Project:

Effect of Hypoxia on Biodiversity in Long Island Rivers

Students:

Nicholas Leong, Michael Fried

School:

Roslyn High School, Nassau

Mentors:

Lisa Daniels

Abstract:

The goal of our experiment is to see how hypoxia affects biodiversity in the Peconic Estuary by comparing it to the biodiversity in Oyster Bay. One of these is known for its hypoxic conditions and the other shows almost no evidence of this. By collecting samples from each body of water and test for multiple elements such as nitrogen and phosphorus and compare it to the biodiversity of the surrounding areas, we can compare and contrast them. We also want to determine how hypoxia will affect the biodiversity the surrounding area. We will need to know the species present in both locations, as knowing the variations of species will allow us to determine the biodiversity in relation to the hypoxic conditions surrounding the area. Knowing the biodiversity of both rivers will allow us to conclude the effect of hypoxia on biodiversity. We expect to see lower amounts of biodiversity in areas with hypoxic conditions than areas without hypoxic conditions.

Poster:

Team samples: