Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

A Search for Bacterial Magnetite in the Sediments of Eel Marsh, Woods Hole, Massachusetts

  • Chapter
Magnetite Biomineralization and Magnetoreception in Organisms

Part of the book series: Topics in Geobiology ((TGBI,volume 5))

Abstract

Magnetite is the magnetic mineral most prominent as a remanence carrier in sediments. Not surprisingly, the discovery of a magnetic bacterium (Blakemore, 1975) caught the attention of researchers like Kirschvink and Lowenstam (1979) who recognized its importance to the field of paleomagnetics. If these microscopic magnetite makers were present in large numbers in their environment, they might supply a significant quantity of finegrained magnetite to the sediments. Furthermore, as they are known in both marine and nonmarine environments (Moench and Konetzka, 1978), and have been found in both the northern and southern hemispheres and at the equator (Kirschvink, 1980; Frankel et al., 1981), they are potentially a widely distributed source.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Log in via an institution
Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 129.00
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 169.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

Preview

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

References

  • Balkwill, D. L., Maratea, D., and Blakemore, R. P., 1980, Ultrastructure of a magnetotactic spirillum, J. Bacteriol. 141: 1399–1408.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Berner, R. A., 1964, Iron sulphides formed from aqueous solution at low temperatures and atmospheric pressure, J. Geol. 72: 293–306.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Berner, R. A., 1967, Thermodynamic stability of sedimentary iron sulfides, Am. J. Sci. 265: 773–785.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Berner, R. A., 1971, Principles of Chemical Sedimentology, McGraw-Hill, New York, pp. 115–137, 193–209.

    Google Scholar 

  • Berner, R. A., 1974, Iron sulphides in Pleistocene deep Black Sea sediments and their paleooceano- graphic significance, in: The Black Sea-Geology, Chemistry, Biology, AAPG Memoir 20, pp. 524–531.

    Google Scholar 

  • Biggs, R. B., 1963, Deposition and early diagenesis of modern Chesapeake Bay muds, Ph.D. dissertation, Lehigh University, unpublished.

    Google Scholar 

  • Blakemore, R. P., 1975, Magnetotactic bacteria, Science 190: 377–379.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Blakemore, R. P., Maratea, D., and Wolfe, R. S., 1979, Freshwater magnetic spirillum, J. Bacteriol. 140: 720ff.

    Google Scholar 

  • Creer, K. M., 1974, Geomagnetic variations for the interval 7000–25,000 yr. B. P. as recorded in a core of sediment from station 1474 of the Black Sea cruise of “Atlantis II,” Earth Planet. Sci. Lett. 23: 34–42.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Dell, C. I., 1972, An occurrence of greigite in Lake Superior sediments, Am. Mineral. 57: 1303–1304.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Doyle, L. J., Hopkins, T. L., and Betzer, P. R., 1976, Black magnetic spherule fallout in the eastern Gulf of Mexico, Science 194: 1157–1159.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Dunlop, D. J., and West, G. F., 1969, An experimental evaluation of single domain theories, Rev. Geophys. 7: 709–757.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Emery, K. O., 1969, A Coastal Pond, Elsevier, Amsterdam.

    Google Scholar 

  • Frankel, R. B., Blakemore, R. P., and Wolfe, R. S., 1979, Magnetite in freshwater magnetotactic bacteria, Science 203: 1355–1356.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Frankel, R. B., Blakemore, R. P., Torres de Araujo, F. F., Esquivel, D. M. S., and Danon, J., 1981, Magnetotactic bacteria at the geomagnetic equator, Science 212: 1269–1270.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Freke, M., and Tate, D., 1961, The formation of a magnetic iron sulphide by bacterial reduction of iron solutions, J. Biochem. Microbiol. Technol. Eng. 3: 29–39.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Garrels, R. M., and Christ, C. L., 1965, Solutions, Minerals, and Equilibria, Harper & Row, New York, pp. 178–223.

