Acclimation and tolerance of Artemia salina to copper salts

The brine shrimp Artemia salina L. was acclimated in sea water with cupric chloride, acetate, carbonate, and sulphate, each at concentrations of 0.1, 0.05 and 0.025 ppm Cu⁺⁺, together with sea water controls. Growth inhibition was observed in all four compounds, generally in direct relationship to the concentration. It was least in sulphate, and increased progressively in chloride, acetate and carbonate in that order. No inhibition however was observed in carbonate at 0.025 ppm Cu⁺⁺. In toxicity tests, 2-week old larvae from each solution were exposed to concentrations of 10, 7.5, 5, 2.5 and 1 ppm Cu⁺⁺ of the same compounds, together with unacclimated larvae of the same age. Similar tests were held with 6-week old adults acclimated (a) in 0.1 ppm Cu⁺⁺ (chloride, acetate and sulphate) using the same concentrations and (b) in 0.5 ppm Cu⁺⁺ (carbonate), using 150, 125, 100, 75, and 50 ppm Cu⁺⁺. Toxicity to unacclimated larvae and adults differed with the compounds, carbonate being the least toxic, followed by sulphate, chloride and acetate in increasing order. Larvae acclimated in chloride (0.025 ppm Cu⁺⁺) and sulphate (0.1 and 0.5 ppm Cu⁺⁺) showed an increased tolerance to 1 and 2.5 ppm Cu⁺⁺ compared to untreated controls. Tolerance was not enhanced from 5 ppm Cu⁺⁺ upwards. In both compounds, adults acclimated in 0.1 ppm Cu⁺⁺ showed an increased tolerance to concentrations between 1 and 7.5 ppm Cu⁺⁺ compared to controls. Larval mortality in carbonate was below 50% in all test solutions. Adults acclimated at 0.5 ppm Cu⁺⁺ showed an increased tolerance to 50 ppm Cu⁺⁺ compared to controls. Considerable precipitation occurred with the high levels of this compound, thus effecting the final concentrations. No acclimation effect was observed in acetate for either larvae or adults. It is suggested that in A. salina, copper toxicity depends on the particular form of the metal, and that this difference is also evident in growth inhibition and in the potential acquisition of increased tolerance through exposure to low concentrations.     

Acclimation and tolerance of Artemia salina and Ophryotrocha labronica to cooper sulphate

The brine shrimp Artemia salina L. and the polychaete worm Ophryotrocha labronica La Greca and Bacci were acclimated in sea water with copper sulphate at concentrations of 0.1, 0.05, and 0.025 ppm Cu⁺⁺, for 3 and 2 generations, respectively. Both adults and larvae of A. salina showed a greater tolerance to 1 ppm Cu⁺⁺ after acclimation compared to controls of the same age, although this tolerance diminished in successive generations. The acclimation effect was less marked in O. labronica. In both species, tolerance to 10 ppm Cu⁺⁺ upwards was not enhanced. Growth-rate inhibition and an adverse effect on reproduction was observed, in some instances in direct relationship to the acclimation concentration. It is suggested that, in A. salina, a certain tolerance to copper may be acquired through exposure to low concentrations.     

Effects of arsenic on survival and metabolism of Crangon crangon

Metabolic changes and toxic effects in Crangon crangon (collected during summer 1989 near Helsingør, Denmark and at Kulhuse in the Isefjord) were observed during exposure to different arsenate concentrations. Survival, respiration, and concentrations of hemolymph glucose, muscle glycogen andadenine nucleotides were measured. C. crangon was very tolerant of arsenate; survival was only affected at arsenate concentrations >25 ppm. Small individuals (0.2 to 0.29 g wet weight) were less tolerant than medium-sized and large individuals (0.5 to 0.59 g and 0.8 to 0.89 g wet weight), e.g. at 50 ppm the LT₅₀ for small individuals was 180 h compared to 343 h and 360 h in middle-sized and large individuals. The relation between size and toxicity is probably due to the change in surface/volume ratio. Under clean conditions the respiration of C. crangon showed a clear relation between routine MO₂ (O₂ in mlg^-1 h^-1) and wet weight (r²=0.89; P<0.001). During shortterm exposure to arsenate (10 and 50 ppm), the respiratory rates (MO₂) seemed to decrease in a size-dependent manner. The concentrations of blood glucose and muscle glycogen did not change in response to arsenate exposure. The concentrations of adenylate phosphates were high and constant throughout the experiments. C. crangon had maximal adenylate energy charge (AEC) values of ca. 0.8. No decrease in AEC due to the exposure to arsenate was observed.     

The chemosensory ability of the predatory leech Whitmania laevis (Arhynchobdellida: Haemopidae) for prey searching

Although prey-detecting and searching abilities of predatory leeches of rhynchobdellid or the Erpobdelliformes of arhynchobdellid species have been studied in the past, hirudiniformes leeches are rarely mentioned. In this study, we investigated the chemosensory ability for prey-detecting and searching in Whitmania laevis, a hirudiniformes species that mainly preys on freshwater snails, and examined if such ability aided in their prey selection. Five sympatric snail species, i.e., apple snail Pomacea canaliculata, thiarid snail Thiara tuberculata, viviparid snail Sinotaia quadrata, ear pond snail Radix auricularia swinhoei and tadpole snail Physa acuta were used as prey. Our results showed that W. laevis has the chemosensory ability to detect the waterborne odors of snails. However, they follow the snails by their mucus trails, and not by the odor that the snails leave in the water. Of these five snail species, W. laevis only followed the trails of the thiarid snails, ear pond snails and tadpole snails, and did not show a different response to the trails produced by snails of different sizes. Our results suggest that W. laevis can use waterborne odors to detect the existence of prey. They rely on mucus trails to follow their preferred prey, but do not distinguish between snails of a preferred size by their mucus trails. In addition, when following the trail of a preferred snail, W. laevis exhibits a newly described searching behavior, i.e., head tapping, and may use it to locate a snail trail and increase its probability of finding the trail-laying snail nearby.     

Studies on factors affecting survival of nile fish in the Sudan. III. The effect of oxygen

Tilapia nilotica L. were exposed to different levels of ambient oxygen concentrations for 24 h periods. Nitrogen was bubbled through the water to reduced the oxygen concentration to the respective test level. When testing concentrations of oxygen between 2.5 and 0.4 ppm over 24 h periods of exposure, the median tolerance limits (TLM) over 24 h were attained at 1.41 ppm of oxygen.     

Large plasmids governing multiple resistances to heavy metals: A genetic approach∗

Gram negative bacteria classified as Alcaligenes eutrophus and carrying large resistance plasmids (generally two) were found in various industrial sites highly contaminated by heavy metals (Zn⁺⁺, Cu⁺⁺, Co⁺⁺,...). These strains were detected by DNA hybridization with a probe made with a 9kb fragment (ccz⁺ fragment) encoding for resistances to Cd⁺⁺, Co⁺⁺ and Zn⁺⁺, and cloned from plasmid pMOL30. This plasmid was isolated from the representative strain A. eutrophus CH34 which harbours the plasmids pMOL30 (240 kb) and pMOL28 (165 kb). Phenotypes related to pMOL28 and pMOL30 include the tolerance to Cd⁺⁺, Co⁺⁺, Cr0₄ ⁼, Cu⁺⁺, Hg⁺⁺, Ni⁺⁺, Pb⁺⁺ and Zn⁺⁺. The described genetic properties of these plasmids refer to some cloned or mapped functions and to some plasmid rearrangements. Plasmid pMOL85 (250 kb) which is related to pMOL30 was also described. Its host (A. eutrophus DS185) was isolated from a zinc desert. pMOL85 can efficiently self transfer in plasmidfree derivatives.     

Huddling up in a dry environment: the physiological benefits of aggregation in an intertidal gastropod

In many intertidal gastropods, the formation of aggregations and closing of the opercular opening are behaviors commonly assumed to be associated with water conservation and maintenance of body temperature during tidal emersion periods. In the laboratory, we quantified the relationship between these two behaviors in a littorinid snail common to the north-central shores of Chile, Echinolittorina peruviana, and evaluated any benefit of these behaviors during desiccating conditions. We predicted that solitary individuals would maintain their opercula open for less time than aggregated snails when exposed to drier conditions due, at least in part, to differences in evaporative water loss. In laboratory trials, where relative humidity was manipulated, we observed that aggregated snails maintained their opercula open for longer periods of time than solitary snails under increasingly drier conditions. These results, together with observations of body temperature, suggest that aggregated animals may able to maintain gaseous exchange with their environment for longer periods of time than solitary individuals in response to desiccation stress. Our results suggest an interactive effect of two behaviors that confer physiological benefits when confronted with extreme physical conditions experienced during periods of emersion.     

Growth histories of strombid snails from Bermuda recorded in their O-18 and C-13 profiles

The isotopic ratios ¹⁸O/¹⁶O and ¹³C/¹²C show an annal periodicity in the strombid snails Strombus gigas and S. costatus from Bermuda. S. gigas appears to have a constant displacement of 0.5 from oxygen isotopic equilibrium, whereas S. costatus fractionates the oxygen istopes in accordance with established fractionation relationships. With this tool, the growth in strombid snails during different stage can readily be determined on one and the same snail. A 24.8 cm long S. gigas showed an age of 7, a 19.3 cm long S. costatus of 5, and a 7.8 cm long S. costatus of 2 years. From the annual range in oxygen isotopes, growth restricted to warmer periods of the year is assumed. The abundances of ¹⁸O and ¹³C tend to be positively correlated in adult S. gigas and S. costatus speciments, but were inversely related in a juvenile S. costatus.     

Competitive role of calcium in sodium transport in the crab carcinus mediterraneus Acclimated to low salinities

Influence of calcium on sodium fluxes was investigated in the brackish-water crab Carcinus mediterraneus Csrn., after activation of sodium regulatory mechanisms, during longterm acclimation in diluted (15.9 S) sea water. The ²²Na outflux constants measured in whole crabs are noticeably lower (0.188 to 0.374h^-1) in diluted sea water enriched by calcium (5.8 to 10.4 mM Ca²⁺/l), than in ordinary diluted sea water (0.545 h^-1). The sodium-outflux constants in hemolymph, gills and muscle show the same trend of slower exchange of ²²Na in calcium-enriched sea water. In ordinary sea water, the total sodium-outflux rate from the hemolymph amounts to 46.31 M Na/g/h, while in calcium-enriched sea water (8.23 mM Ca²⁺/l) it is inhibited, amounting to 13.86 M Na/g/h. Sodium and potassium concentrations of intracellular muscles in diluted sea water enriched with calcium and control diluted sea water are similar. The outflux of intracellular sodium from the muscle amounts to 2.84 M Na/g/h in crabs acclimated to diluted sea water.     

Interactions Among the Copper Species and Forms in Sea Water/Sediments and Copper Bioaccumulation in Oysters

Abstract

Earlier papers indicated that the first incident of green discoloration in oysters (Crassostrea gigas) and the mass mortality observed in 1986 along the Taiwan Erhjin Chi coastal area were caused by the higher contents of total copper and copper species (mainly bioavailable and free ion) in sea water. the copper in sea water would be sorbed by suspended matter and transferred to sediments, and the copper in the sediments would also be desorbed to sea water. Processes of copper adsorption and desorption are the major factors influencing the contents of total copper and copper species in sea water and sediments. in this study, the Erhjin Chi sediments were mixed with sea water by a shaker technique. When the mixture was shaken for one hour, analogous to tidal mixing in estuaries, only copper desorption from sediments was observed. If the shaking time is increased for more than 3 hours, the copper released from the sediments was resorbed to the remaining solid phases. the higher the contents of mud (91.71%) and total copper (701 mg kg^?1) in sediments, the higher the copper desorption rate (1.86 ppm hr^?1) and copper adsorption rate (0.50 ppm hr^?1) were observed. in sediments containing lower mud (0.80%) and lower copper (43.5 mg kg^?1), the copper desorption and adsorption rates were 0.83 ppm hr^?1 and 0.22 ppm hr^?1, respectively. the interactions among the total copper and copper species in sea water and sediments, chemical and ecological parameters, and copper bioaccumulation in oysters in the Erhjin Chi estuarine and coastal area are also discussed.     

Microscale variation in<Emphasis Type="Italic"> Aat</Emphasis> (aspartate aminotransferase) is supported by activity differences between upper and lower shore allozymes of<Emphasis Type="Italic"> Littorina saxatilis</Emphasis>

The role of natural selection in maintaining inherited variation in morphological characters is indisputable. In contrast, genetic variation in allozyme loci is mostly assumed neutral or under weak selection, although enzyme functions are critical to central metabolic processes. A locus coding for aspartate aminotransferase (AAT) is polymorphic with two alleles in the rocky shore gastropod Littorina saxatilis. One allele (Aat ¹²⁰ ) is most frequent (0.8–0.9) in upper shore subpopulations, while the other (Aat ¹⁰⁰ ) dominates (0.7–0.8) lower shore subpopulations only meters below. Earlier studies show this variation to be maintained by divergent selection, but the mechanism is unknown. We measured enzyme activities in AAT extracts from individuals of known Aat genotype in populations from two islands and at three different temperatures. In all treatments lower shore homozygotes (Aat ^100/100 ) had higher enzyme activity than upper shore homozygotes (Aat ^120/120 ), with heterozygotes having intermediate levels of activity. AAT has a central role in anaerobic energy production in marine mollusks during low-tide periods of emergence, and it might appear surprising that upper shore snails, which are most likely to be emerged, have lower enzyme activity. However, upper shore snails are forced to survive long periods of desiccation, and a low metabolic rate will help to conserve limited resources of energy and nutrients and reduce accumulation of waste products.Communicated by L. Hagerman, Helsingør     

Spatial and temporal distribution of atmospheric mercury species over the Adriatic Sea

Field measurements of atmospheric mercury and related species were carried out during an intensive cruise campaign performed over the Adriatic sea from October 26th to November 12th, 2004 on board the R/V Urania. Hg⁰ ranged between 0.8 and 3.3 ng/m³ with an average of 1.6 ± 0.4 ng/m³ over the entire period. Hg(II) concentrations ranged from 0.1 to 62.8 pg/m³ with an average of 6.7 ± 11.7 pg/m³ whereas Hg-p levels were in a range of 0.04 and 51 pg/m³ with an average of 4.5 ± 8 pg/m³. Higher Hg⁰ and Hg-p concentrations were observed in the Gulf of Venice and Gulf of Trieste due primarily to air masses transported from the mainland reflecting the contribution from anthropogenic sources. In contrast, higher Hg(II) concentrations observed during the first period of the cruise campaign were likely due to the occurrence of photo-oxidants production which are the main players of the gas phase oxidation of to Hg(II)_(g). These findings have been confirmed by the backward trajectories analysis of air masses crossing the studied area during selected days.     

