Utilizing novel diversity estimators to quantify multiple dimensions of microbial biodiversity across domains.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Microbial ecologists often employ methods from classical community ecology to analyze microbial community diversity. However, these methods have limitations because microbial communities differ from macro-organismal communities in key ways. This study sought to quantify microbial diversity using methods that are better suited for data spanning multiple domains of life and dimensions of diversity. Diversity profiles are one novel, promising way to analyze microbial datasets. Diversity profiles encompass many other indices, provide effective numbers of diversity (mathematical generalizations of previous indices that better convey the magnitude of differences in diversity), and can incorporate taxa similarity information. To explore whether these profiles change interpretat

SUBMITTER: Doll HM 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3840555 | biostudies-literature | 2013 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature