NEWS

ethnobotanyR 0.2.0 (2026-02-25)

This is a major update repositioning the package from a quantitative indices calculator to a comprehensive framework for integrating Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK) into conservation and development decision-making.

Major Changes

New vignettes:

vignette("honest_ethnobotany") - Critical assessment of quantitative ethnobotany indices: what they can tell you, what they cannot tell you, when they're useful, and when they mislead. A no-holds-barred examination of both limitations and responsible use.
vignette("decision_framing_guide") - Comprehensive framework for structured decision-framing in community-based conservation. Covers decision theory, participatory ethics, epistemological foundations, multiple contrasting cases (successes and failures), and principles for defensible practice.
vignette("benin_case_study") - Critical case study of a fonio value-chain workshop in Benin. Shows what the workshop achieved, what it doesn't tell us, what follow-up is needed, and how to avoid treating a single successful event as a replicable methodology.
vignette("ethnobotanyr_decision_framing_practical") - Practical guide with worked code examples for using ethnobotanyR functions in participatory decision-framing workshops. Shows how to calculate indices responsibly and use them as prompts for dialogue rather than decision-drivers.

Reframed README:

Now emphasizes three user pathways (describe knowledge, model decisions, run participatory exercises) rather than indices as the primary product
Explicitly states what the package does NOT do (make decisions, offer robust proof via indices, replace engagement)
Directs users to vignette("honest_ethnobotany") before using indices
Repositions indices as descriptive tools within larger frameworks

Emphasis shift:

Moved from "indices as the main product" to "decision-framing and Bayesian modeling as primary methods"
Indices now positioned as one tool for communication and exploration, not as foundational to conservation/development decisions
Elevated Bayesian network modeling and structured decision-framing as the robust, defensible approaches

What This Means

Users should now:

Start with the framework vignettes if planning participatory work (decision-framing guide, Benin case study)
Read the honest critique before using indices (honest_ethnobotany vignette)
Use indices for disaggregation and communication, not prediction (practical guide with examples)
Model uncertainty when making high-stakes decisions (TEK modeling with Bayesian networks)

The package now acknowledges both the utility and the substantial limitations of quantitative ethnobotany indices, and provides a path toward scientifically defensible, ethically grounded decision-making that integrates TEK.

ethnobotanyR 0.1.9.2

Enhancements

Improved the TPL function to handle infraspecific ranks more robustly.
Enhanced speed when processing large species lists.
Ultimately removed all taxonomy step sand vignettes for now

Bug Fixes

Fixed an issue where the function returned an error with certain Genus-Species combinations.
Resolved a bug related to data format inconsistencies.

References

Whitney, C. et al. (2018). Ethnobotany and Agrobiodiversity. Ethnobiology Letters, 9(2), 90–100.

ethnobotanyR 0.1.9.1

This version 0.1.9.1 of ethnobotanyR is a working version (thus the redundant trailing '.1'):

Adding new vignettes for species names and for modeling Starting the process of dismantling the quantitative indices stuff in favor of some modeling - adding more modeling and removing - or at least scaling back argumentation about - the quantitative indices

ethnobotanyR 0.1.9 (2022-12-17)

This version 0.1.9 of ethnobotanyR is a patch (Whitney 2022):

Enhancements

Updated for R 4.2.0 "Vigorous Calisthenics":

Added color options for ethno_alluvial() and radial_Plot()
Add error checks for use observations with more than count '1'
Add corrections for those same use observations
Added a new vignette Modeling with ethnobotanyR (split the existing into one about indices and one about modeling and expanded on both)
Add more visual output options in ggplot2 (...)
Update the non-parametric bootstrap as a Bayesian Model ethno_boot()

Bug fixes

Removed pbapply options
Address issues with the gap.degree in chord plots (add a warning that more than 50 species or informants is a lot)
Remove arguments for dplyr (to work with version on the way)
Address CRAN issue https://cran.r-project.org/web/checks/check_results_isoband.html

ethnobotanyR 0.1.8 (2021-01-06)

This version 0.1.8 of ethnobotanyR (Whitney 2021) is a patch:

Fixed bugs in functions from Myanmar work and China work/ removed more old functions updated for new methods in the tidyverse

ethnobotanyR 0.1.7 (2020-01-30)

This version 0.1.7 of ethnobotanyR (Whitney 2020c) is a patch: Added new functions from Myanmar work and China work/ removed old functions

ethnobotanyR 0.1.6 (2019-10-07)

This version 0.1.6 of ethnobotanyR (Whitney 2020b) is a patch: Fixed some bugs / added some more model options and figure options

ethnobotanyR 0.1.5 (2019-08-06)

This version 0.1.5 of ethnobotanyR (Whitney 2020a) is a patch: Removed some bugs / added some more model options and figure options

ethnobotanyR 0.1.4 (2019-02-13)

This version 0.1.4 of ethnobotanyR is a patch: Removed some bugs and added some new methods/models and figures

ethnobotanyR 0.1.3 (2019-01-21)

This version 0.1.3 of ethnobotanyR (Whitney 2019b) is a patch: Fixed some bugs and added some new indices and figures

ethnobotanyR 0.1.2 (2019-01-19)

This version 0.1.2 of ethnobotanyR is a patch: Removed some bugs / added some new methods

ethnobotanyR 0.1.1

This version 0.1.1 of ethnobotanyR (Whitney 2019a) is a patch: Fixed some bugs and added some new indices

ethnobotanyR 0.1.0 (2019-01-08)

This version 0.1.0 of ethnobotanyR is a new release The package ethnobotanyR 'Calculate Quantitative Ethnobotany Indices' following some common standard indices used in ethnobotany.

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