Simpson's Diversity Index

• A measure of habitat diversity accounts for species richness and species evenness of a habitat using the equation: D = 1-[Σ (n/N)^2] (n = number of individuals of a species, N = total number of individuals of all species)
• Always get a value between 0 and 1; High value (close to 1) = more diverse, can usually cope with change and low value (close to 0 ) = less stable and easily damaged by change
• High value indicates a highly biodiverse habitat with high species richness, evenly represented, it tends to be stable and able to withstand change; these habitats should be conserved and not used for development projects