Behavioural and metabolic reactions of fornmoschistus minutus (Pallas) exposed to various degrees of hypoxia were studied. At 15°C and 20%0 mortality was 50% at 15.2% oxygen saturation. Avoidance and oxygen saturation showed a linear inverse relationship. At levels lower than 60% saturation increased activity occurred; avoidance was significant at 30% saturation. Active, routine and standard MO, correlated linearly with weight at 6 and 15" C (salinity = 19°%, ,) . During hypoxia a t , 15" C routine MO, rose significantly at 6&50% and 4&30% saturation expressed either as MO, during longer periods at night or MO, at shorter intervals during the day. Standard M O , was unaffected by hypoxia at 15" C. Haemoglobin concentration was significantly increased when P . minutus was acclimatized to 35% saturation.

Rates of growth, filtration and respiration of the ascidian Ciona intestinalis (L.) were measured in the laboratory in the presence of food (flagellate Rhodomonas sp.) concentrations ranging from 0 to 12000 cells ml-' (0 to 500 pg C I-'). Weight-specific growth rate (dry weight of body parts not including the tunic) increased sigrnoidally with increasing algal cell concentration to 7.7 % d-' Maximum specific growth rate was related to age rather than size. A condition index (C1 = DWw@Wrotal) reflected level of growth. Specdic filtration rate decreased logarithmically with increased algal cell concentration. Weight-specific respiration rate showed a relation to algal cell concentration similar to that shown by weight-specific growth rate. All rates were transformed into units of carbon, and a carbon budget was established for 2 size groups. Assimilation efficiency (AE) was approximately 50% but decreased at the highest carbon concentrations. The amount of carbon assimilated per body unit that was needed to maintain body (not including the tunic) or total (including the tunic) carbon was independent of initial size and amounted to 10 or 16 pg C mg C -' d-', respectively. Gross growth efficiency (GGE) and net growth efficiency (NGE) varied with food concentration and approached a level of 0.23 or 0.78, respectively, in terms of body carbon. In terms of total carbon, GGE was found to be 0.27 to 0.28 and NGE to be 0.79. Costs of maintenance were greater in the largest ascidians, while costs of body growth were equal in the 2 size groups (0.21 to 0.23).

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