Project:

Substrate Effects on the Diversity of Playground Invertebrates

Students:

Corey Marks, Carl Bloom

School:

Seaford Senior School District, Nassau

Mentors:

Mary Simons

Abstract:

In this study, our team will collect samples of invertebrates from various playgrounds with different floor substrates. The substrates that the various playgrounds have are wood chips, sand, shredded rubber tires, and natural (grass and soil). We will test the pH and levels of the nutrients potassium, phosphorous, and nitrogen of the various playgrounds. We are looking for the biodiversity of invertebrates of the various playgrounds to see which one is the best play surface. The best play surface would be the one with the least amount of potentially harmful invertebrates because there would be less chance that any carry disease. We predict the rubber to have the least biodiversity of the playgrounds due to possible leaching of the chemicals from the rubber to the soil.

Poster:

Team samples: