Project:

Investigating and Discovering a Correlation Between the Lichen Surrounding Bird's Nests

Students:

Sara Shamail, Amishi Sharma

School:

Garden City High School, Nassau

Mentors:

Steven Gordon

Abstract:

Even though birds all differ from one another, a characteristic all birds have in common is that they need a safe and sturdy home for their eggs. Different birds carry out the construction of their nests using materials they find. Some birds, including hummingbirds, cardinals, and sparrows use plants and lichens around them in the making of their nests. Lichen are the combination of a plant and algae, which have a symbiotic relationship with one another. The presence of lichens in bird homes present a fascinating ecological relationship. Hummingbirds incorporate lichens into their nests for structural support and protection from predators. In our biodiversity project, our team studied the biodiversity of lichen that inhabit bird nests, such as those of cardinals, sparrows, and hummingbirds. The purpose of this is to identify the biodiversity in species of organisms such as lichen and to study them, to identify their differences and similarities in both taxonomic and structural beings.

Poster:

Team samples: