The study assesses the suitability of various ecological diversity measures for highly diverse bacterial communities, focusing on samples from zinc-contaminated and control soils. The authors evaluate species richness indices, evenness/dominance indices, and species abundance models. They find that the log series index alpha, the Q statistic (with coverage of 50% or more), the Berger-Parker and Simpson indices, and the Shannon-Wiener and Shannon evenness indices are particularly useful, despite some limitations. The log series distribution is recommended for extrapolating from OTU accumulation curves, while non-parametric methods like Chao 1 are promising for estimating total OTU richness. Species abundance models are valuable for their ability to address the whole distribution of a sample, aiding in the comparison of overall trends and specific changes in abundance classes. The study highlights the importance of considering the number of clones analyzed and the weighting given to rare vs. abundant OTUs when selecting diversity measures.The study assesses the suitability of various ecological diversity measures for highly diverse bacterial communities, focusing on samples from zinc-contaminated and control soils. The authors evaluate species richness indices, evenness/dominance indices, and species abundance models. They find that the log series index alpha, the Q statistic (with coverage of 50% or more), the Berger-Parker and Simpson indices, and the Shannon-Wiener and Shannon evenness indices are particularly useful, despite some limitations. The log series distribution is recommended for extrapolating from OTU accumulation curves, while non-parametric methods like Chao 1 are promising for estimating total OTU richness. Species abundance models are valuable for their ability to address the whole distribution of a sample, aiding in the comparison of overall trends and specific changes in abundance classes. The study highlights the importance of considering the number of clones analyzed and the weighting given to rare vs. abundant OTUs when selecting diversity measures.