def get_total(taxa_list, delim):
    """Return the total abundance in the taxa list.

    This is not the sum b/c taxa lists are trees, implicitly.
    """
    total = 0
    for taxon, abund in taxa_list.items():
        tkns = taxon.split(delim)
        if len(tkns) == 1:
            total += abund
    return total