Hearing sensitivity in context: Conservation implications for a highly vocal endangered species
Hearing sensitivity is a fundamental determinant of a species’ vulnerability to anthropogenic noise, however little is known about the hearing capacities of most conservation dependent species. When audiometric data are integrated with other aspects of species’ acoustic ecology, life history, and ch...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Elsevier
2016-04-01
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| Series: | Global Ecology and Conservation |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2351989415300317 |
| _version_ | 1818174943229116416 |
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| author | Megan A. Owen Jennifer L. Keating Samuel K. Denes Kathy Hawk Angela Fiore Julie Thatcher Jennifer Becerra Suzanne Hall Ronald R. Swaisgood |
| author_facet | Megan A. Owen Jennifer L. Keating Samuel K. Denes Kathy Hawk Angela Fiore Julie Thatcher Jennifer Becerra Suzanne Hall Ronald R. Swaisgood |
| author_sort | Megan A. Owen |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Hearing sensitivity is a fundamental determinant of a species’ vulnerability to anthropogenic noise, however little is known about the hearing capacities of most conservation dependent species. When audiometric data are integrated with other aspects of species’ acoustic ecology, life history, and characteristic habitat topography and soundscape, predictions can be made regarding probable vulnerability to the negative impacts of different types of anthropogenic noise. Here we used an adaptive psychoacoustic technique to measure hearing thresholds in the endangered giant panda; a species that uses acoustic communication to coordinate reproduction. Our results suggest that giant pandas have functional hearing into the ultrasonic range, with good sensitivity between 10.0 and 16.0 kHz, and best sensitivity measured at 12.5–14.0 kHz. We estimated the lower and upper limits of functional hearing as 0.10 and 70.0 kHz respectively. While these results suggest that panda hearing is similar to that of some other terrestrial carnivores, panda hearing thresholds above 14.0 kHz were significantly lower (i.e., more sensitive) than those of the polar bear, the only other bear species for which data are available. We discuss the implications of this divergence, as well as the relationship between hearing sensitivity and the spectral parameters of panda vocalizations. We suggest that these data, placed in context, can be used towards the development of a sensory-based model of noise disturbance for the species. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-11T19:52:26Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-1d873337936a487c857a19107c91b569 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2351-9894 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-11T19:52:26Z |
| publishDate | 2016-04-01 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Global Ecology and Conservation |
| spelling | doaj.art-1d873337936a487c857a19107c91b5692022-12-22T00:52:44ZengElsevierGlobal Ecology and Conservation2351-98942016-04-016C12113110.1016/j.gecco.2016.02.007Hearing sensitivity in context: Conservation implications for a highly vocal endangered speciesMegan A. Owen0Jennifer L. Keating1Samuel K. Denes2Kathy Hawk3Angela Fiore4Julie Thatcher5Jennifer Becerra6Suzanne Hall7Ronald R. Swaisgood8Institute for Conservation Research, San Diego Zoo Global, 15600 San Pasqual Valley Road, Escondido, CA 92027-7000, USAInstitute for Conservation Research, San Diego Zoo Global, 15600 San Pasqual Valley Road, Escondido, CA 92027-7000, USADepartment of Biology, Syracuse University, 107 College Pl., Syracuse, NY 13244, USACollections and Husbandry Science, San Diego Zoo Global, PO Box 120551, San Diego, CA 92112, USACollections and Husbandry Science, San Diego Zoo Global, PO Box 120551, San Diego, CA 92112, USACollections and Husbandry Science, San Diego Zoo Global, PO Box 120551, San Diego, CA 92112, USACollections and Husbandry Science, San Diego Zoo Global, PO Box 120551, San Diego, CA 92112, USAInstitute for Conservation Research, San Diego Zoo Global, 15600 San Pasqual Valley Road, Escondido, CA 92027-7000, USAInstitute for Conservation Research, San Diego Zoo Global, 15600 San Pasqual Valley Road, Escondido, CA 92027-7000, USAHearing sensitivity is a fundamental determinant of a species’ vulnerability to anthropogenic noise, however little is known about the hearing capacities of most conservation dependent species. When audiometric data are integrated with other aspects of species’ acoustic ecology, life history, and characteristic habitat topography and soundscape, predictions can be made regarding probable vulnerability to the negative impacts of different types of anthropogenic noise. Here we used an adaptive psychoacoustic technique to measure hearing thresholds in the endangered giant panda; a species that uses acoustic communication to coordinate reproduction. Our results suggest that giant pandas have functional hearing into the ultrasonic range, with good sensitivity between 10.0 and 16.0 kHz, and best sensitivity measured at 12.5–14.0 kHz. We estimated the lower and upper limits of functional hearing as 0.10 and 70.0 kHz respectively. While these results suggest that panda hearing is similar to that of some other terrestrial carnivores, panda hearing thresholds above 14.0 kHz were significantly lower (i.e., more sensitive) than those of the polar bear, the only other bear species for which data are available. We discuss the implications of this divergence, as well as the relationship between hearing sensitivity and the spectral parameters of panda vocalizations. We suggest that these data, placed in context, can be used towards the development of a sensory-based model of noise disturbance for the species.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2351989415300317Acoustic ecologyGiant pandaHearing sensitivityNoisePsychoacoustic |
| spellingShingle | Megan A. Owen Jennifer L. Keating Samuel K. Denes Kathy Hawk Angela Fiore Julie Thatcher Jennifer Becerra Suzanne Hall Ronald R. Swaisgood Hearing sensitivity in context: Conservation implications for a highly vocal endangered species Global Ecology and Conservation Acoustic ecology Giant panda Hearing sensitivity Noise Psychoacoustic |
| title | Hearing sensitivity in context: Conservation implications for a highly vocal endangered species |
| title_full | Hearing sensitivity in context: Conservation implications for a highly vocal endangered species |
| title_fullStr | Hearing sensitivity in context: Conservation implications for a highly vocal endangered species |
| title_full_unstemmed | Hearing sensitivity in context: Conservation implications for a highly vocal endangered species |
| title_short | Hearing sensitivity in context: Conservation implications for a highly vocal endangered species |
| title_sort | hearing sensitivity in context conservation implications for a highly vocal endangered species |
| topic | Acoustic ecology Giant panda Hearing sensitivity Noise Psychoacoustic |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2351989415300317 |
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