[Ecoed] Comparing Diversities

[Jerrold Zar]

The statistical comparison of two Shannon diversity indices can be done by a t test offered by Hutchinson (1970, J. Theoret. Biol. 29: 151-154).  This test is described in Zar (1999, Biostatistical Analysis, p. 156-158).  

In order to use the usual t test, you would have to have replicate samples.  Replicates would also be needed to test for difference among more than two indices via analysis of variance (ANOVA).  

Jerrold H. Zar
Department of Biological Sciences

====================================================================

>>> William E Williams <WEWilliams at smcm.edu> 1/21/2008 9:01 PM >>>
Dear Ecoed,

A student of mine wants to compare the diversity of two similar  
communities in different places. Can someone point me at references  
about how to do this? Is it possible to determine whether, for  
example, two values of the Shannon index are significantly different?  
I have this feeling that I've seen such comparisons somewhere, but a  
quick search of my bookshelf and the web didn't turn up anything useful.

-W2

William E. Williams <mailto:WEWilliams at smcm.edu>
Professor of Biology
Saint Mary's College of Maryland
18952 E Fisher Rd, Saint Marys City, MD 20686
(240)895-4365