Magnetic properties of bottom sediments from Meromectic Shira Lake (Siberia, Russia)

Magnetic properties were studied in bottom sediments of saline meromictic Shira Lake by the methods of static magnetometry and resonance Mössbauer spectroscopy for the first time. All layers of bottom sediments contain nanosized single-domain magnetite particles produced by magnetotactic bacteria. The concentration of magnetite in bottom sediments decreased with depth, reaching a local minimum in the layer corresponding to the minimal level of the lake observed in 1910–1930. It is demonstrated that biogenic magnetite may indicate climate-related changes in the level of Shira Lake, in addition to the other biological and geochemical characteristics.