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The Adirondack Ecosystem
Advanced STEM Research at Northwood School
BY JILL WALKER
Northwood School’s academic philosophy is built upon the concept that students learn best through exploration and inquiry. This year, Northwood has started an Advanced STEM Research Program for students who wish to design and implement their own research projects. This program includes collaborations with scientists at schools like Paul Smith’s College and SUNY ESF. Several students in the class have chosen to research questions about humans’ impact on the natural environment with a specific focus on the Adirondack Park ecosystem.
One area of study this year is the effects of microplastic pollution on freshwater systems. Under environmental conditions, larger plastic debris breaks down into microplastics (particles smaller than 5mm). These particles are of special concern because they are ingested by the smallest species in the food chain which have a high potential for accumulating harmful substances. Plastics frequently contain dangerous additives and readily absorb other contaminates from their surroundings, increasing the risks to species higher up the food chain. Freshwater species are especially sensitive to contamination and are therefore at greater risk for microplastic toxicity. Currently, data for freshwater ecosystems is limited, and laboratory data on ingestion and uptake of contaminants like microplastics in freshwater species is sparse.
Small tourist towns like Lake Placid, with an influx of visitors, increase the levels of microplastics in local lakes and rivers. Laundry facilities in hotels release microplastics with their wastewater, recreation on lakes and rivers directly adds plastic debris, and homes near water sources with older septic tanks can fail or leak resulting in contaminants seeping into the soil and groundwater sources. These contributors increase microplastic levels in our water. Therefore, finding low-cost, easy-to-use tests to locate these areas of high microplastic contamination is an important issue to address.
The students in the STEM class have developed a variety of experiments to pursue the prevalence and consequences of microplastic contamination in Adirondack waters. Some experiments include:
Microplastic pollution from washing synthetic textiles has recently been determined to be the main source of primary microplastics in the oceans. Few studies have looked at the pollution from washing machines in freshwater ecosystems. One project will collect and quantify microplastics released from washing machine effluent and methods to reduce these pollutants will then be tested. Water samples will also be collected from a local high-use lake to assess current levels of microplastic contamination. Results from this research will then foster collaboration with local hotels and businesses to help reduce the impact laundry facilities are having on our waterways.
In collaboration with Paul Smith’s College, students are working on determining a simple test to measure the level of urine in lakes. The goal of this project is to identify a test that will allow researchers to locate septic systems that are leaking into our freshwater systems. Simply measuring nitrogen levels will not provide an accurate measurement of urine contribution since human sweat and urea from lake animals will also contribute to overall nitrogen levels. However, measuring the level of artificial sweeteners, such as Acesulfame K (Ace-K) or Saccharin, will provide a way to measure the contribution of human urine in the water. These sweeteners are not found in nature
and are not broken down by the human digestive system, so their presence in lake water will be correlated with human impact or septic leakage. Students hope to develop methods to measure artificial sweetener levels in local high-use lakes. If successful, this method could then be applied to find and monitor older leaking septic tanks and understand their contribution to microplastic and other freshwater contamination.
Other research points to the synergistic effects of microplastics and the herbicide Roundup on zooplankton such as Daphnia. Some students will be looking at the effects of fertilizers and yard herbicides and pesticides commonly used in residential and recreation areas such as golf courses and resorts. In the laboratory, Daphnia will be exposed to various levels and types of these compounds in combination with microplastics to explore whether there are also negative synergistic consequences. This data will shed important insight on the use of these chemicals considering microplastic levels have become a growing presence in our water sources.
Invertebrates are another important part of Adirondack ecosystems as the base of the food web. Antibiotic contamination in water sources can lead to an altered gut microbiome for wildlife exposed to that water source. Recent studies suggest that larvae without a robust gut microbiome are even more sensitive to heavy metal exposure. One student project explores the effect of microplastic exposure on the reduced gut microbiomes in Drosophila melanogaster, the common fruit fly. The results of these experiments will highlight the consequences of multiple, combined contaminants on water invertebrates in Adirondack lakes.
Another area of study evolved from collaborative work with Dr. Paul Jensen, adjunct professor at SUNY ESF, who is creating a long-term wildlife monitoring program focused on the forests of the Adirondack Park. This project uses trail cameras to begin an inventory and monitor mammals in the Lake Placid area. Data is collected every six weeks and images from the cameras along with climate data will be recorded in a database. This work will help meet an immediate need for baseline wildlife inventory data and serve as a platform for assessing drivers of ecological change, such as global warming, over time. By sharing data with the New York State agencies responsible for the stewardship and management of private and public lands within the Adirondack Park, this project will create new partnerships for our school and will provide an opportunity for our students to present their work to the broader community.
A final area of environmental study will be looking at the effects of road salt on sugar maple trees. Around 320 million pounds of salt is applied to roads in the Adirondack Park every year leading to some lakes in the High Peaks region having 100 times more chloride than expected. (Adirondack Watershed Institute). Maple trees are sensitive to and have a low tolerance for salty conditions leading to twig dieback and reduction in sap production. One project samples soil, leaves, and sap from trees near the Cascade Lakes during the fall and again in the spring to determine if sodium and chloride ions can be detected, and if the levels are significantly different before and after the winter season. Once students have analyzed the effects of road salt on these trees, they will work to determine viable solutions for remediations.
Our STEM Research Program provides a platform for students to be immersed in the natural history of the region. Hands-on training in scientific research, including hypothesis generation and testing, and data analysis, will enable students to gain valuable experience in collaboration. By sharing their data and presenting their findings as poster projects or webinars to the wider community
—JILL WALKER, DIRECTOR, ADVANCED STEM RESEARCH PROGRAM
at a symposium at the end of the year, the students’ communication skills will be sharpened, and the greater community will be informed of the research.
ACADEMIC PHILOSOPHY AND APPROACH TO EDUCATION
Northwood School’s academic philosophy builds on the school’s mission and serves as the foundation for all aspects of the curriculum. Northwood School prepares students to shape the future. We engage students in the active pursuit of knowledge and believe that students learn best through exploration and inquiry. Students gain resilience, become independent thinkers, and challenge perspectives by forming relationships with their teachers and peers. The Northwood experience is rooted in the Adirondacks and creates confident, globally minded students, ready to innovate and adapt to our everchanging world.
