Respiration studies and population metabolism of the gastropod Theodoxus jordani (Sowerby)

SUMMARY. 1. The oxygen consumption of the gastropod snail T. jordani was determined at six different temperatures corresponding to those experienced in the field. 2. The respiration rate increasing linearly with increasing tissue weight at all temperatures studied. Regression equations describing the respiration rate-live weight relationship were significantly different (P<0. 001). 3. The respiration rate-temperature relationship was linear for seven weight classes of the population. The extent of change in the respiration rate with increasing temperature differed between the different weight classes. The Q10 value was highest (2.5) for the smallest weight class and decreased with increasing size. 4. The annual respiratory loss by the whole population was estimated to be 334.75 kJ m−2.