Barcode Long Island Team Puzzles
Program:
Barcode Long Island
Year:
2017-18
Research Topic:
Biodiversity & trade
Taxonomic Group Studied:
Animals: Invertebrate

Project:

The Effect of Salinity on the Growth of Ant Colonies
Students:
James Willis, Tyler Bury, William Simone
School:
St Dominic's High School, Nassau
Mentors:
Melissa Cipriano

Abstract:

Salinous water sources have a definite effect on lifeforms in the environment. Ants, specifically, respond to different levels of water salinity. In this experiment, ants will be collected off the shore of the Port Washington Bay, Huntington Bay, and inland in the Hicksville area. Different species of ants have differing reactions towards salinity in their environment, alongside differing levels of survival when exposed to salinity. The differing ant species also behave differently due to the salinity in their environment. The experiment is meant to determine if the differing salinous environments on Long Island cause the ant species to also be disparate. According to past research done in the area of salinity effect on ants species, there has been known impacts on the behavioral aspects of their genus. Along with differing species in regions with varying salinity in the water supply.

Poster:

Team samples: