Project:

Bloom in the boroughs: DNA barcoding of flowering plants collected at the Ursuline School Campus

Students:

Jenna Gleeson, Katrina Malaickal

School:

The Ursuline School, Other

Mentors:

Oxana Litvine

Abstract:

This project, Bloom in the Boroughs: DNA Barcoding Flowering Plants at The Ursuline School, aims to assess plant biodiversity across the school’s campus in New Rochelle, NY. Using DNA barcoding techniques alongside visual identification via iNaturalist, students will collect and analyze 30 angiosperm samples from diverse campus habitats including gardens, athletic fields, and nearby street tree pits. DNA will be extracted using the Whatman paper disk method, amplified with rbcL primers through PCR, and visualized using gel electrophoresis before sequencing by Azenta. Resulting sequences will be analyzed using BLAST, BOLD, and DNA Subway 2.0 to confirm species identity. By comparing molecular and visual identifications, the study will document native and invasive plant species, promoting conservation awareness and hands-on molecular ecology education within an urban ecosystem.

Poster: