We have studied the temperature dependence of the band gap and the decay dynamics of isoelectronic ZnSe1-xOx (x=0-0.053) semiconductors, using photoluminescence (PL) and time-resolved PL spectroscopy. The temperature dependence of the band gap of ZnSe1-xOx decreases with the increase in 0 concentration. The Kohlrausch law is in good agreement with the O-induced complex decay profiles. As temperature increases, the mechanism of carrier decay undergoes a complicated change from trapped to free excitons. These findings are consistent with the temperature dependence of the stretching exponent beta. (C) 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.