Project:

Tracing Biodiversity Recovery through DNA: Monitoring Coastal Restoration at the Edith Reed Wildlife Sanctuary

Students:

Sadie Kolodner, Kayla Rosen, Caroline Pereira

School:

Rye Country Day School, Other

Mentors:

CATHERINE BISCHOFF

Abstract:

Biodiversity monitoring is important for understanding ecosystem health in coastline restoration projects that strive to rebuild biodiversity and stabilize shorelines degraded by storms, erosion, and invasive species. This project aims to analyze the plant species that are repopulating the restored coastline and non restored areas to determine if those species are invasive or native, focusing on reeds collected from Edith G. Reed Wildlife Sanctuary, to preserve plant biodiversity. DNA barcoding provides a reliable way to identify species by analyzing short genetic sequences. We hypothesize that there may be invasive species present, but their presence may have helped restoration efforts, but we should still see that the restored areas exhibit a greater biodiversity and have less invasive species. Samples will be collected from restoration sites, and DNA will be extracted, amplified at the rbcL region, and sequenced. After this, Simpson’s Diversity Index will be used to determine the

Poster:

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