Gamma diversity is the total species diversity across multiple habitats within a larger geographical area.
To calculate gamma diversity, simply count the total number of unique species present in all the habitats you are considering. For example, if you have three habitats with the following species:
- Habitat 1: Species A, B, C
- Habitat 2: Species C, D, E
- Habitat 3: Species A, E, F
The gamma diversity would be 6, as there are six unique species across all three habitats.