# Beta-Diversity HELP! What should my next step be!
**URL:** https://forum.qiime2.org/t/beta-diversity-help-what-should-my-next-step-be/2238
**Category:** User Support
**Tags:** diversity, pending-development, distance-matrix
**Created:** [December 15, 2017, 7:21pm UTC](https://forum.qiime2.org/t/beta-diversity-help-what-should-my-next-step-be/2238 "2017-12-15T19:21:48Z")
**Posts on this page:** 3
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@Stream\_biofilm](https://forum.qiime2.org/u/Stream_biofilm)
#### Post date: [December 15, 2017, 7:21pm UTC](https://forum.qiime2.org/t/beta-diversity-help-what-should-my-next-step-be/2238/1 "2017-12-15T19:21:48Z")
Hello Qiime friends,
My data has been processed and I have been working on the Beta-diversity analysis. I want to look at which environmental factors contribute most to the community variation between my sites. Qiime2 does a great job of performing statistical tests and representing them in graphs as outputs.
However, is there a way for me to get numerical data (% of distance due to each abiotic factor) using qiime2? Is it time for me to take my data to R? Also, Is it better to assign taxonomy then preform these statistics?
Overall, I'm confused on what my next step should be and any help would be great!
Cheers,
Danny
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### Author:  [@Nicholas\_Bokulich](https://forum.qiime2.org/u/Nicholas_Bokulich)
#### Post date: [December 18, 2017, 4:10pm UTC](https://forum.qiime2.org/t/beta-diversity-help-what-should-my-next-step-be/2238/3 "2017-12-18T16:10:04Z")
Hi @Stream_biofilm,
> [@Stream\_biofilm](#):
>
> Qiime2 does a great job of performing statistical tests and representing them in graphs as outputs.
❤
> [@Stream\_biofilm](#):
>
> However, is there a way for me to get numerical data (% of distance due to each abiotic factor) using qiime2?
We have an [open ticket](https://github.com/qiime2/q2-diversity/issues/123) to implement multi-way PERMANOVA (adonis) tests in QIIME2, possibly as early as early 2018. If you don't want to wait for that to resolve, this specific question should be asked in R right now. You can run [adonis tests](http://cc.oulu.fi/~jarioksa/softhelp/vegan/html/adonis.html) in the vegan package (using a distance matrix as input, exported from QIIME2). QIIME2 does currently use PERMANOVA tests in `beta-group-significance`, but these only operate on a single metadata factor at time and do not report R2 values (which are the % variation in distance attributed to each factor, precisely what you are looking for).
In QIIME2, [bioenv](https://docs.qiime2.org/2017.11/plugins/available/diversity/bioenv/) and [mantel](https://docs.qiime2.org/2017.11/plugins/available/diversity/mantel/) tests may also be useful and related to your goals.
> [@Stream\_biofilm](#):
>
> Is it better to assign taxonomy then preform these statistics?
That all depends on your goals. Are you interested in assessing whether factors associate with differences in communities at the SV/OTU level, or at a specific taxonomic level? It may be worth trying both (and if you get different results that may provide important information as well!)
Thanks for the positive feedback! I hope this suggestion helps!
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### Author:  [@system](https://forum.qiime2.org/u/system)
#### Post date: [January 18, 2018, 10:33pm UTC](https://forum.qiime2.org/t/beta-diversity-help-what-should-my-next-step-be/2238/5 "2018-01-18T22:33:55Z")
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