Index of Diversity

 

What is Species diversity?

Community 1

Community 2 

The formula to measure the index of diversity

value for N – 1

Maximum diversity

 

 

Introduction

 

Species diversity is described as the number of species in a community. The more species, the higher the diversity. What if there are two separate communities like this:

 

    • Community #1 has 150 individuals per each of 20 different species (3000 individuals in total)

    • Community #2 has 10 individuals per each of 19 species, and 2990 individuals of the last species (3000 individuals in total)

It doesn’t take a complex formula to figure out that community #1 is far more diverse compared to community #2, despite them having the same number of species and individuals. The distribution of individuals to species is important in determining a community’s diversity.

 

The above example is easy enough, but for most purposes a formula is needed. This formula measures the index of diversity, which is simply a measure of diversity in a community. By calculating it and obtaining a numerical value, different communities can be easily compared.

 

Right here it comes….

No, don’t run away yet! Wait and see how easy it is to work out….

    • D = Diversity index
    • N = total number of all organisms
    • n = total number of organisms of each species
    • Σ = sum of

Now it’s simply a matter of replacing numbers…..

Test Call to Action!

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