Welcome to the Bronx River Biodiversity Project! This educational tool uses real scientific data from a 2021-2022 study of aquatic insect communities in the highly urbanized Bronx River watershed.
The Research
Data collected by Dr. Matthew J. Lundquist and Elizabeth A. Scott (Marymount Manhattan College) and published in Northeastern Naturalist (2023). The study examined patterns of aquatic insect biodiversity in one of NYC's few remaining freshwater rivers.
Citation: Lundquist, M.J., and E.A. Scott. 2023. Patterns of Aquatic Insect Biodiversity in the Highly Urbanized Bronx River, NY. Northeastern Naturalist 30(2):122–134.
Why Aquatic Insects?
Aquatic insects are crucial indicators of stream health. They play essential roles in aquatic ecosystems:
- Bioindicators: Their presence/absence reveals water quality and habitat conditions
- Food web links: Critical prey for fish, amphibians, and birds
- Ecosystem function: Break down organic matter and cycle nutrients
- Pollution sensitivity: Different taxa tolerate different levels of disturbance
Urban Stream Syndrome
Urbanization dramatically impacts streams through increased impervious surfaces, chemical runoff, habitat degradation, and altered water flow patterns. The Bronx River watershed is 74% urbanized, making it an ideal system to study how aquatic insect communities respond to intense urban pressure and whether biodiversity can persist in highly developed watersheds.
Study Methods
Sites: 7 locations along the Bronx River from urban Bronx to suburban Westchester County
Sampling: Kick-net sampling (5 one-meter quadrats per site, 60 seconds each) in riffle habitats during 2021 and 2022
Identification: Aquatic insects identified to genus or family level
Your Role
You'll formulate and test hypotheses about biodiversity patterns using real field data, conduct statistical analyses, and interpret results in the context of urban stream ecology. The background provided here is intentionally limited to study context and methods so you can investigate the patterns yourself.