Rotifer occurrence in relation to oxygen content

Information on the distribution of 204 species of planktic, periphytic and benthic rotifers from diverse waters in south and central Sweden was analyzed for details on relationships to the oxygen content of the environment. No sign of truly anoxybiontic appearance was traced, although some species may be encountered in high abundance at low O₂-values. Most cold-stenothermal species prefer an environment rich in oxygen, but there are a few exceptions. For the warm-stenothermal species no really close connections with oxygen exist. Several species combine a tolerance of low oxygen content with a preference of high Pt-values. No such connections were traced between oxygen content and trophic degree.