No larvae died during the 24 or 48 h exposures to reduced salinity, although the larvae were pale and sluggish at 12‰ and were pale and completely inactive at 10‰. However, the percentage of juveniles recovered several weeks after adding mud to induce metamorphosis was significantly reduced for individuals subjected as larvae to the lowest salinity Ž10‰. for as little as 24 h in two of the three experiments Že.g., Fig. 5a; Table 2.. In one experiment ŽExp S-2. post-settlement mortality was significantly elevated for larvae exposed to 12‰ salinity for 48 h ŽTable 2.
Significant declines in juvenile growth rate were recorded in two of the three experiments ŽS-1 and S-2. for individuals that had been exposed for either 24 or 48 h to reduced salinity as larvae Že.g., Fig. 5b; Table 2.. In contrast, fecundity was significantly reduced for individuals in some of the 24 h low-salinity exposures, but was not significantly reduced in any experiment following 48 h exposures to reduced salinity ŽTable 2.