Project:

The impact human activity has on ant diversity at Wantagh High School

Students:

Scarlett Bartilucci, Julianna Boyce, Marykate O'Callaghan

School:

Wantagh High School, Nassau

Mentors:

Casey Clark

Abstract:

We propose to examine how the difference in environments, human-affected and natural, can impact ant species between areas in close proximity of Wantagh High School compared to ants living in the nature of the Forest Lake woods. Forest Lake woods are a natural forest close to our high school that is close to a lake. Although they are close, they are two distinct different types of environments. The High School would be a good place to conduct the study since human activity close to the school at the tennis courts and bleachers could impact how the ants live and their diets. To test this hypothesis, we will lure ants from both locations using cookies and get them using cups and pitfall traps. Physically, we can see if the food the ants had access to would affect their size and how they look. Ants that had access to human food could become bigger with the intake of fatty foods. By measuring their mass and length, we can see if there is a difference in the ants' size, weight, and physical

Poster:

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