Data from: Multi-species canopy latrines in Costa Rican cloud forests: A mammal interactions hub in a single tree species
Data files
May 15, 2026 version files 15.38 KB
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Mammals_ocurrences.csv
425 B
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README.md
1.46 KB
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Tree_species_latrines.xlsx
13.50 KB
Abstract
This dataset contains observational records of arboreal multi-species mammal latrines collected from 169 individual trees across three montane mountain ranges in Costa Rica. The trees sampled represent 29 different species. Of all surveyed trees, only 11 latrines were found, and all were located on individuals of the same tree species (Ficus tuerckheimii), occurring in two of the three mountain ranges. An additional latrine was observed in Honduras on the same tree species; however, it was not included in the data analysis and is only referenced in the manuscript discussion. To investigate latrine use and animal visitation, two camera traps were installed on one of the canopy latrines. These cameras recorded the number and identity of animal species that visited the site, as well as behavioral data related to defecation and urination. This dataset supports analyses of species visitation frequency, latrine use behavior, and the ecological role of canopy latrines in tropical montane forests.
Dataset DOI: 10.5061/dryad.j0zpc86tz
Description of the data and file structure
Data for the project on Multi-species canopy latrines on Ficus tuerckheimii in Cloud Forests of Costa Rica
Authors: Jeremy Quiros-Navarro, Tim Chamberlain, Deiver Espinoza.
Correspondence: jeremy.quiros-navarro@uconn.edu / University of Connecticut
Created on 09/21/2025
Files and variables
File: Mammals_ocurrences.csv
Description: Data for the occurrences of the species using the latrine and data of the defecation events of each species.
Variables
- Species: Scientific name of each species
- Events: Number of detections of each species
- Defecation/urination: Number of times that each species came to the latrine to defecate or urinate
File: Tree_species_latrines.xlsx
Description: Data of trees climbed from three different mountain ranges in Costa Rica. All of them belong to the cloud forest. The data frame also contains the number of latrines found in each tree.
Variables
- Consecutive: ID
- Common name: Common name in Costa Rica for each tree.
- Tree especies: Scientific name
- Type of forest: Type of forest where the tree was.
- Latrine prescence/abscence: 0 = latrine absent, 1 = latrine present.