Project:

Polypore fungi and their host trees in Westchester county, NY

Students:

Anjali Shafiee, Iqra Ahmad, Nina Willey

School:

The Ursuline School, Other

Mentors:

Oxana Litvine

Abstract:

Polypores are a group of fungi that are also referred to as bracket fungi or shelf fungi that typically produce shelf or bracket shaped circular fruiting bodies. Polypores consume wood and are significant agents of wood decay. Polypores play a large role in nutrient cycling and carbon dioxide absorption by forest ecosystems. It is important to study the relationship between tree health and the growth of polypores because it can reveal a lot of information about forested areas and tree decay. The goal of our project is to evaluate the biodiversity of polypore fungi in Westchester County and their relationship with host trees. We aim to compile a list of species of polypores that grow in Westchester County and track the species of trees that polypores are found on and whether those trees were alive or dead. The use of field guides, iNaturalist, and DNA barcoding will help us identify the species of the polypores, and the trees which they grew on. With the identification of polypores and

Poster:

Team samples: