Shannon's index and Simpson's index are both measurements of a community's level of diversity. What does it mean when, after calculating these two indices for a given community, the results show the Simpson's index = 1, while the Shannon's index = 0?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

When Simpson's index is 1, it means that one species dominates the community and there is no diversity. When Shannon's index is 0, it means that there is only one species present in the community. Therefore, both indices are indicating the same thing - the community has no diversity. This is the only possible explanation for the given results, so the answer is C.

Shannon's Index and Simpson's Index Are Both Measurements of a Community's