Boynton Middle School, Cornell work together to find invasive fish species

Matt Steecker
ithacajournal.com

Students attending Boynton Middle School scurried around the Ithaca Falls Natural Area and got their hands deep in science.

On Wednesday, the students used nets both large and small to collect water and the trace amounts of environmental DNA within it. Over an hour, the sixth graders gathered three samples to be sent to Cornell University for further analysis.

Boys in Alison Kepic's science class at Boynton Middle School collect samples at the Ithaca Falls Natural Area.

The children were participating in a growing citywide and statewide citizen project called FishTracker that is led by Cornell's College of Veterinary Medicine. Seventy-three schools statewide have tested over 270 sites through FishTracker.

Cornell spokespeople say the eDNA samples provided by New York state teachers and students play a critical role in monitoring the range of invasive and endangered fish species throughout the state. 

"We are testing the balance of the ecosystem," said Amalia Pellecer, a 12-year-old in Alison Kepic's science class. 

Nick Schill, 11, collects a sample as he participates in the FishTracker project.

Through the FishTracker project the students and scientists will discover if there are invasive species in waterways.

Boynton Middle School's entire 6th grade class composed of 160 students is participating in the project, Kepic said. In addition to Kepic's class, science classes taught by Sherri Korb and Steve Kirsch have gathered samples by Stewart Park.

"Anytime (the students) can get out of the classroom and away from their desks, and touching and feeling something, they are engaged," Kepic said. 

(L to R) Ruby La Rocca, Rowena Lloyd and Amalia Pellecer particiapte in the Fishtracker project.

As well as collecting EDNA samples, the students would also look for critters, including insects.

"It's really interesting to see there is not much of anything," said Rowena Lloyd, 11. "I wonder if that is because of winter or because of the ecosystem."

After obtaining the results of samples, students will create a public awareness campaign on the ecosystem, Kepic said.

Orion Peck, a 12-year-old 6th grader, adds water containing trace amounts of eDNA to a container.

"I love ecology," said Ruby La Rocca, 11.

"It feels good to be teaching the community," Amalia said.

Donna Cassidy-Hanley, a senior research associate in microbiology and immunology at Cornell, said the FishTracker project was designed with three components in mind: to address the ecological impact of invasive species, to address economic impacts, and also includes the component of engaging and educating people.

To reduce the ecological impact of invasive species, Jim Casey, an associate professor of virology at Cornell, said it is best to detect the invasive species at an early stage. 

Casey said he is knowledgeable of more than 70 years worth of the Great Lakes' history and has seen alewives and lampreys invade the Great Lakes.

Over time, invasve species like alewives and lampreys grew and the native lake trout decreased.

Over the past 50 years, the invasive species have increased exponentially, Casey said.

"The purpose of this program is early detection...," Casey said. "If you wait too long, an (invasive species) will spread and that's an expensive problem to have."

The collaboration between the schools and the Cornell FishTracker project is made possible with the help of a grant called Students Engaging the Environment, Casey said.

"We plan to have (students) well versed in how science is done," Casey said. 

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