Suppose that the gamma diversity for a marshy habitat and the gamma diversity for a sandy habitat are comparable for a particular geographic region, but the alpha diversity for marshy habitats tends to be much greater than the alpha diversity for sandy habitats. We could conclude that
A) beta diversity is higher in marshy habitats.
B) beta diversity is roughly the same in both marshy and sandy habitats.
C) beta diversity is lower in marshy habitats.
D) the Shannon index is higher in marshy habitats, but Sorenson's index is lower.
E) the Shannon index is lower in marshy habitats, but Sorenson's index is higher.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

If the gamma diversity is comparable between the two habitat types, but the alpha diversity is much greater for marshy habitats, it suggests that there is less turnover in species composition among marshy habitats than among sandy habitats. This implies that beta diversity is lower in marshy habitats, as the species present are more consistent across sites.

Suppose That the Gamma Diversity for a Marshy Habitat and the Gamma