Master's thesis of Applied Science: The sublethal salinity tolerance of selected freshwater macroinvertebrate species

This study investigated the sublethal effects of salinity on four macroinvertebrate species commonly occurring in Australian freshwater ecosystems. These were; the introduced worm Lumbriculus variegatus Müller (Annelida: Oligochaeta), the introduced snail Physa acuta Draparnaud (Gastropoda: Physidae), the shrimp Paratya australiensis Kemp (Decapoda: Atyidae) and the midge Chironomus tepperi Skuse (Diptera: Chironomidae). The effects of salinity on growth, development and reproduction of these species were investigated through a series of laboratory tests. The tolerances of early life stages of these species were also investigated. The effects of salinity on C. tepperi were assessed across a full life-cycle of exposure.