OXYGEN-CONSUMPTION OF THE SANDY-BEACH WHELK BULLIA-DIGITALIS MEUSCHEN AT DIFFERENT LEVELS OF ACTIVITY

O2 consumption of suspended B. digitalis is not related to water current speed or degree of turbulence, where these are kept constant. The highest levels of O2 uptake at 15.degree. C are obtained by producing fluctuating surges of turbulence, the animals responding to changes in the movement of water. In buried animals O2 consumption decreases with time in the absence of water movements. Burrowing and surface crawling require less energy than transport in the surf.