islandrich

Islandrich is a biodiversity metric used in ecological research to quantify the overall biological richness of islands. It is designed to integrate multiple facets of biodiversity into a single index, typically combining species richness, endemism, and functional diversity. The intent is to provide a standardized measure that reflects both the number of species and their ecological significance on an island.

The term is used in discussions of island biogeography and conservation planning. While the exact formulation varies, islandrich is generally derived from normalized components of diversity and combined through a weighted scheme or multivariate scoring. Data sources include field surveys, museum collections, published checklists, and remotely sensed habitat data, all calibrated to an interval scale for comparison across islands.

Applications of islandrich include prioritizing conservation investments, evaluating the impacts of habitat loss and invasive species, and guiding restoration or managed relocation projects. It is often examined alongside classic island biogeography predictors such as island area and isolation to understand deviations from expected richness.

Limitations of the metric include sensitivity to sampling effort, uneven taxonomic resolution, and incomplete knowledge of endemism and functional roles. Proper interpretation requires transparent methodology, consistent data sources, and acknowledgment of temporal changes in biodiversity.

See also: island biogeography, species richness, functional diversity, conservation prioritization.