A comparative study of 39 binary similarity coefficients

Thirty-nine binary similarity coefficients are evaluated against 10 criteria: range of values, low and upper limits, maximum and minimum values, symmetricity, metric property, independence of negative matches (joint absences), ability to reflect ecological and geographical distances, resistance to effect of sample sizes, and linearity with positive matches. The Coefficient of Community (or Jaccard coefficient), is highly recommended. Legendre and Legendre's unnamed may also be recommended for palaeoecological studies. -from Author