Pre-exposure to heavy metal pollution and the odor of predation decrease the ability of snails to avoid stressors.

Many organisms appear to exhibit adaptive cost-benefit behaviors that balance foraging, safety, and pollution avoidance. However, what if the cognitive facilities needed to make decisions are compromised by industrial pollutants? Are the resulting decisions altered? Similarly, does exposure to kairomones from predators alter an organism's ability to avoid toxicants? Furthermore, how long an exposure is necessary: A few minutes, hours, or even a lifetime? We wondered if there was an interaction between the ability to respond to a predatory event and the ability to avoid heavy metals.