1. What is Simpson's Diversity Index?

Simpson's Diversity Index (D) measures biodiversity in a community. It represents the probability that two individuals randomly selected from a sample will belong to different species. Higher values indicate greater diversity.

2. How Does the Calculator Work?

The calculator uses Simpson's Diversity Index formula:

Where:

• \( p_i \) — Proportion of individuals belonging to species i
• \( \sum \) — Summation across all species

Explanation: The index calculates the probability that two randomly selected individuals belong to different species by subtracting the sum of squared proportions from 1.

3. Importance of Diversity Measurement

Details: Diversity indices are crucial in ecology for assessing ecosystem health, monitoring conservation efforts, and understanding community structure and stability.

4. Using the Calculator

Tips: Enter species proportions as comma-separated values between 0 and 1. The sum of all proportions must equal 1.0. For example: "0.3,0.5,0.2" for three species.

5. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q1: What does a Simpson's Index of 0 mean?
A: A value of 0 indicates no diversity (only one species present in the community).

Q2: What is the maximum possible value?
A: The maximum approaches 1 as diversity increases, representing a community where each individual likely belongs to a different species.

Q3: How does this differ from Shannon's Index?
A: Simpson's Index emphasizes dominant species, while Shannon's Index gives more weight to species richness and evenness.

Q4: When should I use Simpson's Index?
A: It's particularly useful when concerned with dominant species or when sample sizes are small.

Q5: Are there limitations to this index?
A: Like all diversity indices, it simplifies complex ecological relationships and should be interpreted alongside other ecological data.