Project:

The Massapequa Macro-invertebrate Mission

Students:

Lily Coffin, Meghan Kane

School:

Farmingdale High School, Nassau

Mentors:

Lorie Sheinwald

Abstract:

The Environmental Club of Farmingdale High School seeks to find evidence of the biodiversity on Long Island, and in doing so, evaluate the health of the Massapequa Creek, located in Massapequa, New York. The Massapequa Creek feeds into the South Oyster Bay/South Shore Estuary. It is one of the largest freshwater creeks found in Nassau County, New York. The creek is a critical natural resource and biological system. (Cashin Associates, 2009) This waterway is used for recreational fishing and it is a critical area for groundwater recharge for Long Island’s sole source drinking water. We are interested to see the effects of automotive traffic volume on the health of the Massapequa Creek. This will help us to understand the effects of urban sprawl, a major problem on Long Island. The creek is located in close proximity to two major roadways, the Southern State Parkway and the Bethpage Parkway. Data from collected the New York Department of Transportation, New York State Traffic Data View

Poster:

Team samples: