Project:

Acid Rain and pH Level

Students:

Cooper Oster, Maxwell Franz, Hayden Calabretta

School:

Cold Spring Harbor High School, Suffolk

Mentors:

Jaak Raudsepp

Abstract:

Acid rain is a very prevalent issue that can lead to changes in biodiversity. It is a phenomenon which results when different chemicals, including sulfuric and nitric acids, are formed in clouds and released when it rains. The acidity of the rain can cause changes in the pH of the water where it lands. This change, no matter how small, can lead to significant detriments to any marine ecosystem. By taking samples of both the invertebrates and the pH of the water in the Cold Spring Harbor Spit, we are able to see how both have changed in correlation with one another. During our collection period at the spit, we gathered numerous invertebrates such as a marine isopod that we have reason to believe could be a novel species. This would mean that it is yet to be documented. After finding out a specific identity of the invertebrates through the use of DNA barcoding, we will focus our studies on how acid rain and a decreasing pH level would harm or benefit the marine isopod species, as well as

Poster:

Team samples: