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Let's Calculate Biodiversity: Virtual Samples

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A tiny aquatic dusky sea slug viewed under a microscope
A dusky sea slug from Baltimore's Inner Harbor.

Try each of these virtual samples from Baltimore's Inner Harbor. 

For each virtual sample, count the different species of organisms on the disc and enter the number into the data sheet (the biodiversity measures will be calculated automatically).

After you analyze the biodiversity measurements for both samples, think about the following:

  • Why are measurements like these necessary if we can hypothesize that there is greater biodiversity in virtual sample 1 vs. sample 2?

This is a great question. Think about all of the measurements that we take each day to forecast the weather. If we were to stop taking measurements of temperature and simply relied on a description like "today it will be hot and tomorrow it will be hotter," we would not have a very accurate measurement of temperature.

If we did not calculate the biodiversity values, we would not be able to say how much more or less diverse one community is from another. Nor could we say if there is any impact from good or poor water quality conditions.

Virtual Sample #1

Virtual Sample #2

Let's Calculate Biodiversity
Virtual Sample #1

Enter your counts for each of the organisms listed. When you press 'Compute', your counts will be checked and, if correct, the two measures of biodiversity will be computed in the table below the image.

[virtual sample #1]
Species Name# Found
Hydras
Mussels
Barnacles
Whip Mud Worms
Dusky Sea Slugs

  

Need Help? 

If you need help finding where all of a particular organism is located, please click on 'show me'. 

>> Hydras   show me  hide hint
>> Mussels   show me  hide hint
>> Barnacles   show me  hide hint
>> Whip Mud Worms   show me  hide hint
>> Dusky Sea Slugs   show me  hide hint
 

Species Name# Found
 
PiPi2Piln[Pi]
 
 Measure
 
Value
Hydras S
Mussels D
Barnacles 1 - D
Whip Mud Worms 1/D
Dusky Sea Slugs H
Totals   E


While you can use any base, this exercise uses natural log (ln).
 

Let's Calculate Biodiversity
Virtual Sample #2

Enter your counts for each of the organisms listed. When you press 'Compute', your counts will be checked and, if correct, the two measures of biodiversity will be computed in the table below the image.

[virtual sample #2]
Species Name# Found
Barnacles
Mussels
Whip Mud Worms
Dusky Sea Slug<
Isopods

  

Need Help? 

If you need help finding where all of a particular organism is located, please click on 'show me'. 

>> Barnacles  show me   hide hint
>> Mussels   show me   hide hint
>> Whip Mud Worms   show me   hide hint
>> Dusky Sea Slugs   show me   hide hint
>> Isopods  show me  hide hint
 

Species Name
 
# Found
 
Pi
 
Pi2
 
Piln[Pi]
 
 Measure
 
Value
 
Barnacles
 

 

 

 

 
 S
 

 
Mussels
 

 

 

 

 
 D
 

 
Whip Mud Worms
 

 

 

 

 
 1 - D
 

 
Dusky Sea Slugs
 

 

 

 

 
 1/D
 

 
Isopods
 

 

 

 

 
 H
 

 
Totals
 

 

 
   E
 

 

While you can use any base, this exercise uses natural log (ln).

The Blue Crab: Callinectes Sapidus

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