Data from two toxicity tests using an Antarctic rotifer and tardigrade exposed to salinity in soil elutriate

This data file contains results from a single toxicity test using an Antarctic rotifer and tardigrade exposed to salinity (NaCl). The tests were run at the University of Melbourne laboratory in Australia during 2021. Test biota (rotifers and tardigrades)were isolated from soil and moss samples collected from Casey Station, Antarctica and cultured in atemperature controlled cabinet at 10°C with 12/12 hour light dark cycle prior to testing. Test solution was soil elutriate created from soil from the Browning Peninsula, Antarctica. The tests were conducted in multiple 35 mm polypropylene Petri dishes and consisted of 5 salinity treatments and a control, replicated five times. Each treatment well contained 8-11individual rotifers or tardigrades. Test electrical conductivities were as follows: 690, 1100, 2800, 6300, 9300 and 10000 µS/cm. The tests ran for 21 days, with rotifer activity and death assessed via light microscope at 24 h, 48 h, 72 h, 96 h, 7 d, 10 d, 14 d, 17 d and 21 d.