Population growth of two limno-terrestrial Antarctic microinvertebrates in different aqueous soil media
In this study, tested two different laboratory culturing media for two limno-terrestrial Antarctic microinvertebrates, a rotifer (Habrotrocha sp.) and a tardigrade (Acutuncus antarcticus). Population growth of the rotifers was monitored in the two growth media for 60 days and the tardigrades were monitored for 160 days. We also tested for optimal dilution of soil elutriate in rotifer cultures over a 36 day period.
This data file contains results from a series of culturing tests to determine the effectiveness of aqueous, soil-like culturing media for two limno-terrestrial Antarctic microinvertebrate, a rotifer Habrotrocha sp. and a tardigrade Acutuncus antarcticus.
The tests were run at RMIT university and Melbourne University between July 2020 and September 2021.
Test biota were isolated from soil and moss samples collected from Casey Research station, Antarctica and maintained in a temperature controlled cabinet at 10°C with 12/12 hour light dark cycle prior to testing.
Test solutions were a soil elutriate (1:1 soil:ultrapure water v/v) prepared from soil collected from the Windmill Islands, East Antarctica, a balanced salt solution (BSS), and a dilution series of the soil elutriate diluted with ultrapure water. BSS was prepared as per Piggott 2000 (https://doi.org/10.1163/156854100509349).
These were 3 tests; comparison of population growth of tardigrades in BSS and soil elutriate, comparison of population growth of rotifers in BSS and soil elutriate, population growth of rotifers in a dilution series of soil elutriate.
The comparison tests started with 5 individual microinvertebrates (rotifers or tardigrades) per replicate, and the dilution series test started with 1 individual rotifer per replicate.
A complete description of the methods utilised is published in the study associated with this record (DOI: 10.1007/s11356-024-32905-x).