First Record of Beachrock in High-Altitude Soda Lakes, Lake Van, Eastern Türkiye

T. Ahmet Ertek; Ahmet Evren Erginal; Mustafa Bozcu

First Record of Beachrock in High-Altitude Soda Lakes, Lake Van, Eastern Türkiye

Abstract

This study presents, for the first time, evidence of beachrock formation along the shores of a highly alkaline soda lake. The carbonate cement binding the grains consists of radially grown aragonite, scalenohedral Mg-calcites, and spar calcites filling cavities. Dogtooth cement extending into cavities and meniscus cement textures are also present. These data indicate that the Lake Van beachrock formed through cementation with carbonate polymorphs precipitated from highly saturated lake waters under intense evaporation in extremely arid conditions. There are similarities in the conditions that support the formation of both beachrock and microbialites in the same shoreline zone. The role of high lake alkalinity, bacterial activity, and groundwater supplying Ca to the lake waters is crucial in the precipitation of binding carbonates. The formation of the beachrocks likely occurred between 3.5 ka BP, when the lake began experiencing a pronounced arid trend, and 2 ka BP, when the lake's climate reached a stabilized state. Thus, it can be inferred that the beachrocks predate the microbialites observed on the shelf of the studied shoreline.

Keywords

Supporting Institution

This work was not supported by any institution.

Project Number

N/A

Ethical Statement

No methodology requiring ethics committee approval was employed in this study.

Thanks

N/A

References

Bathurst, R. G. C. (1972). Carbonate sediments and their diagenesis (Vol. 12). Amsterdam: Elsevier.
Beier, J. A. (1985). Diagenesis of Quaternary Bahamian beachrock; petrographic and isotopic evidence. Journal of Sedimentary Research, 55(5), 755–761. https://doi.org/10.1306/212F87DD-2B24-11D7-8648000102C1865D
Belkhedim, S., Eberli, G. P., López Correa, M., Sadji, R., Nemra, A., Benhamou, M., & Munnecke, A. (2024). Microbial micritic cementation in deep time: Implications for early marine lithification and paleoenvironmental reconstruction. Sedimentary Geology, 471, 106727. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sedgeo.2024.106727
Bezerra, F. H. R., Barreto, A. M. F., & Suguio, K. (2003). Holocene sea-level history on the Rio Grande do Norte State coast, Brazil. Marine Geology, 196(1), 73–89. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1016/S0025-3227(03)00044-6
Binkley, K. L., Wilkinson, B. H., & Owen, R. M. (1980). Vadose beachrock cementation along a southeastern Michigan marl lake. Journal of Sedimentary Research, 50(3), 953–961. https://doi.org/10.1306/212F7B30-2B24-11D7-8648000102C1865D
Çağatay, M. N., Damcı, E., Bayon, G., & Sarı, M. (2024). Microbialites on the northern shelf of Lake Van, eastern Türkiye: Morphology, texture, stable isotope geochemistry and age. Sedimentology, 71(3), 850–870. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1111/sed.13153
Calvet, F., Cabrera, M. C., Carracedo, J. C., Mangas, J., Pérez-Torrado, F. J., Recio, C., & Travé, A. (2003). Beachrocks from the island of La Palma (Canary Islands, Spain). Marine Geology, 197(1), 75–93. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1016/S0025-3227(03)00090-2
Degens, E. T., Wong, H. K., Kempe, S., & Kurtman, F. (1978). Van Gölü’nün jeolojik gelişimi: Bir özet. The Geology of Lake Van. Maden Tetkik ve Arama Genel Müdürlüğü, 169, 147–158.

Diaz, M. R., & Eberli, G. P. (2022). Microbial contribution to early marine cementation. Sedimentology, 69(2), 798–822. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1111/sed.12926
Erginal, A. E., Kıyak, N. G., Öztürk, M. Z., Avcıoğlu, M., Bozcu, M., & Yiğitbaş, E. (2012). Cementation characteristics and age of beachrocks in a fresh-water environment, Lake İznik, NW Turkey. Sedimentary Geology, 243–244, 148–154. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sedgeo.2011.10.012
Ginsburg, R. N. (1953). Beachrock in south Florida. Journal of Sedimentary Research, 23(2), 85–92. https://doi.org/10.1306/D4269558-2B26-11D7-8648000102C1865D
Hillgärtner, H., Dupraz, C., & Hug, W. (2001). Microbially induced cementation of carbonate sands: are micritic meniscus cements good indicators of vadose diagenesis? Sedimentology, 48(1), 117–131. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1046/j.1365-3091.2001.00356.x
Jones, B., Rosen, M. R., & Renaut, R. W. (1997). Silica-cemented beachrock from Lake Taupo, North Island, New Zealand. Journal of Sedimentary Research, 67(5), 805–814. https://doi.org/10.1306/D4268644-2B26-11D7-8648000102C1865D
Kempe, S., & Kazmierczak, J. (2007). Hydrochemical Key to the Genesis of Calcareous Nonlaminated and Laminated Cyanobacterial Microbialites. In J. Seckbach (Ed.), Algae and Cyanobacteria in Extreme Environments (pp. 239–264). Springer Netherlands. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4020-6112-7_13
Kempe, S., Kazmierczak, J., Landmann, G., Konuk, T., Reimer, A., & Lipp, A. (1991). Largest known microbialites discovered in Lake Van, Turkey. Nature, 349(6310), 605–608. https://doi.org/10.1038/349605a0
Kneale, D., & Viles, H. A. (2000). Beach cement: incipient CaCO3-cemented beachrock development in the upper intertidal zone, North Uist, Scotland. Sedimentary Geology, 132(3), 165–170. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1016/S0037-0738(00)00029-4
Kremer, B., Kaźmierczak, J., & Kempe, S. (2019). Authigenic replacement of cyanobacterially precipitated calcium carbonate by aluminium-silicates in giant microbialites of Lake Van (Turkey). Sedimentology, 66(1), 285–304. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1111/sed.12529
Krumbein, W. E. (1979). Photolithotropic and chemoorganotrophic activity of bacteria and algae as related to beachrock formation and degradation (gulf of Aqaba, Sinai). Geomicrobiology Journal, 1(2), 139–203. https://doi.org/10.1080/01490457909377729
Landmann, G., Reimer, A., & Kempe, S. (1996). Climatically induced lake level changes at Lake Van, Turkey, during the Pleistocene/Holocene Transition. Global Biogeochemical Cycles, 10(4), 797–808. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1029/96GB02347
López-García, P., Kazmierczak, J., Benzerara, K., Kempe, S., Guyot, F., & Moreira, D. (2005). Bacterial diversity and carbonate precipitation in the giant microbialites from the highly alkaline Lake Van, Turkey. Extremophiles, 9(4), 263–274. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00792-005-0457-0
Maxcon, J. H. (1936). Türkiye’nin krater gölü Nemrut Gölü. MTA Dergisi, 5, 45–49.
Milliman, J. D., Müller, G., & Förstner, U. (1974). Recent Sedimentary Carbonates. In Recent Sedimentary Carbonates. Springer Berlin Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-65528-9
Ozturk, M. Z., Erginal, A. E., Kiyak, N. G., Demirci, A., Ekinci, Y. L., Curebal, İ., Avcıoglu, M., & Ozturk, T. (2016). Records of repeated drought stages during the Holocene, Lake Iznik (Turkey) with reference to beachrock. Quaternary International, 408, 16–24. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1016/j.quaint.2015.08.077
Reimer, A., Landmann, G., & Kempe, S. (2009). Lake Van, Eastern Anatolia, Hydrochemistry and History. Aquatic Geochemistry, 15(1), 195–222. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10498-008-9049-9
Rey, D., Rubio, B., Bernabeu, A. M., & Vilas, F. (2004). Formation, exposure, and evolution of a high-latitude beachrock in the intertidal zone of the Corrubedo complex (Ria de Arousa, Galicia, NW Spain). Sedimentary Geology, 169(1), 93–105. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sedgeo.2004.05.001
Russell, R. J., & McIntire, W. G. (1965). Southern hemisphere beach rock. Geographical Review, 55(1), 17–45.
Tarı, U., Sunal, G., Welte, C., Yaltırak, C., Özcan, O., & Wertnik, M. (2024). Late Holocene submerged beachrocks in the Sea of Marmara (Tekirdağ-Altınova, NW Türkiye): Revealing the tectonic uplift rate through radiocarbon dating. Quaternary International, 706, 32–48. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1016/j.quaint.2024.07.007
Taşoğlu, E., Öztürk, M. Z., & Yazıcı, Ö. (2024). High Resolution Köppen-Geiger Climate Zones of Türkiye. International Journal of Climatology, 44(14), 5248–5265. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1002/joc.8635
Vieira, M. M., & De Ros, L. F. (2006). Cementation patterns and genetic implications of Holocene beachrocks from northeastern Brazil. Sedimentary Geology, 192(3), 207–230. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sedgeo.2006.04.011
Vousdoukas, M. I., Velegrakis, A. F., & Plomaritis, T. A. (2007). Beachrock occurrence, characteristics, formation mechanisms and impacts. Earth-Science Reviews, 85(1), 23–46. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1016/j.earscirev.2007.07.002
Wick, Lucia, Lemcke, Genry, & Wick, Lucia. (2003). Evidence of Lateglacial and Holocene climatic change and human impact in Eastern Anatolia: high-resolution pollen, charcoal, isotopic and geochemical records from the laminated sediments of Lake Van, Turkey. The Holocene, 13(5), 665–675. https://doi.org/10.1191/0959683603hl653rp
Yalçınlar, İ. (1973). Nemrut sönmüş volkanı ve kalderası. İstanbul Üniversitesi Coğrafya Enstitüsü Dergisi, 10(18–19), 253–273.

