dominansindeks

The dominansindeks, also known as the dominance index, is a statistical measure used primarily in ecology and evolutionary biology to quantify the relative dominance of species within a community. It provides insight into the structure and dynamics of ecological systems by highlighting which species exert the greatest influence over shared resources, such as space, food, or light.

The index was developed to complement other diversity metrics like species richness and evenness. While species richness counts the number of distinct species present, and evenness measures how evenly individuals are distributed among those species, the dominance index focuses on the proportion of total abundance controlled by the most prevalent species. A high dominance index suggests that a few species dominate the community, potentially indicating lower biodiversity or ecological resilience.

Mathematically, the dominance index is often calculated using the proportion of the total biomass or abundance attributed to the most dominant species. For example, if one species accounts for 60% of the total abundance in a given habitat, its dominance index would be 0.60. Variations of the index may also incorporate additional species, such as the top two or three, to provide a more nuanced view of community structure.

Researchers use the dominansindeks to assess ecological health, monitor environmental changes, and study competitive interactions among species. In conservation biology, a high dominance index may signal ecological imbalance, prompting further investigation into underlying causes, such as invasive species, habitat degradation, or climate change. The index is particularly useful in long-term ecological studies where shifts in species dominance can indicate broader shifts in ecosystem function.