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The Social Function of Latrines: A Hypothesis-Driven Research Approach

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Chemical Signals in Vertebrates 14

Abstract

The function of latrines is still debated in many mammals, and in most cases latrine use is likely multi-functional. Functional hypotheses can be broadly divided into five categories that are not all mutually exclusive: resource defence, information centre/advertisement, landmarks/orientation, parasite control, or predator–prey interactions. To standardise all investigations into latrine function across species, we present a hypothesis-driven research framework based on the following five key categories of data that can, and we argue should, be collected from latrines: (1) spatial distribution patterns; (2) temporal usage patterns; (3) individual visitation and contribution patterns (to individual latrines); (4) behaviour of visitors; and (5) scent signal content and longevity. We suggest that our proposed approach offers a much-needed standardised structure to guide investigation into the function of latrine use in mammals.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Wildlife Conservation Research Unit, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK

    Christina D. Buesching

  2. Centre for Ecosystem Science, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia

    Neil Jordan

  3. Taronga Conservation Society Australia, Taronga Western Plains Zoo, Wildlife Reproduction Centre, Dubbo, Australia

    Neil Jordan

  4. Botswana Predator Conservation Trust, Maun, Botswana

    Neil Jordan

Authors
  1. Christina D. Buesching
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  2. Neil Jordan
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Correspondence to Christina D. Buesching .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Wildlife Conservation Research Unit, Department of Zoology, University of Oxford, Abingdon, Oxfordshire, UK

    Christina D. Buesching

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Buesching, C.D., Jordan, N. (2019). The Social Function of Latrines: A Hypothesis-Driven Research Approach. In: Buesching, C. (eds) Chemical Signals in Vertebrates 14. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-17616-7_8

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