Water Quality Index Help (math + bio)

[Forsythe]

Hi there,

 

I am an arts student who, due to signing up for classes very late in the semester, has been stuck with an environmental sciences course. This course was just fine until I got our final assignment, which is a Water Quality Index lab. The math in it is just plain scary. Not only do I not have the background to do this, but I have not done any form of mathematics since I was 17 and in highschool. I have posted the equation and data given to me in class. Can anyone help me? (the assignment is due tomorrow).

 

This is the equation we were given:

 

 

Where:

 

SVi is Sensitivity Value of the ith taxon

Xi is the density of the ith taxon

n is the number of taxa in the sample

1n is the natural logarithm

e is the number 2.718

 

Values:

 

Quantitative sample: (two Surber samples combined) (first listed is # in samples, second is sensitivity)

 

Eph., 43, 3

Hep., 25, 3

Per., 3, 4

Perlo, 5, 4

Cap, 1, 4

Cor, 6, 2

Tip, 16, 2

Emp, 3, 2

Chir, 80, 2

Hyd, 38, 3

Rhy, 1, 4

Pol, 2, 2

Lim, 1, 2

 

Quantitative sample: (two Surber samples combined) (first #= number in samples, second = sensitivity) (I think this was the one that we actually collected in the lab)

 

Eph 43, 3

Per, 3, 4

Cor, 6, 2

Tip, 14, 2

Emp, 3, 2

Hyd, 26, 3

Rhy, 1, 4

 

Does anyone have any idea what these numbers mean (god I feel like I am on Lost or something)? If not, anyone know where I could possibly find people who do?

 

Thanks a lot guys.