Brachionus plicatilis tolerance to low oxygen concentrations

Tolerance to low oxygen concentrations is expected in Brachionus plicatilis, a rotifer adapted to live in saline warm waters. The population dynamics of a clone of this species, isolated from an endorreic saline lake, was studied under controlled laboratory conditions. Although their growth and metabolism is extremely reduced, B. plicatilis populations are able to maintain relatively high-density populations (a mean of 35 ind ml^–1) in oxygen concentrations below 1 mg 1^–1, for more than one month. Major features of population growth related to oxygen are discussed.