Species Richness (S) Calculator
Understanding Species Richness (S)
Species Richness (S) is the simplest measure of biodiversity and is defined as the total number of different species present in a given area or community.
Calculation:
S = Count of unique species types
For example, if a sample contains 5 individuals of Species A, 3 of Species B, and 0 of Species C, the species richness (S) is 2 (Species A and Species B are present).
Significance:
- Richness is a fundamental component of biodiversity.
- Higher richness often indicates a more stable and resilient ecosystem, though this can depend on the identity and roles of the species.
- It's easy to understand and calculate.
Limitations:
- Species richness does not account for the relative abundance (evenness) of species. A community with 99 individuals of Species A and 1 of Species B has the same richness (S=2) as a community with 50 of Species A and 50 of Species B, but their ecological diversity might be perceived differently.
- It can be heavily influenced by sampling effort; more sampling may uncover rare species, increasing S.
- It doesn't distinguish between native and non-native species, or the ecological roles of species.
Other indices like Shannon's or Simpson's diversity indices incorporate both richness and evenness.
How to Use:
- Enter the number of individuals (count) for each species identified in your sample.
- Use the "Add Species" button to create more input rows as needed. If a species has 0 individuals, it will not contribute to richness.
- Click "Calculate Richness" to see the results.