Aquatic insect larvae as indicators of limiting minimal contents of dissolved oxygen ‐ part II

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Abstract
The O2 tolerance of aquatic insect larvae with tracheal gills or comparable respiratory mechanisms can be used for bioindication of limiting minimal contents of dissolved O2. An analysis of the community permits the retrospective evaluation of critical values. Specific lethal O2 concentrations and their temperature dependence are given for 22 spp. Above a critical temperature, Tc, the specific LC50 increases exponentially. Tc is considerably lower with cold-adapted than with warm-adapted species. The values of O2 tolerance determined demonstrate that restriction of a species to running water is not determined by O2 level, temperature and water flow only.