Saltmarsh ponds—a preferred habitat for magnetotactic bacteria?

Sediment and the overlying water samples were collected from 67 fresh and 38 salt water sites in the UK. Only 13% (five) of the samples taken from salt water sites were negative for magnetotactic bacteria compared with 47·7% (32) of the fresh water ones. Of the seven types of salt water habitats examined, saltmarsh ponds were found to be most suited to magnetotactic bacteria, 96% (25/26) of sites being positive.