Alpha, beta, and gamma diversity are commonly used measures to assess different aspects of biodiversity at various spatial scales. Let’s look at each of them:
Alpha Diversity
- Alpha diversity represents the diversity within a particular habitat or local area. It quantifies the number of species or taxa present within a specific location.
- It provides insights into the species richness and evenness within a single ecosystem or site.
- Alpha diversity is usually measured using indices like species richness, Shannon-Wiener index, or Simpson’s index.
Beta Diversity
- Beta diversity quantifies the change in species composition or turnover between different habitats or sites within a region.
- It measures the variation or differentiation in species composition among multiple locations.
- Beta diversity reflects the degree of dissimilarity between habitats and helps identify unique or distinct species assemblages.
- It is commonly assessed using metrics such as Jaccard’s index or Sørensen’s index.
Gamma Diversity
- Gamma diversity represents the overall diversity at the regional or landscape scale.
- It encompasses the total number of species found across multiple habitats or sites within a larger geographical area.
- Gamma diversity provides a comprehensive view of the total species pool and captures the cumulative diversity of all the habitats within the region.
