Simpson's Diversity Index

Definition

Simpson's Diversity Index is a quantitative measure used to assess the diversity or evenness of species within an ecosystem. It takes into account both the number of different species present and their relative abundance.

Analogy

Think of Simpson's Diversity Index as calculating how evenly jellybeans are distributed among different colors in a jar. If all colors have similar numbers, then diversity is high. But if one color dominates while others are scarce, diversity is low.

Related terms

Biodiversity Hotspot: These are areas with exceptionally high levels of biodiversity that face significant threats from human activities.

Genetic Diversity: This term refers to the variation in genetic characteristics within and between populations of organisms.

Shannon-Wiener Index: Another method for measuring biodiversity that considers both species richness and evenness.