Effects of Polinices duplicatus (Gastropoda: Naticidae) on infaunal community structure at Barnstable Harbor,Massachusetts, USA

Effects of the predatory naticid snail Polinices duplicatus (Say) on species composition, diversity and density, of the infauna of intertidal sand-flats at Barnstable Harbor, Massachusetts, USA, were studied using field experiments. Responses of molluscs (prey of P. duplicatus) and nonmolluscs (nonprey) were considered separately to distinguish between the effects of feeding and sediment disturbance during foraging. The fauna of 0.25 m² predator-exclusion cages, coarse-mesh cages, sieved areas, and controls was followed for 1 yr. Species associations within cages from which predators were excluded were denser, more diverse, and richer in molluscs than those in other treatments. Larger areas (3×3 m) of natural bottom were fenced and maintained as snail exclosures and enclosures during two feeding seasons. For both molluscs and nonmolluscs, diversity (H'), number of species, evenness (SD), and density all decreased with increasing snail density. Intense predation pressure on molluscs and selective feeding on thin-shelled bivalves, which were rare, removed individuals and species of molluscs from the community. Comparison of samples taken inside and outside trails made by snails showed that disturbance of the surface sediment layers by snails decreased the abundance of spionid polychaetes and total nonmolluscs. The sipunculan Phascolopsis gouldi and the bivalve Gemma gemma dominated the community in all experimental treatments and were little affected by the activity of Polinices duplicatus. Predation and disturbance by snails lowered community diversity by removing individuals of the less abundant species, and generally maintained population densities below the level where strong competition would occur.     

Individual effects and interactions of salinity,temperature, and zinc on larval development of the grass shrimp Palaemonetes pugio. I. Survival and developmental duration through metamorphosis

Larvae of the estuarine grass shrimp Palaemonetes pugio (Holthuis) were reared from hatch through successful completion of metamorphosis in 80 combinations of salinity (3 to 31%), temperature (20° to 35°C), and zinc (0.00 to 1.00 ppm Zn⁺⁺). Response-surface methodology was employed to depict the individual effects and interactions of the three factors on survival and developmental duration through total larval development. Outside the optimal salinity-temperature conditions of 17 to 27 S and 20° to 27°C, viability of larvae was reduced by both the individual effects of salinity and temperature and interactions between the two factors. Survival capacity of larvae and resistance adaptations to salinity and temperature were progresively reduced by zinc concentrations from 0.25 to 1.00 ppm Zn⁺⁺. Response-surface analysis of the data suggested that the duration of total larval development of P. pugio was least at salinities from 18 to 23 and at temperatures from 30° to 32°C. At both higher and lower salinity-temperature conditions and in increasing zinc concentrations from 0.25 to 1.00 ppm Zn⁺⁺, developmental rates were retarded. A significant zinc-temperature interaction existed, whereby increasing zinc concentrations reduced both survival and developmental rates of larvae more at suboptimal temperatures. Larval resistance to zinc toxicity was least at supraoptimal salinities, indicative of a significant zinc-salinity interaction. The reduced viability, restricted euryplasticity, and retarded developmental rates of P. pugio larvae developing in media with low-level zinc contamination would limit the distributive properties of the pelagic phase in the life cycle of the species and reduce recruitment both into and out of the parent estuarine population.     

In vitro and in vivo inhibition of Ca2+-Mg2+-ATPase activity by cadmium in post larvae of Penaeus monodon

Ca²⁺-Mg²⁺-ATPase is a membrane-bound enzyme and is responsible for regulating cytosolic free calcium. In vitro and in vivo effects of cadmium were studied on Ca²⁺-Mg²⁺-ATPase activity in plasma membrane/mitochondrial fraction of Penaeus monodon post larvae. In vitro studies revealed a concentration-dependent decrease in enzyme activity with an IC₅₀ value of 11.02?µM. In vivo experiments were conducted by exposing the post larvae to 1/10th (0.12?ppm) and 1/5th (0.24?ppm) of LC₅₀ values of cadmium for 30 days. Both ATPase activity and metal accumulation were estimated in post larvae exposed to 0.12 and 0.24?ppm of cadmium at different intervals of 24?h, 48?h, 96?h, 10 days and 30 days. ATPase activity showed a gradual decrease in post larvae on exposure to both the sub-lethal concentrations with respect to their controls and the decrease was significant (p?相似文献   

