Project:

Maleffect of invasive Wisteria on plant biodiversity in northern NJ

Students:

Juyoung Peter Kim, Edward Lee

School:

TENAFLY HS, Other

Mentors:

anat firnberg

Abstract:

we seek to investigate the presence and ecological impact of Chinese wisteria (Wisteria sinensis) in northern New Jersey. Our goal is to assess the extent to which this invasive species has spread in local environments and to understand how it affects the biodiversity of the region. We hypothesize that Chinese wisteria will have a negative effect on native plant species and overall ecosystem health. We form this assumption based on our research into the ecology of invasive species in the U.S. and the specific characteristics of Chinese wisteria as cited by environmental organizations such as the New Jersey Invasive Species Strike Team.We specifically think it will be fruitful to focus on Chinese wisteria due to its well-documented ability to outcompete native species, which is a common feature among invasive plants in New Jersey.

Poster:

Team samples: