abmR: an R package for agent-based model analysis of large-scale movements across taxa

Abstract

O_LIAgent-based modeling (ABM) shows promise for animal movement studies. However, a robust, open-source, and spatially explicit ABM coding platform is currently lacking. C_LIO_LIWe present abmR, an R package for conducting continental-scale ABM simulations across animal taxa. The package features two movement functions, each of which relies on the Ornstein-Uhlenbeck (OU) process. C_LIO_LIThe theoretical background for abmR is discussed and the main functionalities are illustrated using example populations. C_LIO_LIPotential future additions to this open-source package may include the ability to specify multiple environmental variables or to model interactions between agents. Additionally, updates may offer opportunities for disease ecology and integration with other R movement modeling packages. C_LI