What are the two factors that define species diversity?

Species diversity is an important ecological concept that captures the variety of different kinds of organisms in a given area. It is typically defined by two main components: species richness and species evenness.

Species richness refers to the total number of different species present in a particular community or ecosystem. This aspect provides a straightforward count of how many unique species exist in the area under consideration.

Species evenness, on the other hand, measures how evenly the individuals in a community are distributed among the different species. In other words, it considers the relative abundance of each species. A community with high evenness means that species are represented by similar numbers of individuals, while low evenness indicates that a few species dominate the community.

Together, these two factors—species richness and species evenness—provide a comprehensive understanding of species diversity, allowing ecologists to assess the health and stability of ecosystems. High species diversity often correlates with resilient ecosystems that can better withstand environmental changes.