Project:

Determining Correlation Between Invasive Species Infested Trees and Lichen Growth in Garden City

Students:

Amy Xiao, Jeffrey Li

School:

Garden City High School, Nassau

Mentors:

Steven Gordon

Abstract:

Two invasive species prevalent in Garden City, New York are the Asian Longhorned Beetle (ALB) and Emerald Ash Borer (EAB). ALB target a variety of trees while EAB attack ash trees. ALB burrow into trees to lay their eggs, causing the weakening of trees and potential branch falling. Infestation can be spotted by seeping wounds or frass pilings. Although EAB also dig into trees to lay eggs, the true harm comes from their larvae who feed from the phloem and cambium of the infested tree. The "S" shaped galleries are a tell-tale sign of infestation. This behavior can lead to ash tree death within 1-2 years. Lichens are a symbiosis between fungi and either green alga or cyanobacteria. Since Lichen cannot retain water, the substrate it binds to is an important factor in survival. Previous research has suggested increased Lichen growth on diseased trees due to decreased foliage. We hypothesize there may be a potential correlation between different types of Lichen species growth and invasive sp

Poster:

Team samples: