Species diversity is the effective number of different species that are represented in a collection of individuals (a dataset). The effective number of species refers to the number of equally-abundant species needed to obtain the same mean proportional species abundance as that observed in the dataset of interest (where all species may not be equally abundant). Species diversity consists of two components, species richness and species evenness. Species richness is a simple count of species, whereas species evenness quantifies how equal the abundances of the species are.
Read more about Species Diversity: Calculation of Diversity, Diversity Indices, Sampling Considerations, Trends in Species Diversity
Famous quotes containing the words species and/or diversity:
“The principle of avoiding the unnecessary expenditure of energy has enabled the species to survive in a world full of stimuli; but it prevents the survival of the aristocracy.”
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“What we have to do ... is to find a way to celebrate our diversity and debate our differences without fracturing our communities.”
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