Learn to analyze real Earth and environmental data in R from scratch (from the very beginning), with no prior coding or statistics experience required.
From GPS station motion and Greenland's vanishing ice to coastal flooding and global greenhouse-gas emissions, this beginner-friendly textbook teaches you to work with the data of a changing planet, starting from zero.
Most R and GIS books assume you already know how to code. This one does not. It begins with opening RStudio and running your first line of code, then builds step by step toward real spatial analysis, time series, modeling, and an introduction to machine learning, always using real Earth and environmental data, not artificial example data.
What you will learn:
Why this book is different:
Instead of memorizing commands or clicking through menus, you learn to build flexible, reproducible analytical workflows that connect coding with scientific interpretation. Every chapter moves from a real question, to real data, to a clear and defensible answer. That is how research actually works. Each chapter opens with plain-language learning goals, explains every new term for first-time and international learners, and ends by showing where the methods lead in real student and faculty research.
Ideal for undergraduate and graduate students in Earth science, geology, environmental science, sustainability, and GIS; for instructors who want a beginner-first R textbook (free instructor resources available); and for self-learners who want to turn environmental data into insight.
Free companion resources, including a sample chapter, all code and datasets, and updates, are available online.
Anyone can research, anywhere, anytime.