Project:

How does the presence of Taphrina polystichi fungi on a Polystichum acrostichoides fern reflect the water drainage efficiency of

Students:

Iris Friedman, Ruhi Ramnani, Alice Dorman

School:

Spence School, Manhattan

Mentors:

Aruna Chavali

Abstract:

We aim to investigate how the environmental conditions the fern P. acrostichoides grows in influence the growth of T. polystichi fungus on it. We are focusing on understanding the relationship between soil drainage, a key environmental factor, with the health of the ferns in the two locations. Soil drainage plays an important role in the health of plants, as too much water around a plant can cause root rot or fungus infection, and too little can cause the plant to wilt or die. Soil with good water drainage would drain 4 or more inches of water in an hour, whereas poorly draining soil can lead to waterlogged conditions which increase the likelihood of fungus occurring. Specifically, we aim to examine the difference in soil water circulation in Blackrock Forest and Central Park and understand how these conditions impact fern health and the presence of fungi. T. polystichi is a species of fungus whose growth typically ranges from 0.5cm to 1cm and appears as yellow or white spots on the le

Poster:

Team samples: