Is the habitation of acidic-water sanctuaries by galaxiid fish facilitated by natural organic matter modification of sodium metabolism?

Acidic waters of New Zealand's West Coast are hypothesized to be a refuge for native galaxiid fish, allowing them to escape predation from acid-sensitive invasive salmonid species. To determine the mechanisms by which galaxiids tolerate low pH, we investigated sodium metabolism in inanga Galaxias maculatus in response to water pH, short-term acclimation to acidic waters, the presence and source of natural organic matter (NOM), and fish life history. Contrary to expectation, inanga were physiologically sensitive to acid exposure, displaying inhibited sodium influx and exacerbated sodium efflux. Shortterm (144 h) acclimation to acid did not modify this effect, and NOM did not exert a protective effect on sodium metabolism at low pH. Inanga sourced from naturally acidic West Coast waters did, however, display a sodium influx capacity (J_max) that was significantly elevated when compared with that of fish collected from neutral waters. All inanga, independent of source, exhibited exceptionally high sodium uptake affinities (18-40 μM) relative to previously studied freshwater teleosts. Although inanga displayed relatively poor physiological tolerance to acidic waters, their high sodium influx affinity coupled with their occupation of near-coastal waters with elevated sodium levels may permit habitation of low-pH freshwaters.