biomonitoR: an R package for managing ecological data and calculating biomonitoring indices

The monitoring of biological indicators is required to assess the impacts environmental policies, compare ecosystems and guide management conservation actions. However, growing availability ecological data has not been accompanied by concomitant processing tools able facilitate handling analysis. Multiple common challenges limit usefulness biomonitoring information across groups. Biomonitoring analysis currently constrained time-consuming steps for preparation a environment with limited integration in terms software, groups, protocols. We introduce biomonitoR , package R programming language that addresses technical metrics calculation. implements most indices used or proposed different fields ecology water resource management. Its combination customizable functions aims support transferable comprehensive workflow user-friendly environment. represents versatile toolbox five main assets: (i) it checks taxonomic against reference datasets allowing customization trait sensitivity scores; (ii) supports heterogeneous resolution computations at multiple levels; (iii) calculates indices, including both broad stressor-specific assessments; (iv) enables visualization, helping decision-making processes interpretation; (v) allows working an interactive web application straight from R. Overall, can benefit wide community, private consultants, ecologists natural managers.