Project:

A Comparative Study of insects in NYC Using DNA Barcoding

Students:

Aya Alsabri, Cara Jurenko

School:

Bard High School Early College, Manhattan

Mentors:

Ayse Aydemir

Abstract:

In this Urban Barcode Research project, we are investigating the biodiversity of insects in various neighborhoods. We expect to see a difference between the biodiversity in more residential areas of Brooklyn as compared to more urbanized populations in lower Manhattan. In the specific neighborhoods, there are more green spaces in Brooklyn compared to Manhattan. Specific Aim 1: We aim to first identify the invertebrates collected and account for species abundance and richness. Specific Aim 2: We aim to utilize DNA barcoding for sample identification at the species level. DNA Barcoding will allow for a specific analysis of the species of the insects collected, allowing a more thorough survey of variation and biodiversity amongst the collected samples.

Poster:

Team samples: