Biodiversity is split into:
1) Species richness: the number fo different species in a habitat; a qualitative measure
2) Species eveness: the relative abundance of individual species; a quantiative measure
Biodiversity is measured using the Simpsons Diversity Index.
This takes into account both species eveness and richness.
D = 1 - [ (n/N) ]
Example:
Low number on Simpsons index --> sominated by a few speices --> a small change could effect one of these species and damage the whole habitat.
High number on Simpsons index --> more diverse habitat with many different species and organisms --> a small change in the habitat may effect one species which is a lower proportion of the total
Comments
No comments have yet been made