Adaptations of sodium balance to low pH in a sunfish (Enneacanthus obesus) from naturally acidic waters

Abstract

Net sodium flux (Jnet), sodium influx (Jin), and sodium efflux (Jout) were measured in two sunfish,Enneacanthus obesus (acid-tolerant) andLepomis gibbosus (less acid-tolerant), during 24 h exposure to soft water of pH's 4.0 and 3.5.E. obesus exhibited a mild transitory disturbance at both pH's caused by inhibitedJin and slightly stimulatedJout. Body and plasma ion concentrations ofE. obesus were measured weekly during exposures for 5 weeks to acidified artificial soft water (ASW). Body sodium concentration declined 30% during 2 weeks exposure to pH 3.5 but no further during the next three weeks. Exposure to pH 4.0 had no effect on body sodium concentration during the entire 5 weeks. Plasma sodium concentration declined 15% over a 3 week period at pH 3.5; there was no further change in the next two weeks. Plasma potassium concentrations, which were measured after 4 and 5 weeks at pH's 5.8 and 3.5 in ASW, were not significantly different. In a separate two week long experiment, plasma sodium concentration ofE. obesus in ASW was correlated with pH between pH's 3.5 and 7.5. This effect was mainly due to increases above pretreatment levels at pH 4.5 and above. Increased ambient sodium and calcium concentrations had no effect on body sodium concentration ofE. obesus at pH 5.8, but mitigated the effects of exposure to pH 3.5. Increased calcium concentrations up to 25 μM at pH 3.5 increased body sodium concentration, but higher concentrations had no additional effect. Body potassium concentration and body water concentration ofE. obesus were linearly related to body sodium concentration under a wide variety of external conditions. This suggests the presence of a mechanism by whichE. obesus regulates plasma sodium levels and body fluid compartments in response to sodium loss. In contrast toE. obesus, L. gibbosus showed larger sodium losses at low pH resulting from greater acceleration ofJout; those exposed at pH 3.5 died in less than 12 h.L. gibbosus also had reduced body and plasma sodium concentrations at pH 4.5 and below; those at pH 4.0 were the lowest. Body potassium concentration ofL. gibbosus was reduced in those fish exposed to pH 4.0 and below, but body water was increased. Thus there are striking differences in the ability to regulate ion and water balance at low pH between an acid-tolerant specialist (E. obesus) and a less acid-tolerant generalist (L. gibbosus).