A tool designed to quantify biodiversity within a given environment, the analytical instrument assesses the probability that two randomly selected individuals from a sample will belong to the same species. The result is a value between 0 and 1, where a value closer to 0 indicates higher diversity and a value closer to 1 suggests lower diversity. For example, a calculation performed on a forest sample returning a value of 0.2 would denote a more diverse environment than one returning 0.8.
The application of this calculation method allows for a standardized assessment of ecological health and stability. Monitoring temporal changes in diversity indices can reveal the impact of environmental stressors, such as pollution or habitat destruction. Furthermore, its historical usage in ecological studies has provided a valuable baseline for comparing current biodiversity levels against past conditions, supporting conservation efforts and policy decisions.