Evidence of Interspecific Interactions in the Respiration of Tubificid Oligochaetes

Abstract

Determination of respiration of Tubifex tubifex, Limnodrilus hoffmeisteri, and Peloscolex multisetosus in the laboratory provided evidence of interspecific interactions between two tubificid species. The same individuals in mixed species culture respire significantly less than in pure culture. The effector of the interaction in the one interaction between T. tubifex and L. hoffmeisteri is waterborne, smaller than 0.45 μ, and it is rendered ineffective by heating at 60 C for 20 min.