Project:

The Effect of Boating on Invertebrate Biodiversity in Seamans Neck Park.

Students:

Eric Schneider, Raj Mahadan

School:

Seaford High School, Nassau

Mentors:

Janine Cupo

Abstract:

Boating can disrupt the natural biodiversity in an area while at the same time may increase the number of different species in an area. Boating can either decrease the amount of species in an area due to the amount of pollution emitted, or can increase it by spreading invasive species to the specific area. Surveying species can better our understanding of the effect of boating on the biodiversity in Seaford's Seamans Neck Park. The presence of pollutants in aquatic environments has increased due to increased human activity. We hypothesize that boating in Seamans Neck Park negatively impacts aquatic invertebrates and decreases the number of different species present. We expect to find fewer different species in the canal as compared to the closed body of water.

Poster:

Team samples: