss. Also, as urban students, it is important for us to learn more about our environment.

Poster:

Team samples: