Pareto model for species diversity

Abstract

There are several mathematical models that describe the relationship between the number of species and the number of individuals per species. This article aimed to verify whether the Pareto mathematical model could be applied to ecological data regarding species and their abundance. The Pareto model has proven to be a valid descriptor of the relationship between species and the number of individuals per species, managing to measure the level of equality and/or dominance of the same. The Pareto model, therefore, is a candidate to be a valid aid for community ecologists in describing species diversity. In this paper, using a dataset taken from scientific literature I set out to verify the application of the Pareto model to the study of the relationship between species and abundance, with the ultimate aim of suggesting this method as an addition to those traditionally used.