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Learning and extinction of conditioned hearing sensation change in the beluga whale (Delphinapterus leucas)

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Abstract

Ice-dwelling beluga whales are increasingly being exposed to anthropogenic loud sounds. Beluga’s hearing sensitivity measured during a warning sound just preceding a loud sound was tested using pip-train stimuli and auditory evoked potential recording. When the test/warning stimulus with a frequency of 32 or 45 kHz preceded the loud sound with a frequency of 32 kHz and a sound pressure level of 153 dB re 1 μPa, 2 s, hearing thresholds before the loud sound increased relative to the baseline. The threshold increased up to 15 dB for the test frequency of 45 kHz and up to 13 dB for the test frequency of 32 kHz. These threshold increases were observed during two sessions of 36 trials each. Extinction tests revealed no change during three experimental sessions followed by a jump-like return to baseline thresholds. The low exposure level producing the hearing-dampening effect (156 dB re 1 µPa2s in each trial), and the manner of extinction, may be considered as evidence that the observed hearing threshold increases were a demonstration of conditioned dampening of hearing when the whale anticipated the quick appearance of a loud sound in the same way demonstrated in the false killer whale and bottlenose dolphin.

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Abbreviations

AEP:

Auditory evoked potential

RFR:

Rate following response

SPL:

Sound pressure level

SEL:

Sound exposure level

TTS:

Temporary threshold shift

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Acknowledgments

This manuscript is contribution number XXXX of the Hawaii Institute of Marine Biology. Significant help from the trainers: Hector Canatelli, Felipe Cabildo, Ivan Soto, Almundena Mena, and Araceli Albarracín; the chief veterinarian, Daniel Garcia, and the Director, Pablo Areitio of the Oceanographic is gratefully acknowledged.

Funding

This research project was supported by the sale of the Hawaii Institute of Marine Biology’s laboratory-born dolphin Ho’olono. Additional funding was supplied by Exxon Mobil’s Ocean Science Program with the helpful assistance of Dr. Gary Isaksen.

Animal care

The animal in this experiment was treated well within the guidelines of international ethical standards of animal care. The protocol for the experiment was approved by the Animal Care and Utilization Committee of the University of Hawaii and the Veterinary staff of Oceanographic.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Hawaii Institute of Marine Biology, University of Hawaii, PO Box 1106, Kailua, HI, 96734, USA

    Paul E. Nachtigall & Aude F. Pacini

  2. Institute of Ecology and Evolution of the Russian Academy of Sciences, 33 Leninsky Prospect, 119071, Moscow, Russia

    Alexander Ya Supin

  3. Research Department, Parques Reunidos Valencia S. A. Oceanogràfic, Ciudad de las Artes y las Ciencias, Valencia, Spain

    Jose-Antonio Estaban

Authors
  1. Paul E. Nachtigall
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  2. Alexander Ya Supin
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  3. Jose-Antonio Estaban
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  4. Aude F. Pacini
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Correspondence to Paul E. Nachtigall.

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Nachtigall, P.E., Supin, A.Y., Estaban, JA. et al. Learning and extinction of conditioned hearing sensation change in the beluga whale (Delphinapterus leucas). J Comp Physiol A 202, 105–113 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00359-015-1056-x

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00359-015-1056-x

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