Project:

Effect of Shinnecock Bay Salinity and Sediment composition on Marine Worm Biodiversity

Students:

Emma Albert, danielle freda, Ariana DeMattei

School:

Westhampton Beach High School, Suffolk

Mentors:

Dianna Gobler

Abstract:

Our project goal is to assess the biodiversity of marine worms in our local ecosystem. We are exploring how the salinity of the water or sediment type affects the density of the populations of the polychaetes. Biodiversity is important for environmental health and when there is an imbalance in an ecosystem due to one particular species, it not only affects that one ecosystem but the entire environment around it. When there is a population disrupting the biodiversity, it causes an unhealthy ecosystem. Since humans are greatly impacted by our environment, this could essentially lead to a possible negative effect on human health.

Poster:

Team samples: