Oxygen consumption in the prosobranch snail Viviparus contectoides (Mollusca: Gastropoda)--IV. Effects of dissolved oxygen level, starvation, density, symbiotic algae, substrate composition and osmotic pressure

Abstract

1. 1. Oxygen consumption (OC) is directly related to dissolved oxygen levels.2. 2. While starvation for up to 12 days has no consistent long-term effect on OC of male snails, OC of females is depressed by lack of food.3. 3. OC is not related to density of snails either in single or mixed sex groups of up to eight individuals per 250 ml flask.4. 4. Symbiotic algae produce amounts of oxygen sufficient to significantly depress apparent OC of snails in a closed system.5. 5. OC over short periods is independent of substrate composition.6. 6. Rising osmotic pressure (OP) due to NaCl is associated with decreasing OC; increasing OP due to CaCl2 is accompanied by rising OC; and, changing OP due to evaporation or dilution of natural water has no effect on OC.