Territorial behaviors scent marks

Black-Cleworth P. and Verbeme G. (1975). Scent-marking, dominance and flehmen behavior in domestic rabbits in an artificial laboratory territory. Chem Senses Flav 1, 465-494. 

Roper, T. J., Shepherdson, D. J., and Davies, D. M. (1986). Scent marking with faeces and anal secretion in the European badger Meks meles) seasonal and spatial characteristics oflatrine use in relation to territoriality. Behavior 97,94-117. 

Selection for effective signal-sending behavior harnesses odors that often are already available at no extra cost. Chemical signals are behavioral amplifiers via the behaviors they modulate in receivers. The benefits can be enormous. For example, scent marking permits defending a large territory (Gosling 1990) which contains superior resources, with all its consequences for fitness. 

Intraspecific agonistic behavior is only displayed between communities of sugar gliders and only one or two dominant males in each community mate, maintain the territory and distribute odors (Schultze-Westrum, 1965). The dominant male apparently is the source of a community odor which functions, in part, to keep the social activities of subordinate males at a low level. If the dominant male is removed, scent-marking, scent production, mating activity, patrol activity and body weight of other males in the comimxnity increase. 

Vinson, S. B., Williams, H. J., Frankie, G. W., Wheeler, J. W., Blum, M. S. and Coville, R. E. (1982) Mandibular glands of male Centris adani, their morphology, chemical constituents, and function in scent marking and territorial behavior. J. Chem. Ecol., 8, 319-27. 

Birds do not usually rely on scent for territorial marking. Some species, however, such as burrowing owls, apply odoriferous substances to their nest cavities or burrows. The functions are not well understood. Non-avian predators are thought to be the addressees, placing such marking outside the intraspecific behavior of this chapter. 

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