Resumen

EVANGELISTA, H. B. A.; THOMAZ, S. M.; MENDES, R. S.  y  EVANGELISTA, L. R.. Generalized entropy indices to measure α- and β-diversities of macrophytes. Braz. J. Phys. [online]. 2009, vol.39, n.2a, pp. 369-401. ISSN 0103-9733.  http://dx.doi.org/10.1590/S0103-97332009000400008.

A family of entropy indices constructed in the framework of Tsallis entropy formalism is used to investigate ecological diversity. It represents a new perspective in ecology because a simple equation can incorporate all aspects of α-diversity, from richness to dominance and can be also related to a measure of species rarity. In addition, a generalized Kullback-Leibler distance, constructed in the framework of a nonextensive formalism, is recalled and used as a measure of β-diversity between two systems. These tools are applied to data relative to the macrophytes collected from two not far apart arms of Itaipu Reservoir, in Paraná River basin.

Palabras llave : Diversity indices; Ecology; Generalized entropy.