Project:

Will we see different organisms living in and around the Brooklyn Bridge Park oyster gardens after a large rainstorm due to comb

Students:

Akari Murphy, Amber Siruano, Samuel Wang

Institution:

DNA Learning Center,

Mentors:

Christina Newkirk

Abstract:

This project addresses how large rain storms affect biodiversity in the Brooklyn Bridge Park oyster garden, in relation to combined sewage overflow (CSO). CSO occurs when heavy rainfall overwhelms New York City’s combined sewer system, releasing sewage and stormwater full of bacteria and harmful chemicals into local waterways, which disrupt the ecological health of an oyster garden. By collecting organisms before and after a storm event, extracting and sequencing their DNA, and comparing the results, we aim to identify whether there is a connection between rainfall and CSO shifts in species composition. Our central research question asks whether we will observe different organisms living in and around the oyster garden after a major rain event. This project uses DNA barcoding to assess biodiversity changes in an urban marine ecosystem.

Poster:

Team samples: