Biodiversity assessment comprises a set of methods and processes used to determine the presence, variety, and abundance of different species in an environment. The goal is to provide an understanding of the state of biodiversity, the pressures it faces from human activities, and the effectiveness of existing conservation efforts. These assessments can take various forms, including species inventories, ecosystem evaluations, and assessments of the impacts of land-use changes. Quantitative metrics such as species richness, evenness, and various indices of ecological integrity are commonly used.