Our research examined whether there is any correlation between lichen population density in selected five major areas of nature in NYC and temperature. We collected population data from Prospect Park, Randall’s Island, Greenwood Cemetery & the Gowanus Canal, Inwood Hill Park, and Alley Pond Park. After calculating population density, we created a scatterplot with the average temperature in New York City for the months leading up to when the lichen population data were gathered. The study reveals a strong, positive relationship between the lichen population density and the temperature for those five parks. However, our data collection method can be improved. Our sample size for the number of landmarks used is too low, so more sites should be included. Additionally, certain areas of each park could have been missed, and organisms could have been misidentified due to student efforts. We recommend future studies to implement these changes and collect data with a team of experts to ensure accurate results that can be generalized beyond the five landmarks we chose.
Project by Mariya Kooran, Fernando Velazquez and Donna Wattimena
