Sulfide-Stimulation of Oxygen Consumption Rate and Cytochrome Reduction in Gills of the Estuarine Mussel Geukensia demissa

Organisms, such as the mussel Geukensia demissa. that inhabit high-sulfide sediments have mechanisms that impede sulfide poisoning of aerobic respiration. Oxygen consumption rates (n O2) of excised ciliated gills from freshly collected G. demissa were stimulated 3-fold at sulfide concentrations between 200 and 500 μM and remained stimulated at 1000 μM. Maintenance of mussels in sulfide-free conditions resulted in less stimulation of gill n O2 at