Ecology

Shannon Diversity Index Calculator

Find the Shannon biodiversity index from species counts.

Calculated Output

Shannon index 1.846

Formula: H = -sum(p * log2(p))

Step-by-Step Breakdown

1. Values used:

2. Species 1 count = 10

3. Species 2 count = 20

4. Species 3 count = 30

5. Species 4 count = 40

7. Shannon index = 1.846

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The math behind it

H = -sum(p_i x log2(p_i)), where p_i is the proportion of each species. Higher H means more diverse.

10, 20, 30, 40 give H about 1.85.

What is a typical H value?

Often between 1.5 and 3.5; reaching 4+ reflects very high diversity.