To the question of tubificidae role in oxygen consumption in oilcontaminated bottom sediments

This research paper is devoted to investigation of role of Tubificidae worms in oxygen consumption in oil-polluted bottom sediments. These benthic organisms are very promising for using in biological remediation of bottom sediments because of high resistance to oxygen shortage and oil contamination. They also play the great role in transformation and transfer of different matters in freshwater sediments. In our experiment we used the most wide spread species of Tubificidae - Limnodrilus hoffmeisteri Claparede, 1862. The experiment showed that oxygen consumption in aquariums with worms is 1.9 - 12.6 times higher than in aquariums without mentioned organisms (3.90± 0.86 times on average (a Tubificidae worms respond by more active respiratory movements, by increasing of size of body part involving in such movements and by decreasing of feeding activity. Features mentioned above were more intensive while decreasing of oxygen content. It needs to notice that different concentrations of oil in bottom sediments didnt influence to oxygen consumption either in aquariums with warms or in aquariums without worms.