Barcode Long Island Team Polaris
Program:
Barcode Long Island
Year:
2016-17
Research Topic:
Wildlife
Taxonomic Group Studied:
Animals: Invertebrate

Project:

Damselfly Biodiversity in the Peconic River
Students:
Briannan Green, Maheen Safian, Kylie Harrison, Andrew Serres
School:
Eastport South Manor Jr/Sr High School, Suffolk
Mentors:
Robert Bolen

Abstract:

Damselflies are predators throughout their whole life, and prey on particular insects like mosquitoes and macro invertebrates, specifically, mosquito larvae. This largely contributes to the reason as of why they are so important and vital to our ecosystem. Without damselflies, there would be an increase in the mosquito population thus intensifying the transmission of diseases. The results of the DNA sequencing for the damselfly can lead to discovering a new species and establishing a DNA footprint of the Peconic River Estuary System, as well as find out how closely related certain species are to each other. There are many known and unknown species of a damselfly. The results can allow for DNA findings to determine the different species from the damselfly genus. Damselflies are also used as indicators to detect heavy metals such as mercury in an aquatic habitat (6). Specific Aims: Through DNA barcoding, we would like to achieve these goals: ● Identify the species of damselflies we col

Poster:

DNA Barcoding Poster
View team poster (PDF/PowerPoint)

Team samples: