Name:
Teacher Name:
Species Diversity Lab Report
Prelab
1. Explain how the species richness of an ecosystem is determined.
Species richness is determined by counting the number of different species
present in a area of ecosystem.
2. Identify two abiotic factors in an ecosystem that could result in a high species richness.
Nutrient availability and Water availability
3. Explain why species richness alone can’t be used to evaluate the health of an ecosystem.
Species richness does not consider the amount of each species or their role in
ecosystem. There could be many species, but only a few have a large population.
Experimental Design
Write a testable hypothesis for this lab investigation.
Those with greater nutrient availability will have more species diversity than those
with lower nutrient availability.
Nutrient availability
The independent variable is
Species richness
The dependent variable is
Briefly describe how you would design an experiment to determine the biodiversity of
Choose two places with varying nutrients levels.
.
Using quadrats, sample and count plant species in each location.
Compare the species richness of the two places.
Procedure
1. Pick two areas in your selected location to investigate.
2. Establish a quadrat within one of the selected areas identified.
3. Create a data table to record the species and number of individuals in the species.
4. Record the essential field sampling details, including the date, time, location, general
weather conditions, and a comprehensive field site description. Note the air
temperature if feasible.
5. Within your quadrat, determine the total number of plant species observed. If you can
identify a species by its scientific or common name, include it in the data table.
Otherwise, label them as Species 1, Species 2, etc., or devise names based on the
plant’s characteristics (color, size, shape). Compile a list of each species, accompanied
by a brief identification and a simple sketch.
6. For each identified species, tally and record the number of individuals within the
quadrat. In cases where a species is highly abundant, you can use a sampling strategy,
counting individuals in a small area and extrapolating that number across the entire
quadrat.
7. Repeat steps 3-6 in the second designated area you initially identified.
Data
Table 1 Experimental Conditions
Location Date Time Air Temp. Weather General Description
(oF)
Sunny and Grassy field with
3/9/2025 10:00 68 F streams around
clear skies
Partly cloudy Forest
3/9/2025 12:00 70 F
Table 2 Species Description
Species Description
1 green grass
2 dandelion and yellow flowers
3 low-lying ferns
4 clover and purple flowers
Table 3 Species Description
Species Description
1 tall oak saplings
2 shrubs with white flowers
3 ivy-like ground cover
4 rocks covered with moss
Table 4: Species Calculations
Species Number of Pi ln Pi Pi (ln Pi)
Individuals
1 50 0.5 -0.6931 -0.3466
2 30 0.3 -1.2040 -0.3612
3 15 0.15 -1.8971 -0.2846
4 5 0.05 -2.9957 -0.1498
Table 5: Species Calculations
Species Number of Pi ln Pi Pi (ln Pi)
Individuals
1 40 0.4 -0.9163 -0.3665
2 35 0.35 -1.0498 -0.3674
3 15 0.15 -1.8971 -0.2846
4 19 0.1 -2.3026 -0.2303
Species Number of Pi ln Pi Pi (ln Pi)
Individuals
Species Richness
1. How can you determine the species richness of each area based on the data collected
during your sampling?
Count the number of different species in each area
1: 4 different species
2: 4 different species
2. Why is species richness considered a fundamental metric in assessing biodiversity?
It shows how many species exist in a habitat, which helps provide insight about
biodiversity levels.
3. What does a higher species richness suggest about the biodiversity of an area
compared to a lower species richness?
Higher species richnes indicates a greater variety of species and more stable
ecosystems.
Species Diversity
1. How does the Shannon Diversity Index (H) provide a quantitative measure of species
diversity?
Area 1: H = 1.1422
Area 2: H = 1.2488
The Shannon Diversity Index (H) measures species diversity by considering both
the number of species and how evenly individuals are distributed. A higher H
means more variety and balance, while a lower H shows fewer species or
dominance by a few.
2. Interpret the implications of a lower Shannon Diversity Index in terms of species
diversity within an ecosystem or community.
A lower Shannon Index suggests less diversity and potentially fewer species
contributing equally to the ecosystem.
3. What significance does a higher Shannon Diversity Index hold for the biodiversity of an
ecosystem or community?
A higher index reflects more balanced and diverse species distribution, indicating a
healthier ecosystem.
Species Evenness
1. Why is species evenness an important metric when assessing the distribution of
species within an ecosystem?
Evenness shows how evenly individuals are spread among species, which
contributes to the stability of an ecosystem.
2. How does a species evenness value of 1 differ from a value close to 0 in terms of the
distribution of species abundances?
A value of 1 means all species have equal numbers of individuals.
A value close to 0 means one species dominates, while others are rare.
3. Explain the potential ecological implications of low species evenness in an ecosystem.
Low evenness can lead to an unstable ecosystem, as dominant species may
outcompete others, reducing biodiversity.
Analysis
1. Describe the differences in species richness, species diversity, and species evenness
between the two areas. Identify two factors contributing to these differences.
Area 1 had lower species diversity (H = 1.1422) compared to Area 2 (H = 1.2488).
Factors contributing to these differences include habitat structure (open grassland
vs. forest) and nutrient availability.
2. Where was your data collected? Did you see any limitations in data collection? How could
the experimental procedure be modified for improvement?
Limited sample size (only two quadrats) might not fully represent biodiversity.
Improvement: Increase the number of sample areas to get a more accurate
measure.
3. Explain the importance of considering all three indices (species richness, Shannon Diversity
Index, species evenness) to assess ecosystem health.
Species richness, Shannon Index, and species evenness together provide a fuller
picture of ecosystem health. Each metric offers a unique perspective on biodiversity
and stability.
4. Describe the changes anticipated in an ecosystem after a flood or wildfire. Explain how
these changes could affect species richness, evenness, and diversity.
A flood or wildfire would likely reduce species richness and evenness initially. Over
time, new species might colonize the area, increasing diversity and species
richness during recovery.
