Hello! I've used the aleatory transect methodology to survey for mushrooms in six different areas. We've done 4 samples (transects) in which area along 4 months , one per month. I've already calculated some diversity indexes for each transect, and aswell similarity indexes using the total abundance of mushrooms from each site. My doubt is: Is it possible to join the transects datas and calculate just one diversity index for each site?
I'm working with wild mushrooms but I dont know to much about ecology and statistics.
Att.
Danilo Saul
Hi Danilo,
I'm still a biology student but maybe I can help you with some ideas.
You could work with the mean abundance value per species at each site, that way you will have unified all the four abundance values of each species (of each transect) into one for the site.
But I suggest that you use the abundance total by adding the species abundance values of each transect to obtain a total at each site and calculate the indexes with them.
A good approach to study the diversity of communities is through the Whittaker curves, also called rank abundance curves, where you can analyze the richness, dominance and evenness of the communities. I hope this helps.
Best wishes,
Andy
Yes, you can actually do anything you like because there are no rules in ecology (except self thinning), or even statistical analysis. But generally, it is good to combine as much data as possible into one analysis :)
If you just found 4 species is doesn't mean your research area is poor diversity. Have you check abiotic factor? Ecology is about interacted and interelated living and non living organism. I think the abiotic factors can help your data as a secondary data. I hope my answer can help your research.
I'm a Biology student too and also interest about ecology research. Good luck budy.
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