Methods for Optimizing Scales of Effect

A tool for optimizing scales of effect when modeling ecological processes in space. Specifically, the scale parameter of a distance-weighted kernel distribution is identified for all environmental layers included in the model. Includes functions to assist in model selection, model evaluation, efficient transformation of raster surfaces using fast Fourier transformation, and projecting models. For more details see Peterman (2026) .

multiScaleR

Overview

multiScaleR is an R package to identify the scale of effect of spatial environmental variables in regression analyses.

Functions to simulate data with known scales of effect are included with this package.

Installation

If installing the development version from GitHub, Windows users will need to install RTools first. Rtools provides a compiler and some helpers to compile code for R in Windows. Download Rtools from here: https://cran.r-project.org/bin/windows/Rtools/ and select the appropriate Rtools version (4.0 with R 4.x.x)

To install, right click on the “.exe” file and select “Run as administrator”.

Then execute the following commands in R:

# Install 'remotes' package, if needed
if(!("remotes" %in% list.files(.libPaths()))) {
      install.packages("remotes", repo = "https://cloud.r-project.org", dep = TRUE)
} 

remotes::install_github("wpeterman/multiScaleR", 
                        build_vignettes = TRUE) # Install & build vignette

library(multiScaleR) # Loads package and the other dependencies

The package vignette walks through all available functions as well provides worked analyses of simulated data.