Details

Primary Language

English

Subjects

Physical Geography and Environmental Geology (Other)

Journal Section

Research Article

Authors

T. Ahmet Ertek
0000-0002-9857-4832
Türkiye

Ahmet Evren Erginal ^*
0000-0002-3112-5258
Türkiye

Mustafa Bozcu This is me
0000-0002-1360-8651
Türkiye

Publication Date

September 29, 2025

Submission Date

June 26, 2025

Acceptance Date

September 10, 2025

Published in Issue

Year 2025 Volume: 12 Number: 3

IZ

https://izlik.org/JA39ZL93GE

Cite

RIS / Bibtex

APA

Ertek, T. A., Erginal, A. E., & Bozcu, M. (2025). First Record of Beachrock in High-Altitude Soda Lakes, Lake Van, Eastern Türkiye. International Journal of Environment and Geoinformatics, 12(3), 235-243. https://izlik.org/JA39ZL93GE

AMA

1.Ertek TA, Erginal AE, Bozcu M. First Record of Beachrock in High-Altitude Soda Lakes, Lake Van, Eastern Türkiye. IJEGEO. 2025;12(3):235-243. https://izlik.org/JA39ZL93GE

Chicago

Ertek, T. Ahmet, Ahmet Evren Erginal, and Mustafa Bozcu. 2025. “First Record of Beachrock in High-Altitude Soda Lakes, Lake Van, Eastern Türkiye”. International Journal of Environment and Geoinformatics 12 (3): 235-43. https://izlik.org/JA39ZL93GE.

EndNote

Ertek TA, Erginal AE, Bozcu M (September 1, 2025) First Record of Beachrock in High-Altitude Soda Lakes, Lake Van, Eastern Türkiye. International Journal of Environment and Geoinformatics 12 3 235–243.

IEEE

[1]T. A. Ertek, A. E. Erginal, and M. Bozcu, “First Record of Beachrock in High-Altitude Soda Lakes, Lake Van, Eastern Türkiye”, IJEGEO, vol. 12, no. 3, pp. 235–243, Sept. 2025, [Online]. Available: https://izlik.org/JA39ZL93GE

ISNAD

Ertek, T. Ahmet - Erginal, Ahmet Evren - Bozcu, Mustafa. “First Record of Beachrock in High-Altitude Soda Lakes, Lake Van, Eastern Türkiye”. International Journal of Environment and Geoinformatics 12/3 (September 1, 2025): 235-243. https://izlik.org/JA39ZL93GE.

JAMA

1.Ertek TA, Erginal AE, Bozcu M. First Record of Beachrock in High-Altitude Soda Lakes, Lake Van, Eastern Türkiye. IJEGEO. 2025;12:235–243.

MLA

Ertek, T. Ahmet, et al. “First Record of Beachrock in High-Altitude Soda Lakes, Lake Van, Eastern Türkiye”. International Journal of Environment and Geoinformatics, vol. 12, no. 3, Sept. 2025, pp. 235-43, https://izlik.org/JA39ZL93GE.

Vancouver

1.T. Ahmet Ertek, Ahmet Evren Erginal, Mustafa Bozcu. First Record of Beachrock in High-Altitude Soda Lakes, Lake Van, Eastern Türkiye. IJEGEO [Internet]. 2025 Sep. 1;12(3):235-43. Available from: https://izlik.org/JA39ZL93GE