BRAINCAKESpecies Richness
Species richness is the number of different species present in a particular area or habitat. It is the simplest way to measure biodiversity within a habitat.
It is found by sampling, because it is rarely possible to count every organism in a habitat. Common methods include:
1. Quadrats for plants and slow-moving animals, placed at random positions (for example using random coordinates from a grid) to avoid bias.
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Key terms in this lesson
- index of diversity
- A single number that measures the biodiversity of a habitat, taking into account both species richness and the abundance of each species.
More in Biodiversity
- Biodiversity
- The Importance of Biodiversity
- Endemic Species
- Species Abundance
- Index of Diversity
- Biodiversity of Different Habitats
- Changing Biodiversity
- Allele Frequency
All 22 lessons in Biodiversity · All Edexcel AS-level Biology topics