A proposed index for estimating ecosystem diversity

Abstract

An ecosystem diversity index was proposed by the present study. The proposed index (H_wd ) considers not only the species compositions of the meta communities and their land cover areas but also heterogeneities of their geographical distributions. H_wd is therefore includes fractal dimension (w_j ) as well as Shannon-like expression of average conflict (H_d ). Estimation of ecosystem evenness was also given in the present study. With regard to ecosystem evenness (E_wd ), the proposed equation is H_wd⁄(2 ln⁡K ) since maximum fractal dimension value of a meta community equals to 2 (w_maxj=2). The purpose of the ecosystem diversity and evenness indices give the information as numerical data about the general conditions of the ecosystems. Both of the indices may therefore be employed for monitoring and comparing the ecosystems.

Keywords

• ekoloji
• biyoçeşitlilik
• ekosistem
• entropi
• ecology
• biodiversity
• ecosystem
• entropy