Community Science
Community science projects provide an opportunity to increase scientific literacy, learn about active research occurring locally, be part of a community, build appreciation for the natural environment, and work outdoors conducting field work!
The Field Station operates several Community Science projects with different time commitments; however, all projects require training and practice. The Field Station provides all of the necessary equipment and gear.
- Oyster Cage Monitoring (in partnership with the Billion Oyster Project)
- Fish Abundance and Diversity off Piermont Pier - seine netting
- Microplastics Survey
- Plankton Survey
- Marine Debris Survey-Coming Soon
- Water Quality Monitoring-Coming Soon
GET INVOLVED:
If you are interested in community science opportunities, please contact Marisa Annunziato, Education & Outreach Coordinator. Participants must be at least 12 years of age, and minors must be accompanied by an adult.
If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to contact Marisa Annunziato, Education & Outreach Coordinator.
Project Details
When Henry Hudson arrived in New York City in 1609, there were approximately 350 square miles of oyster reefs in the harbor and surrounding waters. While oysters were particularly abundant in the New York Harbor in recent history, large mounds of oysters, called “middens” were historically found in the Hudson Valley. Lamont scientists identified the remains of a fossil oyster beds (Crassostrea virginica) on the Hudson River bottom from Piermont to Haverstraw Bay. Radiocarbon-dated sediment cores indicate that the oysters thrived during two time periods from ~500-2,400 and ~5,600-6,100 years ago when temperatures were warm (Carbotte et. al., 2004). During the summer of 2019, a Lamont scientist found live oysters growing on water monitoring equipment off of Piermont Pier. Perhaps wild oysters are returning to this area once again!
Oyster reefs are incredibly important for the Hudson River ecosystem for a variety of reasons: they provide habitat and food for a variety of fish and invertebrates, they have a powerful ability to filter water (especially of nitrogen pollution) as they filter feed, and they can protect the coastlines from storm damage by absorbing wave energy, reducing flooding and preventing erosion. Unfortunately, the once thriving and abundant New York oyster reefs have been diminished due to overharvest, dredging, landfill, and sewage pollution.
The monitoring of oyster cages throughout the lower Hudson River and New York Harbor will identify suitable habitats for further oyster restoration efforts. The restoration of oysters reefs will result in a cleaner Hudson River and greater biodiversity!
COMMUNITY SCIENTISTS WILL:
- Attend a training to understand the history and importance of oysters in our Hudson River ecosystem.
- Measure and record data about each of the oysters in the cages.
- Identify and record data about any other creatures that have made a home in the oyster cages.
WHEN: Typically spring, summer, and fall.
WHERE: Piermont Pier
WHO: Everyone! Children under the age of 18 must be accompanied by an adult.
GET INVOLVED: To attend trainings & participate, contact Marisa Annunziato, Education & Outreach Coordinator
This project is coordinated by the Billion Oyster Project.
Piermont Pier is located in the lower Hudson Reach toward the bottom of the wide bays of the Hudson River Estuary. The wide bays are shallow, nutrient rich, and the widest part of the Hudson (stretching about 3 miles wide in Haverstraw Bay). These key characteristics make this area a critical habitat and nursery for many native species and migratory fish. In fact, Haverstraw Bay of the wide bays section is rated and designated as the most significant coastal fish and wildlife habitat in the Hudson. Biological data collection is important for us to better understand the biodiversity and population dynamics that exist in our special home on the Hudson.
COMMUNITY SCIENTISTS WILL:
- Learn how to catch fish with a seine net in the shallow waters off of Piermont Pier wearing waders.
- Identify, count, and measure the fish and invertebrates that get caught in our net.
- Help record this data to be added to our long term data set.
WHEN: Seasonal Science Saturday Events (June through September)
WHERE: Piermont Pier
WHO: Everyone! Children under the age of 18 must be accompanied by an adult.
GET INVOLVED: Any questions? Contact Marisa Annunziato, Education & Outreach Coordinator
With ~80% of marine debris originating from land based sources, individual actions and waste management have a significant impact on our neighboring waterways and the ocean. The Hudson River watershed covers almost 13,400 square miles where water flows from the land to the Hudson River. The actions taken by nearly 5 million people living in the Hudson River watershed dictate the health of the Hudson. Crowdsourcing and collective action are powerful tools that can address local plastic pollution. Through community scientists, we will be able to collect data that can grow our understanding of the spatial and temporal distribution of microplastics in the Hudson and to increase awareness and environmental stewardship around the challenge of marine debris and microplastics.
COMMUNITY SCIENTISTS WILL:
- Attend a training to learn the methodology and understand the various types, sources, environmental impacts, and health implications of plastic debris and microplastic pollution.
- Collect, filter, identify, and count the various types of microplastics from Hudson water samples.
- Record the data to increase our understanding of microplastic pollution in the Hudson Valley.
WHEN: Seasonal (March through November)
WHERE: Piermont Pier
WHO: Everyone! Children under the age of 18 must be accompanied by an adult.
