ABSTRACTThe increase in research activities in recent years has generated a lot of data to be analysed. Research related communities need powerful software to perform their analyses, which can be a problem. particularly for those who live in developing countries, where the proprietary programs are often unaffordable. R may provide a solution, since it is open source software which can be installed on major operating systems. In addition, it is well maintained by the R Core Team, which ensures that the program and its packages work across platforms. The increasing usage of R, especially in universities, is not only proof that the program can be relied on, but it is also a guarantee that the software will continue developing. R and its capability, particularly for ecological research activities, will be described in this short note.