The formula
H' = −Σ (pᵢ × ln pᵢ), where pᵢ is the proportion of species i. Higher = more diverse. Most natural ecosystems score 1.5–3.5.
Frequently asked questions
- What's a good Shannon Index?
- Above 3.0 is considered high diversity; below 1.5 indicates a system dominated by few species.
biodiversity ecology conservation