Factors affecting climbing in the coastal gastropod Hydrobia ulvae

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Abstract
In a series of laboratory experiments designed to create conditions under which the dispersal and feeding hypotheses of climbing in Hydrobia ulvae would predict opposing results, significantly larger numbers of snails climbed (a) food-bearing sticks than non-food-bearing sticks, (b) in 100% sea water than in 41% sea water, and (c) in the dark than in the light. The first two of these results are in accordance with the hypothesis that climbing is not a distinct behavioural activity but is merely normal crawling/browsing behaviour carried out in a vertical plane; they are in disagreement with the hypothesis that climbing is undertaken in order to facilitate dispersal away from unfavourable conditions. The third result is neutral in respect of the two hypotheses, but is explicable in terms that activity during the night is advantageous because of lowered rates of vertebrate predation.