Dataset: Why do primates bark-strip pines in plantations? Seasonal profitability as a key driver

This repository contains the dataset and code associated with the article: Why do primates bark-strip pines in plantations? Seasonal profitability as a key driver" To be published in Forest Ecology and Management. Description of the Study The study investigates the ecological drivers of bark-stripping behaviour by black capuchins (*Sapajus nigritus*) in *Pinus taeda* plantations in northeastern Argentina. Two hypotheses were tested: (1) the fallback food hypothesis and (2) the pine seasonal profitability hypothesis. The results support the latter, indicating that bark-stripping peaks during periods when inner bark is most profitable (i.e., thicker, sweeter, and easier to peel), independently of fruit availability. Contents - dataset.csv The main dataset used in the analyses. It includes: - Bark-stripping metrics (e.g., stripped area) - Inner bark properties: thickness, sugar content (°Brix), and force needed to peel - Seasonal data on native fruit availability and energy content - Pine stand characteristics and monitoring data - code.html A fully annotated HTML file containing all R code used in the data analysis and metric calculations. It details: - How profitability (energy/handling time) was calculated - Processing steps before final dataset generation - Statistical modeling (GAMs) and visualizations How to Use - Open the `code.html` in a browser to view the complete and interactive version of the R script with comments and outputs.- The `dataset.csv` can be loaded directly where its indicated inside the code