It is widely believed that various animal species can sense and respond to the geophysical stimuli that precede earthquakes,especially electromagnetic fields,although supporting field evidence is mostly anecdotal.Here...It is widely believed that various animal species can sense and respond to the geophysical stimuli that precede earthquakes,especially electromagnetic fields,although supporting field evidence is mostly anecdotal.Here we report on the reactions of four female giant pandas under observation over the three days prior to the Lushan(30.1°N,103.0°E)magnitude 7.0 earthquake that occurred in Sichuan province,China,on April 20,2013.We observed no significant generalized behavioral anomalies indicative of them perceiving an impending earthquake.We also observed no startle behaviors in the 5 s prior to tremors commencing,indicating that these pandas either did not detect or did not respond to precursor P-waves.Our findings suggest that although giant pandas have evolved in,and continue to occupy exclusively,a seismically active range in central China,they do not appear to perceive pre-earthquake geophysical warning signs.展开更多
For solitary species that aggregate to breed, signals, such as sound or odor, transmitted across the landscape can play an important role in mate choice and coordinating breeding activity. Recent work on vocalizations...For solitary species that aggregate to breed, signals, such as sound or odor, transmitted across the landscape can play an important role in mate choice and coordinating breeding activity. Recent work on vocalizations of the giant panda (Ailuropoda melanoleuca), bleats and chirps that are emitted during periods of reproductive activity, has revealed that auditory communication in this species is more complicated and developed than once believed. However, playback experiments using these calls have recorded only a few behaviors over short observation times and the influence of these calls on the signaling behavior of receivers remains unknown. Here, we present results from a pilot study in which we played the bleats of male and female giant pandas in estrus to captive animals and measured vocal and chemical signaling response behavior. We found an increase in scent marking behavior, but not vocalizations, in males and females following the playback of calls made by members of the opposite sex in estrus. To our knowledge, this is the first study to detect a chemical communication response, which was marking, to an auditory signal in giant pandas. Our findings reveal a previously unknown relationship between acoustic and chemical signals in this high profile species and suggest that these two forms of signaling may be interdependent in the social lives of giant pandas.展开更多
基金supported by National Natureal Science Foundation of China(Nos.31172097,31472009 and 31772466)International Collaborative Giant Panda Project(No.2012-018).
文摘It is widely believed that various animal species can sense and respond to the geophysical stimuli that precede earthquakes,especially electromagnetic fields,although supporting field evidence is mostly anecdotal.Here we report on the reactions of four female giant pandas under observation over the three days prior to the Lushan(30.1°N,103.0°E)magnitude 7.0 earthquake that occurred in Sichuan province,China,on April 20,2013.We observed no significant generalized behavioral anomalies indicative of them perceiving an impending earthquake.We also observed no startle behaviors in the 5 s prior to tremors commencing,indicating that these pandas either did not detect or did not respond to precursor P-waves.Our findings suggest that although giant pandas have evolved in,and continue to occupy exclusively,a seismically active range in central China,they do not appear to perceive pre-earthquake geophysical warning signs.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(30470233 and 31170297)the International Cooperative Project for the Giant Panda,State Forestry Administration(WH0306,WH0309)
文摘For solitary species that aggregate to breed, signals, such as sound or odor, transmitted across the landscape can play an important role in mate choice and coordinating breeding activity. Recent work on vocalizations of the giant panda (Ailuropoda melanoleuca), bleats and chirps that are emitted during periods of reproductive activity, has revealed that auditory communication in this species is more complicated and developed than once believed. However, playback experiments using these calls have recorded only a few behaviors over short observation times and the influence of these calls on the signaling behavior of receivers remains unknown. Here, we present results from a pilot study in which we played the bleats of male and female giant pandas in estrus to captive animals and measured vocal and chemical signaling response behavior. We found an increase in scent marking behavior, but not vocalizations, in males and females following the playback of calls made by members of the opposite sex in estrus. To our knowledge, this is the first study to detect a chemical communication response, which was marking, to an auditory signal in giant pandas. Our findings reveal a previously unknown relationship between acoustic and chemical signals in this high profile species and suggest that these two forms of signaling may be interdependent in the social lives of giant pandas.
