The RPrototypingLab is conceived to provide its users with a complete development and integration environment for R. In particular, the environment is powered by RStudio®, an open source development environment including a code editor, and debugging and visualization tools. Moreover, this VRE is powered by the gCube data analytics platform and allows to perform the following tasks: Integrate R algorithms into the platform Execute integrated algorithms by benefitting from a distributed computing infrastructure Automatically generate research objects out of any computation In addition to the basic functionalities, as a workspace for sharing objects of interest, a social networking area for supporting the discussions among members and a user management facility for managing membership, this VLab is specifically equipped with the following capabilities: Species Data Discovery: a facility enabling users to discover and manage species data products (occurrence data and taxonomic data) from a number of heterogeneous providers (including GBIF and speciesLink for occurrences data as well as ASFIS, BrazilianFlora, CatalogueOfLife, IRMNG, IT IS, NCBI, WoRDSS, WoRMS for taxonomic data) in a seamless way. Once discovered, objects can be stored in the workspace for future uses Species View: a facility enabling users to discover and browse species distribution maps. This facility supports discovery mechanisms ranging from simple search based on species names to very specific search criterion, and it offers a comprehensive set of products visualisation approaches Geospatial Data View: a facility enabling users to discover and visualize GIS layers, e.g. species distribution maps that have been generated and published. This facility relies on the GeoExplorer portlet and makes it possible to effectively exploit the generated maps and perform comparisons and analysis of the diverse distributions by enabling maps overlay, transects production and values inspection Data Analytics at Scale: a facility enabling users to benefit from the offering of the DataMiner service and interactively execute a large array of data analytics tasks on datasets. These algorithms range from trajectory simulations based on the Ichthyop model to Virtual Population Analysis (VPA) Algorithms, spatial reallocation, ensemble model-based approaches Algorithm Importer: a facility enabling users to transform R-based algorithms and methods into DataMiner algorithms, i.e. methods that can be executed by the data analytics platform. This transformation assists in annotating the code thus making it possible for Data Miner to properly execute it R Studio as-a-Service: a facility enabling users to access a fully-fledged RStudio® working environment directly from the VRE. This environment is integrated with the rest of VRE \ VLab facilities enabling the usage of files from the workspace and the storage of new files into the workspace