Project:

The Identity of Deciduous and Evergreen Plant Species in Central Park during Winter

Students:

Ali Hamdard, Veer Malhotra, Cameron Ruszkowski, Jaden White

School:

The Browning School, Manhattan

Mentors:

Akira Wong

Abstract:

Antifreeze proteins (AFPs) are unique proteins found in some animals, plants, and microorganisms that help them survive freezing temperatures by stopping ice crystals from forming. Plants also have natural ways to survive in the cold, like producing protective chemicals. This research will hopefully accomplish two things: Firstly, we will seek to identify the species of 8 plant species: three primarily deciduous and three evergreen plants from the central park, using DNA barcoding technology with rBCL primer. After identifying these species’ identity, we will research the leaves shedding patterns of the identified species during the winter and use a customized AFP primer to determine the presence of the AFP gene in the plant. Further research can be done to study the amino acid sequence if the gene sequence of AFP is determined. These findings could be crucial to understanding the diversity of plants in the central park that experience changes during winter and the environmental issu

Poster:

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