The Shannon Index is a mathematical expression used to measure diversity that takes both species richness and species evenness into account. A higher H value
A) indicates a higher certainty about species composition and greater diversity.
B) indicates a lower certainty about species composition and less diversity.
C) indicates a lower certainty about species composition and greater diversity.
D) indicates a higher certainty about species composition and less diversity.
E) None of the above

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

A higher H value indicates a lower certainty about species composition because it indicates that the community has more evenly distributed abundances among species. However, it also indicates greater diversity because the community is composed of a larger number of species. This is the essence of the Shannon Index - it takes into account both species richness and evenness, so a higher H value represents a balance between these two aspects of diversity.

The Shannon Index Is a Mathematical Expression Used to Measure