Project:

Investigating the Effect of Phosphorus Levels on Ant Diversity in Young's Farm, Bailey's Arboretum, and the Forest School at Fri

Students:

Joshua Bornstein, Kyla Agulnick, Jenna Fragias

School:

Friends Academy, Nassau

Mentors:

Jennifer Newitt

Abstract:

The diversity of ant populations can shift negatively depending on the amount of phosphorus present in the environment. Since ants are sensitive to changes in their surroundings, they are a good way to see how phosphorus might influence ant biodiversity. Looking at the diversity of ant populations in areas with high and low phosphorus can give us clues about how this nutrient influences ecosystems. We will collect approximately 20 ant samples from each of three sites near Locust Valley NY. Youngs Farm, which we expect to have higher phosphorus levels due to the use of fertilizer, and the forest school at Friends Academy and Bailey’s Arboretum, forests we expect to have minimal phosphorus present, as they are left in their natural state. We will use DNA barcoding to identify species and perform soil tests to measure phosphorus concentrations using phosphorus test kits. We predict that differences in phosphorus levels will be reflected in ant diversity between the two locations.

Poster:

Team samples:

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