[Coral-List] R package marmap for spatial data analysis and plotting

[Eric Pante]

<apologies for cross-posting>

Dear listers,

We are happy to announce the release of marmap0.6, a free and
open-source R package for importing, plotting and analyzing
bathymetric and topographic data.

http://www.plosone.org/article/info%3Adoi%2F10.1371%2Fjournal.pone.0073051
http://cran.r-project.org/web/packages/marmap/index.html

One of the primary goal of the package is to allow the production of
publication-ready sampling maps for ecologists, through easing
automatic retrieval of xyz data from the NOAA. Functions to query data
(bathymetry, sampling information) are available interactively by
clicking on marmap maps. Bathymetric and topographic data can also be
used to calculate projected surface areas within specified
depth/altitude intervals, and constrain the calculation of realistic
shortest path distances. Such information can be used in molecular
ecology, for example, to evaluate genetic isolation by distance in a
spatially-explicit framework.

We are still working on adding functions to marmap, for example to
automatically space pie charts on maps, plot EEZ, 12 nm limits, or
ICES regions, and we welcome ideas on how to improve marmap (bugs, new
functions, etc)!

Best regards,
Eric Pante and Benoit Simon-Bouhet

pante.eric at gmail.com