ethnobotanyR News

version 0.3.0 News

New models, data and tests; fixes to ethno_bayes_consensus() and ethno_boot().

Breaking change

• ethno_bayes_consensus(): responses must be whole numbers from 0 to answers - 1 (0/1 for binary data) and result rows are labelled 0 and 1. Earlier results were wrong because 0 responses were ignored. Competence (prior_for_answers) is required.

New functions and data

• ethno_beta(): Beta-binomial probability of use per species and use. Default for small samples and rare uses.
• ethno_saturation(): informant saturation curve.
• ethno_consensus(): consensus with competence estimated from the data (EM).
• homegardens: 102 homegardens in southwestern Uganda, 225 species, 14 uses, 3,961 use reports, as analyzed in Whitney et al. (2018). One informant per garden. Companion tables homegardens_info (garden covariates) and homegardens_species (life form, family, native).
• Tests (testthat).

Bug fixes

• ethno_bayes_consensus(): corrected the likelihood for more than two answers.
• ethno_boot(): n2 defaults to the number of observations. New use_weights argument. Warns when all observations are identical (zero-width interval).
• Vignettes no longer rewrite .bib files at build time.
• honest_ethnobotany: fixed swapped lower/upper labels.
• TEK modeling vignette: network chunk runs and compares decisions. Weighted pooling uses effective sample size. Removed arbitrary pseudo-count mapping.

Vignettes

• Modeling and TEK vignettes use homegardens. The TEK vignette adds a network learned from the survey.

version 0.2.0 News

Repositions the package from an indices calculator to a framework for integrating Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK) into conservation and development decisions.

New vignettes

• honest_ethnobotany: what indices can and cannot show, and responsible use.
• decision_framing_guide: structured decision framing for community-based conservation.
• benin_case_study: critique of a fonio value-chain workshop in Benin.
• ethnobotanyr_decision_framing_practical: worked code for participatory workshops.
• TEK_modeling_vignette: Beta/Dirichlet pooling, Bayesian networks, Monte Carlo.

README

• Three pathways: describe knowledge, model decisions, run participatory exercises.
• States what the package does not do: make decisions, prove with indices, replace engagement.

Where to start

1. Participatory work: decision framing guide, Benin case study.
2. Before using indices: honest_ethnobotany.
3. Use indices to disaggregate and communicate, not predict.
4. High-stakes decisions: model uncertainty (TEK modeling vignette).

version 0.1.9.2 News

Working version (hence the trailing ‘.2’).

Enhancements

• TPL handles infraspecific ranks more robustly.
• Faster processing of large species lists.
• Removed taxonomy steps and vignettes for now.

Bug Fixes

• Fixed error for certain Genus-Species combinations.
• Fixed data format inconsistencies.

References

• Whitney, C. W., Bahati, J., & Gebauer, J. (2018). Ethnobotany and Agrobiodiversity: Valuation of Plants in the Homegardens of Southwestern Uganda. Ethnobiology Letters, 9(2), 90–100. https://doi.org/10.14237/ebl.9.2.2018.503 (checked against Crossref, 2026-10-06)

version 0.1.9.1 News

Working version (hence the trailing ‘.1’).

• New vignettes for species names and modeling.
• Scaling back the quantitative indices in favor of modeling.

version 0.1.9 News

Patch (Whitney 2022). Updated for R 4.2.0.

Enhancements

• Color options for ethno_alluvial() and radial_Plot().
• Error checks and corrections for use counts above 1.
• New vignette Modeling with ethnobotanyR; existing vignette split into indices and modeling.
• More ggplot2 output options.
• ethno_boot(): non-parametric bootstrap as a Bayesian model.

Bug fixes

• Removed pbapply options.
• Fixed gap.degree in chord plots; warns above 50 species or informants.
• Removed dplyr arguments for the upcoming version.
• Addressed CRAN issue https://cran.r-project.org/web/checks/check_results_isoband.html

version 0.1.8 News

Patch (Whitney 2021). Fixed bugs from Myanmar and China work; removed old functions for new tidyverse methods.

version 0.1.7 News

Patch (Whitney 2020c). Added functions from Myanmar and China work; removed old functions.

version 0.1.6 News

Patch (Whitney 2020b). Fixed bugs; more model and figure options.

version 0.1.5 News

Patch (Whitney 2020a). Fixed bugs; more model and figure options.

version 0.1.4 News

Patch. Fixed bugs; new methods, models and figures.

version 0.1.3 News

Patch (Whitney 2019b). Fixed bugs; new indices and figures.

version 0.1.2 News

Patch. Fixed bugs; new methods.

version 0.1.1 News

Patch (Whitney 2019a). Fixed bugs; new indices.

version 0.1.0 News

New release: ‘Calculate Quantitative Ethnobotany Indices’, common standard ethnobotany indices.

References

Whitney, C. 2022, ethnobotanyR v0.1.9, Figshare. 10.6084/m9.figshare.21780890 Whitney, C. 2021, ethnobotanyR v0.1.8, Figshare. 10.6084/m9.figshare.13554029.v2 Whitney, C. 2020c, ethnobotanyR v0.1.7, Figshare. 10.6084/m9.figshare.11791830.v3 Whitney, C. 2020b, ethnobotanyR v0.1.6, Figshare. 10.6084/m9.figshare.9948620.v2 Whitney, C. 2020a, ethnobotanyR v0.1.5, Figshare. 10.6084/m9.figshare.9956345.v3 Whitney, C. 2019b, ethnobotanyR v0.1.3, Figshare. 10.6084/m9.figshare.9956336.v1 Whitney, C. 2019a, ethnobotanyR v0.1.1, Figshare. 10.6084/m9.figshare.8050529.v3