GET INVOLVED: Any questions? Contact Marisa Annunziato, Education & Outreach Coordinator
Plankton are microscopic organisms that can be found in the world's oceans, lakes, estuaries, and rivers. Though small, they play a massive role in the Earth's ecosystem. There are two categories of plankton: phytoplankton and zooplankton. Phytoplankton are primary producers in an estuary. They are the aquatic meadows for small consumers and herbivorous fishes, such as menhaden, herring, and bay anchovy. Phytoplankton, through photosynthesis, convert light energy into chemical energy. During photosynthesis they take up carbon dioxide and release oxygen. Zooplankton are microscopic animals found in all aquatic habitats, but they are most numerous in coastal and estuarine environments. The zooplankton community of the Hudson estuary is diverse and includes copepods, water fleas, young snails, young barnacles, etc. These organisms play an important role in estuarine food webs by forming a link between the primary food sources and secondary consumers.
Despite their small size, phytoplankton and zooplankton play a vital role in the Hudson Estuary ecosystem as a source of nutrients and food for small fish, crustaceans, and the broader food web. The plankton community in the Hudson is dynamic, with certain species dominating at different times of the year. The plankton community in the brackish zone of the Hudson Estuary has not been well studied and there is still much to learn about the trends and seasonality of zooplankton and phytoplankton in the brackish environments. Community scientists will help to increase understanding of the plankton community and how it changes throughout the year and investigate how environmental conditions such as water temperature and salinity impact which species are present.
COMMUNITY SCIENTISTS WILL:
- Attend a training to learn the methodology and understand the various types of phytoplankton and zooplankton that can be found in the Hudson Estuary and environmental factors that can influence their abundance and distribution in the estuary.
- Collect, identify and count the various types of plankton from Hudson water samples.
- Record the data to increase our understanding of the plankton community in the brackish section of the Hudson Estuary.
- Record any microscopic observations in plankton water samples.
WHEN: Seasonal (March-November)
WHERE: Piermont Pier
WHO: Everyone! Children under 18 must be accompanied by a parent.
GET INVOLVED: To attend trainings & participate, contact Marisa Annunziato, Education & Outreach Coordinator
Marine debris, or marine litter, is any persistent human-created solid material that has ended up in a marine or aquatic environment, either intentionally or accidentally. Floating marine litter tends to accumulate along coastlines and in oceanic gyres. It is a global problem, no corner of the ocean, even the most remote shorelines, is devoid of our trash. Marine debris poses serious risks to ecosystem health, entangling marine life, being accidentally ingested, leaking toxins into the environment and even transporting non-native species. Furthermore, marine debris can impact human economies, impacting tourism as dirty beaches covered in trash entice few tourists. Glass shards and other hazardous debris can even injure humans along beaches and shorelines. Plastic marine debris over time degrades into microplastics and subsequently nanoplastics; we have yet to fully understand all the implications these small plastic particles have on human and ecosystem health.
Through community scientists, we will be able to collect data that can grow our understanding of the distribution and potential sources of marine debris in the Hudson and to increase awareness and environmental stewardship around the challenge of marine debris and subsequently microplastics.
COMMUNITY SCIENTISTS WILL:
- Attend a training to learn the methodology and understand the various types, sources, and environmental impacts of marine debris.
- Survey, collect, identify, and count the various types of marine debris found along Piermont Pier.
- Record the data to increase our understanding of marine debris in the Hudson estuary.
WHEN: Seasonal (March-November)
WHERE: Piermont Pier
WHO: Everyone! Children under 18 must be accompanied by a parent.
GET INVOLVED: To attend trainings & participate, contact Marisa Annunziato, Education & Outreach Coordinator
The water quality of the Hudson has improved drastically since the Clean Water Act of 1972. However, the Hudson still periodically faces water quality challenges, particularly due to elevated bacteria levels.
High levels of bacteria in the Hudson occur after a rainstorm due to a 19th century wastewater treatment system called combined sewage overflow (CSO). Older cities along the Hudson such as New York City, Yonkers, Albany, and others are designed with a wastewater system that collects sewage and gray water from buildings and storm drain water in the same pipes and sends it to the wastewater treatment plant before it is released into the natural environment. During periods of rainfall, the combination of sewage and stormwater volume exceeds the wastewater treatment plant’s capacity. To prevent the sewage from backing up, the system is designed to overflow and discharge the untreated sewage and storm drain water directly into the Hudson and other water bodies during excessive rain. Due to the high volume of municipal wastewater, it only takes approximately 0.1 inch of rain in an hour or 0.4 inches of rain over an entire day to induce a CSO event.
With the help of a dedicated team of community scientists, we can measure Enterococcus (Entero) levels, a fecal indicator bacteria. Entero is a useful water quality indicator because it is abundant in sewage and correlated with human pathogens.
COMMUNITY SCIENTISTS WILL:
- Attend a training to learn the methodology, the environmental impacts, and health implications of elevated bacteria levels.
- Understand how Entero can be a useful water quality indicator.
- Collect, identify, and count the number of enterococci in Hudson water samples.
- Record the data to increase our understanding of water quality in the Hudson Estuary.
- Allow for more well-informed water advisories for Piermont.
WHEN: All Year
WHERE: Piermont Pier
WHO: Everyone! Children under 18 must be accompanied by a parent.
GET INVOLVED: To attend trainings & participate, contact Marisa Annunziato, Education & Outreach Coordinator