Shannon index

The Shannon index is a way to measure diversity within a community, such as a forest, ocean, or city. It considers both the number of different species (richness) and how evenly individuals are spread among those species (evenness). A higher Shannon index indicates a more diverse community with many species and balanced populations, while a lower index suggests fewer species or dominance by one or a few. This measure helps scientists understand ecosystem health and resilience by capturing the complexity of biological communities in a single number.