Biodiversity in a Florida Sandhill Ecosystem

by Samantha Robertson

Submitted : Fall 2009

This project is conducted to determine the biodiversity of two transects of land in the University of South florida's Botanical Gardens and determine which transect is more diverse. Transects are chosen in the Botanical Garden to represent a Sandhill ecosystem in florida. Chosen as a representative piece of land, the transects are marked off with flags in a ten foot by twenty foot rectangle. Species common to a Sandhill ecosystem in florida are Longleaf Pine, Saw Palmetto, Turkey Oak, Laurel Oak and Live Oak. As such, these species are sought out in the transect, counted and documented. Other species, those above waist height, are also considered and placed in the category labeled 'other'. Once the individuals are counted, biodiversity indices are calculated using the Simpson's Index (D) and the Shannon-Wiener Index (H'). The Shannon-Wiener Index (H') is the most commonly used Index because 'as species richness and evenness increase, the diversity index increases as well' (Bloch, 49). Based on the Simpson's Index (D) and the Shannon-Wiener Index (H') transect B is more diverse. Also because the Shannon-Wiener Index (H') considers more factors into the biodiversity equation it is accepted that transect B is more diverse.

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