Shannon Index - Soil Biodiversity (Updated)

The Shannon index measures the soil biodiversity. Health Do you want to know more about the Shannon index? Stick around and we will explain it in more detail.

What is the Shannon index?

The ÍShannon indexalso known as the Shannon Entropyis a statistical measure widely used in a variety of fields for quantifying the diversity and richness of species in a habitat. This index takes into account not only the number of species present, but also the fairness of their distribution, providing a detailed overview of biodiversity.

Your implementation is crucial in soil biodiversity studies, where it assesses the relative abundance and the species uniformityThe data provided are essential for the conservation and ecosystem management.

The Shannon Index is particularly valued in environmental and biological research for its ability to reflect the ecological complexity of a community of species, making it a indispensable tool for ecologists and biologists around the world.

In short, soil biodiversity refers to the number of different micro-organisms. Species richness is the number of species found in the field. To define biodiversity objectively, the Shannon Index.

How is the Shannon Index or biodiversity calculated?

Now that we understand the importance and purpose of the Shannon Index in the assessment of biodiversity, it is essential to look at how it can be calculation methodology.

How exactly is the Shannon Index or biodiversity calculated? This section will detail the steps and formulas used to quantify species diversity, providing a clear overview of how this index becomes a vital quantitative tool in environmental and biological studies.

Where:

• S - Number of species
• pi - Proportion of individuals of each species in relation to the total: ni/N
• ni - Number of individuals of species i
• N - Number of individuals of all species
• H' - Result of the equation which normally varies between 0.5 and 5. Less than 2 is low and more than 3 is high in relation to biodiversity.

Shannon Index greater than 3 equals high biodiversity.

This indicates that the number of species is as important as the variety and uniformity of concentrations of each species.

How can I analyse biodiversity?

The analysis of micro-organisms quality indicators provide a detailed understanding of biodiversity to see if our ecosystem is resilient to change or if it is in balance and can be monitored through our microbiological analysis.

Balance is essential so that no one micro-organism proliferates above the others and causes problems.

It is imbalances that cause diseases in lawns, and with biodynamic field management many problems can be solved. At Tiloom we have developed a biodynamic protocol to improve the biodiversity of your golf course or football pitch. If your irrigation water is of origin residualFor example, biodiversity will decrease significantly compared to urban or well water.

Pesticide use disrupts the biological balance of the soil

Soil is a living and dynamic entity. Important processes take place in the soil that directly and indirectly impact plant growth. Tiloom recommends the use of biopesticides y biofertilisers to improve agronomic management. Nutrient cycling, the mineralisation of organic matter or the ability to exude phytohormones or control pathogens are some of the functions of these micro-organisms.

Knowing biodiversity is a further step in moving closer to the biodynamic practices and greener.

If you want to know more about how to characterise your soil contact us at soporte@tiloom.com