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Reproductive competition and fecal testosterone in wild male giant pandas (Ailuropoda melanoleuca)

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Abstract

The giant panda (Ailuropoda melanoleuca) is notoriously difficult to study in the wild, but its interesting reproductive ecology makes the effort worthwhile. Perhaps more than most species, the panda is energy-limited, which alters the cost/benefit analysis of its reproductive ecology. Using global positioning system/very high frequency radiocollars to locate mating aggregations, we used behavioral observations and fecal testosterone assays to gain insight into male panda reproductive effort and strategies, and test theories relating to reproductive competition. Male pandas initially competed fiercely for access to females that were about to be fertile, but once male competitive status was determined, aggression rates declined. Contact aggression was only observed during the first 2 days of mating aggregations; thereafter, it was replaced with noncontact aggression and avoidance. Agonistic interactions were highly asymmetrical, with contest losers (subordinates) showing less aggression and more avoidance than contest winners (dominants), both before and after contest outcome was established. The competitively superior male displayed mate-guarding tactics and secured all observed copulations. Contrary to theoretical predictions, testosterone levels did not predict aggression levels or contest winners and also were not affected by winning or losing a contest. Body size appeared to be the primary determinant of contest outcome. We discuss our findings in light of theoretical predictions, such as those arising from the “challenge hypothesis,” in the context of the giant panda’s foraging and nutritional ecology.

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Acknowledgments

We acknowledge the support of Foping National Nature Reserve and the filed staffs including XL Wang, QG He, and AX Zhang. We thank Dr. Russell Van Horn, James Elser, Arianne Cease, Laura Steger provided useful comments on an earlier version of this manuscript and Dr. XH. Li for helpful comments on the statistical analysis. We would also like to thank two anonymous reviewers and the editor for invaluable suggestions improving the final version of the manuscript. This work was funded by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (30830020), Key Program of Knowledge Innovation Program of Chinese Academy of Sciences (KSCX2-EW-Z-4, CZBZX-1) and San Diego Zoo Global.

Ethical standards

The authors declare the experiments comply with the current laws of People’s Republic of China and were approved by State Forestry Administration of People’s Republic of China (2009-261).

Conflict of interest

None

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Key Laboratory of Animal Ecology and Conservation Biology, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 1-5 Beichen West Road, 100101, Beijing, China

    Yonggang Nie, Zejun Zhang & Fuwen Wei

  2. Graduate University of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Yuquan Road, 100039, Beijing, China

    Yonggang Nie

  3. San Diego Zoo Institute for Conservation Research, 15600 San Pasqual Valley Road Escondido, P.O. Box 120551, San Diego, CA, 92112, USA

    Ronald R. Swaisgood

  4. Institute of Rare Animals and Plants, China West Normal University, 1 Shida Road, 637002, Nanchong, Sichuan, China

    Zejun Zhang

  5. Foping National Nature Reserve, Foping, 723400, Shaanxi, China

    Xiaobin Liu

Authors
  1. Yonggang Nie
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  2. Ronald R. Swaisgood
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  3. Zejun Zhang
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  4. Xiaobin Liu
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  5. Fuwen Wei
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Fuwen Wei.

Additional information

Communicated by E. Huchard

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Nie, Y., Swaisgood, R.R., Zhang, Z. et al. Reproductive competition and fecal testosterone in wild male giant pandas (Ailuropoda melanoleuca). Behav Ecol Sociobiol 66, 721–730 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00265-012-1320-9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00265-012-1320-9

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