Map-making tutorial in R

Map-Making in R for Ecologists

Example of the type of map that can be built using the annotated code provided by Hannah Hoff

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This is our first post in a series of three about how to build maps in R for use in scientific publications and presentations. Here, we provide simple code and data to help you get started by understanding projections and datum transformations while using basemaps, raster data, and sample coordinates of various file types. 

Start here with Tutorial #1: Map-making for Ecologists. You can also download all data and code directly from our Map-making in R GitHub repository.

With many thanks to Hannah Hoff for preparing this series of tutorials, map-making projects in the lab just got easier! This first post in our series provides a detailed example of how to make maps in R that are both informative and visually striking. From the most fundamental building blocks, we work through how to add detail to the map using well-developed R packages. The end result is a map that shows the locations of study sites or sample collections based on 'dummy data' that are not unlike the list of places where we work in Yellowstone National Park.

To progress into more advanced and visually compelling maps, you can continue this series in:

• Post 2 in the map-making series: adds an inset to the map.
• Post 3 in the map-making series. post in the series makes the figure look nice with topography.

​You can download all data and code directly from our Map-making in R GitHub repository.