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Zhao L, Cheng J, Zeng W, Yang B, Zhang G, Li D, Zhang H, Buesching CD, Liu D. Giant panda (Ailuropoda melanoleuca) neonates use broadband calls to communicate with their mothers. Integr Zool 2024; 19:277-287. [PMID: 37231635 DOI: 10.1111/1749-4877.12722] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/27/2023]
Abstract
Infant call structure should have evolved to elicit maximum maternal attention and investment. Neonates of giant pandas produce three types of vocalizations reported to be vitally important in the context of mother-infant communications. However, how cubs, 0-15 days old, communicate with their mothers to elicit maternal care remains unknown. We analyzed 12 different call parameters of 3475 squawks, 1355 squalls, and 491 croaks from 11 captive giant panda (Ailuropoda melanoleuca) neonates from age 0 to 15 days. In playback experiments, we also tested whether mothers could detect ultrasound. Our results show that neonates use broadband calls with ultrasonic frequencies up to 65 kHz to convey information about their physiological needs and to attract maternal care. In playback experiments, we tested if mothers reacted differently to broadband calls (BBC) than to artificially altered calls that included only frequencies <20 kHz (AUDC) or calls that included only frequencies >20 kHz (USC). Playback confirmed that, although adult females responded significantly less often to USC, BBC than to or AUDC, they could detect USC, BBC and generally made appropriate behavioral responses, indicating a potential benefit for neonates to utilize ultrasonic and broadband frequencies. Our findings provide a new insight into mother-infant communication in giant pandas and will be helpful for reducing the mortality of cubs, younger than 1 month old, in captivity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lin Zhao
- Ministry of Education, Key Laboratory of Biodiversity Science and Ecological Engineering, College of Life Sciences, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, China
| | - Jianbin Cheng
- Key Laboratory of State Forestry and Grassland Administration on Conservation Biology of Rare Animals in The Giant Panda National Park, China Conservation and Research Center for the Giant Panda, Dujiangyan, Sichuan, 611830, China
| | - Wen Zeng
- Key Laboratory of State Forestry and Grassland Administration on Conservation Biology of Rare Animals in The Giant Panda National Park, China Conservation and Research Center for the Giant Panda, Dujiangyan, Sichuan, 611830, China
| | - Bo Yang
- Key Laboratory of State Forestry and Grassland Administration on Conservation Biology of Rare Animals in The Giant Panda National Park, China Conservation and Research Center for the Giant Panda, Dujiangyan, Sichuan, 611830, China
| | - Guiquan Zhang
- Key Laboratory of State Forestry and Grassland Administration on Conservation Biology of Rare Animals in The Giant Panda National Park, China Conservation and Research Center for the Giant Panda, Dujiangyan, Sichuan, 611830, China
| | - Desheng Li
- Key Laboratory of State Forestry and Grassland Administration on Conservation Biology of Rare Animals in The Giant Panda National Park, China Conservation and Research Center for the Giant Panda, Dujiangyan, Sichuan, 611830, China
| | - Hemin Zhang
- Key Laboratory of State Forestry and Grassland Administration on Conservation Biology of Rare Animals in The Giant Panda National Park, China Conservation and Research Center for the Giant Panda, Dujiangyan, Sichuan, 611830, China
| | - Christina D Buesching
- Department of Biology, Irving K. Barber Faculty of Science, University of British Columbia, Okanagan, Kelowna, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Dingzhen Liu
- Ministry of Education, Key Laboratory of Biodiversity Science and Ecological Engineering, College of Life Sciences, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, China
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Zhang MY, Wang XY, Ayala J, Liu YL, An JH, Wang DH, Cai ZG, Hou R, Cai KL. Combined urine metabolomics and 16S rDNA sequencing analyses reveals physiological mechanism underlying decline in natural mating behavior of captive giant pandas. Front Microbiol 2022; 13:906737. [PMID: 36118243 PMCID: PMC9478395 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2022.906737] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/11/2022] [Accepted: 08/01/2022] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
The decline in natural mating behavior is the primary reason underlying in the poor population growth of captive giant pandas. However, the influencing factors and underlying mechanisms remain unclear to data. It is speculated that the decline in natural mating behavior could be related to the psychological stress caused by captivity, which restricts their free choice of mates. In order to test this hypothesis, we performed urinary metabolomics analysis using Ultra-High-Performance Liquid Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (UHPLC/-MS) combined with 16S rDNA sequencing for exploring the physiological mechanism underlying the decline in the natural mating behavior of captive giant panda. The results demonstrated that the decline in mating ability could be related to abnormalities in arginine biosynthesis and neurotransmitter synthesis. Additionally, the relative abundance of bacteria from the Firmicutes, Proteobacteria, and Actinobacteria phyla and the Acinetobacter, Weissella, and Pseudomonas genus was significantly reduced in the group with low natural mating behavior. These findings imply that the inhibition of arginine synthesis induced by environmental changes could be related to the poor libido and failure of mate selection in captive giant pandas during the breeding period. The results also demonstrate the relationship between the altered urinary microbes and metabolites related to arginine and neurotransmitter synthesis. These findings may aid in understanding the mechanism underlying environment-induced mate selection in captive giant pandas and propose a novel strategy for determining the sexual desire of giant pandas based on urinary microbes. The method would be of great significance in improving the natural reproductive success rate of captive giant pandas.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ming-Yue Zhang
- Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding, Chengdu, China
- Sichuan Key Laboratory of Conservation Biology for Endangered Wildlife, Chengdu, China
- Sichuan Academy of Giant Panda, Chengdu, China
| | - Xue-Ying Wang
- Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding, Chengdu, China
| | - James Ayala
- Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding, Chengdu, China
- Sichuan Key Laboratory of Conservation Biology for Endangered Wildlife, Chengdu, China
- Sichuan Academy of Giant Panda, Chengdu, China
| | - Yu-Liang Liu
- Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding, Chengdu, China
- Sichuan Key Laboratory of Conservation Biology for Endangered Wildlife, Chengdu, China
- Sichuan Academy of Giant Panda, Chengdu, China
| | - Jun-Hui An
- Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding, Chengdu, China
- Sichuan Key Laboratory of Conservation Biology for Endangered Wildlife, Chengdu, China
- Sichuan Academy of Giant Panda, Chengdu, China
| | - Dong-Hui Wang
- Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding, Chengdu, China
- Sichuan Key Laboratory of Conservation Biology for Endangered Wildlife, Chengdu, China
- Sichuan Academy of Giant Panda, Chengdu, China
| | - Zhi-Gang Cai
- Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding, Chengdu, China
- Sichuan Key Laboratory of Conservation Biology for Endangered Wildlife, Chengdu, China
- Sichuan Academy of Giant Panda, Chengdu, China
| | - Rong Hou
- Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding, Chengdu, China
- Sichuan Key Laboratory of Conservation Biology for Endangered Wildlife, Chengdu, China
- Sichuan Academy of Giant Panda, Chengdu, China
| | - Kai-Lai Cai
- Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding, Chengdu, China
- Sichuan Key Laboratory of Conservation Biology for Endangered Wildlife, Chengdu, China
- Sichuan Academy of Giant Panda, Chengdu, China
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Li MF, Swaisgood RR, Owen MA, Zhang H, Zhang G, Qiu J, Martin MS. Consequences of nescient mating: artificial insemination increases cub rejection in the giant panda (Ailuropoda melanoleuca). Appl Anim Behav Sci 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.applanim.2022.105565] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/02/2022]
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