Biodiversity of Mushrooms in Northern New Jersey

Overview

Researching the biodiversity of fungi is imperative for ecological conservation. The environmental impacts mushrooms hold reach far beyond their common role as decomposers as they can indicate the health of the ecosystem. By using a combination of field collection and bioinformatics, the purpose of the experiment was to document the identities and density estimators of these mushrooms to further contribute to the understanding of regional fungal communities. After careful collection of various specimens, each of the samples' DNA was extracted using the silica method. Subsequently, ITS primers were added to the DNA, and PCR was performed to create 700 base pair-long DNA barcode strands which were sent for sequencing. Bioinformatics analysis was performed using the DNA Subway software to allow for sample identification and the creation of a phylogenetic tree. Our results displayed the variety of the collected mushroom species, but they often shared a genus, implying the existence of a common ancestor or a close relation. Biodiversity was calculated with the transect sampling method and from there the density estimators were calculated for each region. Ultimately, understanding the biodiversity of mushrooms will help to improve and regulate the health of the ecosystem that supports all life.

Competition history

• AJAS 2025 Category not listed

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