Project:

Exploring the spider biodiversity in Tenafly, New Jersey

Students:

liam Tenenbaum, Anisha Gupta

School:

Tenafly HS, Other

Mentors:

anat firnberg

Abstract:

Spiders are one of the most diverse species on our planet. According to the 2015 World Spider Catalog, there are more than 45,000 species of spiders in 114 families. Spiders are one of the most critical organisms in our ecosystem because of their natural control over other species. Studies have shown that spiders can eat up to 2,000 insects in a year. Their capabilities as predators are both important to balance and natural, giving them a significant role in keeping other species populations, such as invertebrate herbivores and other arthropods in control. This protection of balance also leads to the safety of many agricultural crops, which are typically overconsumed by pests. Furthermore, spiders eat many insects that can transmit diseases like the Zika virus, West Nile virus, malaria, dengue, and yellow fever. Our plan is to collect spiders from different environments: inside a school, in a residential area, and at the Tenafly Nature Center. Each location has a different environment(

Poster:

Team samples: