Fantastic question Jane! I'm not sure about anemones and urchins, but there is some evidence of this in marine gastropods:

Kandel and colleagues (reviewed in Kandel 1983) showed that shrimp juice, a chemical typically ignored by sea hares (Aplysia; marine gastropods), could be made to elicit an escape response in sea hares with electric shock (equivalent to a predatory attack) and that Aplysia elicited other different escape/defense responses when it subsequently encountered shrimp-juice after the initial shock. Further experiments showed that shock, again equivalent to a predatory attack, elicited altered behaviour over several weeks that resembled chronic anxiety. These experiments are summed up nicely in Hofer (2013). The only caveat is that shocking an animal isn't exactly non-invasive...

Although not directly linked to anxiety, recent work by Watson et al. (2014) suggested that ocean acidification can alter the predatory escape behaviour of invertebrates (specifically conchs) by interfering with neurotransmitter function (GABA). If increasing CO2 can interfere with neurotransmitter functioning, there is certainly work to be done with anxiety.

I've included some references below - please let me know if you need PDFs to the papers!

Regards,

Jeff

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References:

Hofer, MA. 2013. An evolutionary perspective on anxiety. In: Roose, SP & Glick, RA. (Eds.). Anxiety as symptom and signal. Routledge. 192 pp.

Kandel, ER. 1983. From metapsychology to molecular biology: explorations into the nature of anxiety. The American Journal of Psychiatry. 140: 1277-1293.

Watson, SA, Lefevre, S, McCormick, MI, Domenici, P, Nilsson, GE, & Munday, PL. 2014. Marine mollusc predator-escape behaviour altered by near-future carbon dioxide levels. Proceedings of the Royal Society B. 281: DOI:10.1098/rspb.2013.2377.

Hi Jeff,

Thanks for your quick and detailed response. I was aware of the conch story but not of Aplysia in this sense. If you could send me PDFs of the first two that would be great!

I see we have some overlap of interest (coastal acidification) but in different habitats. I've been meandering from developmental to physiological to behavioural responses of invertebrates to OA in subtidal rocky communities so your information is great. Please feel free to send more if you come across them.

If anyone else knows of other pertinent publications, please also let me know.

Regards,

Jane

Hi Jane,

I've attached a PDF of the Kandel (1983) paper here - everything discussed in the Hofer chapter can be found in detail in the paper.

Certainly some overlap! I'm interested in the behavioural responses to OA in a variety of animals and habitats, but my dissertation is focusing on soft-sediment intertidal. Will send more if I come across them.

Cheers,

Jeff

Thanks again Jeff,

Perhaps we should talk some more after I've read these?

Regards,

Jane

Jane,

Would love to chat more! Looking forward to it.

Cheers,

Jeff