Shannon-Wiener index

The Shannon-Wiener index is a measure used by ecologists to quantify the diversity of a community, such as plants or animals. It considers both the number of different species present and how evenly individuals are distributed among those species. A higher index indicates a richer and more balanced ecosystem with many species represented fairly equally, while a lower index suggests fewer species or dominance by only a few. This index helps us understand the complexity and health of ecosystems, providing insight into biodiversity and ecological stability.