Formation of metallothioneins in relation to accumulation of cadmium in the common mussel Mytilus edulis

Accumulation rates of Cd have been studied in the common mussel Mytilus edulis L. under different laboratory conditions. Semi-static and through-flow experiments were carried out at Cd concentrations of 200 ppb and 50/100 ppb in the water, respectively. A linear uptake of Cd throughout the experimental periods of 36 or 124 d was found in all experiments. The accumulation rate was 3.10 ppm d^-1 at 50 ppb in the through-flow water experiment, 4.1 ppm d^-1 in starved and 6.6 ppm d^-1 in fed mussels in the semi-static experiments with 200 ppb Cd in the water. The Cd-accumulation rate in various fractions of soft parts decreased in the order: body>mantle>muscles. Elution patterns obtained from gel-filtrations showed an increasing amount of Cd-binding proteins (metallothioneins) when the body burden of Cd increased. The Cd content in the body fraction of mussels transferred to clean water for 42 d after first being exposed to Cd during 124 d decreased from 564 ppm on a dry weight basis to 417 ppm while the fraction of Cd bound to metallothioneins rose from 22 to 78% during the same period.     

Ecology of a corallivorous gastropod,<Emphasis Type="Italic"> Coralliophila abbreviata</Emphasis>, on two scleractinian hosts. I: Population structure of snails and corals

Despite their potential importance in structuring reef communities, invertebrate corallivores and their population structures are poorly understood. We found distinct differences in the population structures (length-frequency distribution and sex ratio) of the corallivorous gastropod Coralliophila abbreviata residing on two coral-host taxa, Montastraea spp. and Acropora palmata, in the Florida Keys. In each of two survey years, around 50% of the Montastraea spp. colonies were infested, with a mean snail density of eight snails per infested colony (range 1–45), while around 20% of A. palmata colonies harbored three snails per infested colony (range 1–23). Variation in patterns of snail occurrence was also observed within a host taxon. A. palmata occurred in low- and high-density stands (0.4 and 1 colony m^–2, respectively, at the initial survey) at different sites. Hurricane Georges struck the area in September 1998. When resurveyed in 1999, density of colonies in low-density stands had decreased by 75% to 0.1 colonies m^–2. This decrease was accompanied by a doubling in the proportion of colonies infested with snails (from 19% to 46%) and an increase in snail density per infested colony (from 3.7±3.3 SD to 5.4±4.6 SD) as snails apparently concentrated on surviving A. palmata. In contrast, sites with high density A. palmata stands (thickets) retained colony densities of about ~1 colony m^–2 among years, while snail infestation increased only from 9% to 14% of colonies surveyed and snail density essentially remained unchanged (from 2.7±1.8 to 2.9±1.9 snails per infested colony). Snails collected from Montastraea spp. were shorter than those from A. palmata in low-density stands and were longest on A. palmata in thickets. On both host taxa, female snails were longer than males. The sex ratio of snails on Montastraea spp. hosts was even (1:1), while that of snails on A. palmata was skewed (70% males). Factors that could explain observed differences in size structure and sex ratio between Coralliophila populations on the two coral host taxa include: differential susceptibility to predators, influence of host tissue nutritional quality and/or secondary metabolite content, and genetic differences (cryptic species). The host-specific characteristics of C. abbreviata populations imply that the impact of gastropods on reef communities will vary with the coral species composition.     

