Paleo-environmental study on the growth of magnetotactic bacteria and precipitation of magnetosomes in Chinese loess-paleosol sequences

Abstract

405 samples were collected from L5-S5-L6 in consideration of obvious variations in susceptibility of the geological sections, which are section Xifeng in Gansu Province and section Duanjiapo in Shaanxi Province for study of magnetotactic bacteria (MB) and magnetosomes (MS) in Chinese loess-paleosol sequences. MB in each sample were observed by TEM after being cultured under 8–18°C., room temperature (RT), 25°C., 26°C and 30°C conditions. In general, MB are distributed widely in loess-paleosol sequences, fewer in loess layers with predomination of vibriod in shape. However, there are more MB in paleosol layers with morphological varieties such as roddish, vibriod and occasionally approximately coccus. The magnetosomes (MS) in MB of paleosol are usually arranged in chains along the cells. It was also found that MB growth and MS formation are associated with the environment in which MB live. It can be inferred from the distributions of MB and MS that the paleoclimates fluctuated during the formation of loess-paleosol sequences in the Chinese Loess Plateau. The climate became gradually warmer but displayed more frequent fluctuations from the northwest to the southeast of the Plateau.