| Non-parametric estimators allow to compare the estimates of richness among data sets from heterogeneous sources. However, since the estimator performance depends on the species-abundance distribution of the sample, preference for one or another is a difficult issue. The present study recovers and revalues some criteria already present in the literature in order to choose the most suitable estimator for streams macroinvertebrates, and provides some tools to apply them. Two abundance and four incidence estimators were applied to a regional database at family and genus level. They were evaluated under four criteria: sub-sample size required to estimate the observed richness; constancy of the sub-sample size; lack of erratic behavior and similarity in curve... |
