Ecological Diversity Indices: Any Hope for One Again?

Abstract

The problem of answering the dual question of how many species exist on the earth’s surface and why are there more species in some areas than others has intrigue ecologists for some time as it raises fundamental issues concerning speciation, adaptation and evolution. Diversity has recently become a popular term for the variety of the organism at different spatial scale. Its measurement has equally generated a heated argument as authors vary in this respect. This paper critically evaluates the various indices used in measuring diversity. The general position of this paper is that despite the multiplicity of opinion on the devices for measuring diversity, one fundamental point is that any technique, which is deemed to carry the time, must encompass species richness as well as their distribution in space.

Key Words: Ecology, Diversity, Species, Evenness, Richness