Detection of oxidative stress and DNA damage in freshwater snail <Emphasis Type="Italic">Lymnea leuteola</Emphasis> exposed to profenofos

Extensive production and use of organophosphate pesticide in agriculture, has risen concerned about its ecotoxicity and risk assessment of insecticides, which are more important. Therefore, the present investigation was aimed to study the induction of oxidative stress and DNA damage by organophosphate insecticide profenofos (PFF) in freshwater snail Lymnea luteola (L. luteola). The median lethal value (96 h LC₅₀) of PFF was estimated as 1.26 mg/L for L. luteola in a semi-static system and on the basis of LC₅₀ value three concentrations viz., 0.126 (1/10 of LC₅₀, Sublethal I), 0.63 (1/2 of LC₅₀, Sublethal II) and 0.84 mg/L (2/3 of LC₅₀, Sublethal III) were determined. Snails were exposed to above-mentioned concentrations of PFF along with solvent control (acetone) and negative control for 96 h. The haemolymph was collected at 24 and 96 h of after treatment. In heamolymph of PFF exposed snail, lipid peroxide, glutathione reduced glutathione S transferase and superoxide dismutase activities at the tested concentrations significantly differ from those in the control. The genotoxicity induced in hemocytes of treated snails was measured by alkaline single cell gel electrophoresis assay. The data of this experiment demonstrated significantly enhancement of oxidative stress and DNA damage in the treated snails as compared to controls. Also, we observed statistically significant correlations of ROS with DNA damage (% tail DNA) (R² = 0.9708) for 24 h and DNA damage (R2 = 0.9665) for 96 h.

Results of the current experiment can be useful in risk evaluation of PFF among aquatic organisms. The study confirmed the use of comet assay for in vivo laboratory experiments using freshwater snail for selecting the toxic potential of industrial chemicals and environmental contaminants.

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Effects of tidal fluctuations of salinity on pericardial fluid composition of the American oyster Crassostrea virginica

Crassostrea virginica Gmelin were subjected to simulated tidal fluctuations of salinity, and the subsequent effects on osmotic and ionic composition of the pericardial fluid, body water and valve movements were investigated. Ambient salinity fluctuation patterns of 20-10-20, 15-10-15 and 10-5-10 were simulated during 24.8-h periods. An additional 10-5-10 S experiment was performed using a dilution water approximating the ionic composition of Mississippi River water with regard to Mg⁺⁺, Ca⁺⁺ and SO ₄ ⁼ , instead of deionized water. Finally the effects of a 2-week diurnal fluctuation pattern between 20 and 10 S were investigated with respect to pericardial fluid composition. Pericardial fluid osmolality, concentrations of Cl^-, Na⁺, Mg⁺⁺, K⁺, Ca⁺⁺ and ninhydrin-positive substances (NPS) were analyzed periodically throughout all experiments. Pericardial fluid osmolality was slightly hyperosmotic as ambient water salinity decreased during a cycle, and then became slightly hyposmotic as ambient salinity increased. In the 2-week experiment, pericardial fluid osmolality tracked ambient seawater closely through Day 5, but became more intermediate between high and low seawater values as the experiment progressed. Similar patterns during fluctuations of salinity were observed for Na⁺, Cl^-, Mg⁺⁺ and Ca⁺⁺. Pericardial fluid K⁺ levels did not track ambient seawater as closely as did other ions. The ionic composition of dilution water had little effect on the osmotic or ionic response of the oyster's pericardial fluid. Pericardial fluid NPS level varied inversely with salinity during the 20-10-20 cycle. During the longterm fluctuation experiment, NPS values gradually decreased over the 2-week period compared to constant salinity control values. Percent body water also varied inversely with ambient salinity. Solute movement accounted for most of the change in pericardial fluid osmolality during the simulated cycles with water movement responsible for 1 to 11%. Water movement contributed more to the change of pericardial fluid osmolality during the decreasing salinity phase than the increasing phase of a given cycle. During 20-10-20 S cycles, oyster valves remained open 56% of the time (n=23). In contrast, when salinity was abruptly changed from 20 to 10 within 5 min, valve closure occurred in 4.8±0.3 min (n=20). Valves did not reopen for 19.3±1.2 h (n=15).