mangal – making ecological network analysis simple

The study of ecological networks is severely limited by 1) the difficulty to access data, 2) the lack of a standardized way to link meta‐data with interactions, and 3) the disparity of formats in which ecological networks themselves are stored and represented. To overcome these limitations, we have designed a data specification for ecological networks. We implemented a database respecting this standard, and released an R package (rmangal) allowing users to programmatically access, curate, and deposit data on ecological interactions. In this article, we show how these tools, in conjunction with other frameworks for the programmatic manipulation of open ecological data, streamlines the analysis process and improves replicability and reproducibility of ecological network studies.     

The ‘making of’ the Mulligans Flat – Goorooyarroo experimental restoration project

What happens when park managers and ecological researchers join forces to build an evidence‐based approach to restoring a nature reserve? This project shows how a spirit of cooperation and inventiveness overcome a range of challenges at one of the National Capital region’s most valuable examples of critically endangered box‐gum grassy woodland.