Project:

Assessing the biodiversity of bat species using eDNA techniques

Students:

Aislyn Beach, Ana Khan

School:

Sayville High School, Suffolk

Mentors:

Anthony DeAngelis

Abstract:

On Long Island there are 7 main bat species; the Eastern Red bat, Little Brown Bat, Tri-colored bat, Big Brown bat, Northern long-eared bat, Hoary bat, and Silver-haired bat. Bats control many insect species such as moths, mosquitoes, and beetles. Mosquitoes. Bat populations seem to be decreasing, most likely as a result of environmental stresses brought on by humans, such as habitat fragmentation and destruction, cave disturbance, food resource depletion, increased use of pesticides, infectious diseases, and wind turbines. Many bat species on Long Island are threatened by habitat loss and diseases, such as white-nose syndrome which mostly threaten the big brown bats that hibernate in caves and mines and are the most commonly found bat species in suburban neighborhoods. Therefore, analyzing local freshwater systems through the use of eDNA techniques can help determine which bat species are specifically present in Sayville.