Question

measures of diversity

species | number of individuals
--- | --- | ---
| field 1 | field 2
buttercup | 300 | 45
dandelion | 345 | 35
daisy | 355 | 920
total | 1,000 | 1,000

compare the species evenness between field 1 and field 2.
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which site has more biodiversity? explain your reasoning.
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Explanation:

1. Compare the species evenness between Field 1 and Field 2

Species evenness refers to how evenly individuals are distributed among species. In Field 1, the number of individuals for buttercup is 300, dandelion is 345, and daisy is 355. These values are relatively close to each other. In Field 2, buttercup has 45, dandelion has 35, and daisy has 920. The number of daisy individuals is much larger than the other two species, so the distribution is less even. Thus, Field 1 has greater species evenness as its species' population sizes are more balanced.

Biodiversity is influenced by species richness (number of species, both have 3 here) and species evenness. Since both fields have the same number of species (3), species evenness becomes the key factor. Field 1 has greater species evenness (more balanced population sizes among species) than Field 2 (where one species is dominant). Higher evenness contributes to greater biodiversity as it reflects a more stable and diverse community structure.

Answer:

Field 1 has greater species evenness. In Field 1, the number of individuals across the three species (300, 345, 355) is more balanced, while in Field 2, daisy has a dominant number of individuals (920) compared to buttercup (45) and dandelion (35), leading to a less even distribution.

2. Which site has more biodiversity? Explain your reasoning.