    Google Scholar 

  • Jedwab, J., 1967, Mineralisation en greigite de debris vegetaux d’une vase recente (Grot Geul), Soc. Belg. Geol. Bull. 76: 1–19.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kirschvink, J. L., 1980, South seeking magnetic bacteria, J. Exp. Biol. 86: 345–347.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kirschvink, J. L., 1982, Paleomagnetic evidence for fossil biogenic magnetite in western Crete, Earth Planet. Sci. Lett. 59: 388–392.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kirschvink, J. L., and Lowenstam, H. A., 1979, Mineralization and magnetization of chiton teeth: Paleomagnetic, sedimentologic, and biologic implications, Earth Planet. Sci. Lett. 44: 193–204.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Langmuir, D., 1969, The Gibbs free energies of substances in the system Fe-O2-H2O-CO2 at 25°C, U.S. Geol. Surv. Prof. Pap. 650-B: B180–B184.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lovlie, R., Lowrie, W., and Jacobs, M., 1971, Magnetic properties and mineralogy of four deep sea cores, Earth Planet. Sci. Lett. 15: 157–168.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lowenstam, H. A., 1962, Magnetite in denticle capping in recent chitons (Polyplacophora), Geol. Soc. Am. Bull. 73: 435–438.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Lowrie, W., and Fuller, M., 1971, On the alternating field demagnetization characteristics of multi- domain thermoremanent magnetization in magnetite, J. Geophys. Res., 76: 6339–6349.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mackereth, F. J. H., 1971, On the variation in direction of the horizontal component of remanent magnetization in lake sediments, Earth Planet. Sci. Lett. 12: 332–338.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Moench, T. T., and Konetzka, W. A., 1978, A novel method for the isolation and study of a magnetotactic bacterium, Arch. Microbiol. 119: 203–212.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Oldfield, F., Thompson, R., and Barber, K. E., 1978, Changing atmospheric fallout of magnetic particles recorded in recent ombrotrophic peat sections, Science 199: 679–680.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Rimbert, F., 1959, Contribution à l’étude de l’action de champs alternatifs sur les aimantations remanentes de roches, Rev. Inst. Fr. Petrole. Ann. Combust. Liquides, 14: 17ff.

    Google Scholar 

  • Skinner, B. J., Erd, R. C., and Grimaldi, F. S., 1964, Greigite, the thiospinel of iron; a new mineral, Am. Mineral., 49: 543–555.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Spender, M. R., Coey, J. M. D., and Morrish, A. H., 1972, The magnetic properties and Mossbauer spectra of synthetic samples of Fe3S4, Can. J. Phys. 50: 2313–2326.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Stacey, F. D., and Banerjee, S. K., 1974, The Physical Principles of Rock Magnetism, Elsevier, Amsterdam.

    Google Scholar 

  • Stober, J. C., and Thompson, R., 1979, An investigation into the source of magnetic materials in some Finnish lake sediments, Earth Planet. Sci. Lett. 45: 464–474.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Suthill, R. J., Turner, P., and Vaughn, D. J., 1982, The geochemistry of iron in recent tidal flat sediments of the Wash area, England, Geochim. Cosmochim. Acta 46: 205–217.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Thompson, R., 1973, Paleolimnology and paleomagnetism, Nature 242: 182–184.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Thompson, R., and Morton, D. J., 1979, Magnetic susceptibility and particle size distribution in recent sediments of the Loch Lomond Drainage Basin, Scotland, J. Sediment. Petrol. 49: 801–812.

    Google Scholar 

  • Thompson, R., Batterbee, R. W., O’Sullivan, P. E., and Oldfield, F., 1979, Magnetic susceptibility of lake sediments, Limnol. Oceanogr. 20: 687–698.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Towe, K. M., and Moench, T. T., 1981, Electron optical characterization of bacterial magnetite, Earth Planet. Sci. Lett. 52: 213–220.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Geology, Stanford University, Stanford, California, 94305, USA

    Anne Demitrack

Authors
  1. Anne Demitrack
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California, USA

    Joseph L. Kirschvink

  2. University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, USA

    Douglas S. Jones

  3. Florida State Museum, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, USA

    Bruce J. MacFadden

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 1985 Plenum Press, New York

About this chapter

Cite this chapter

Demitrack, A. (1985). A Search for Bacterial Magnetite in the Sediments of Eel Marsh, Woods Hole, Massachusetts. In: Kirschvink, J.L., Jones, D.S., MacFadden, B.J. (eds) Magnetite Biomineralization and Magnetoreception in Organisms. Topics in Geobiology, vol 5. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4613-0313-8_35

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4613-0313-8_35

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Boston, MA

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-4613-7992-8

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-4613-0313-8

  • eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation