Continuous cultures, i.e. chemostats with an continuous

dilution rate, are model ecosystems for the study of general

regulation principles in plankton communities.

Further to an introduction, general continuous culture

methods and especially the characteristics of rotifer

continuousculture systems are presented. Sections on

metabolism and energetics in chemostats, growth models,

competition and predator-prey interactions, as well as the

application of rotifer continuous cultures to ecotoxicology

and their use in aquaculture are included.