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Wilhelm K, Longman J, Standish CD, De Kock T. The Historic Built Environment As a Long-Term Geochemical Archive: Telling the Time on the Urban "Pollution Clock". ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2023; 57:12362-12375. [PMID: 37436401 PMCID: PMC10448721 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.3c00153] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/06/2023] [Revised: 06/27/2023] [Accepted: 06/27/2023] [Indexed: 07/13/2023]
Abstract
This study introduces a novel methodology for utilizing historic built environments as reliable long-term geochemical archives, addressing a gap in the reconstruction of past anthropogenic pollution levels in urban settings. For the first time, we employ high-resolution laser ablation mass spectrometry for lead isotope (206Pb/207Pb and 208Pb/206Pb) analysis on 350-year-old black crust stratigraphies found on historic built structures, providing insights into past air pollution signatures. Our findings reveal a gradual shift in the crust stratigraphy toward lower 206Pb/207Pb and higher 208Pb/206Pb isotope ratios from the older to the younger layers, indicating changes in lead sources over time. Mass balance analysis of the isotope data shows black crust layers formed since 1669 primarily contain over 90% Pb from coal burning, while other lead sources from a set of modern pollution including but not limited to leaded gasoline (introduced after 1920) become dominant (up to 60%) from 1875 onward. In contrast to global archives such as ice cores that provide integrated signals of long-distance pollution, our study contributes to a deeper understanding of localized pollution levels, specifically in urban settings. Our approach complements multiple sources of evidence, enhancing our understanding of air pollution dynamics and trends, and the impact of human activities on urban environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katrin Wilhelm
- Oxford
Resilient Buildings and Landscapes Laboratory (OxRBL), School of Geography
and the Environment, University of Oxford, South Parks Road, Oxford, OX1 3QY, U.K.
| | - Jack Longman
- Marine
Isotope Geochemistry, Institute for Chemistry and Biology of the Marine
Environment (ICBM), University of Oldenburg, Carl-von-Ossietzky-Str. 9-11, 26129 Oldenburg, Germany
- Department
of Geography and Environmental Sciences, Northumbria University, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, NE1 8ST, United
Kingdom
| | - Christopher D. Standish
- School
of Ocean & Earth Sciences, University
of Southampton, National Oceanography Centre, European Way, Southampton, SO14 3ZH, U.K.
| | - Tim De Kock
- Antwerp
Cultural Heritage Sciences (ARCHES), Faculty of Design, University of Antwerp Blindestraat 9, 2000 Antwerp, Belgium
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2
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Cattò C, Mu A, Moreau JW, Wang N, Cappitelli F, Strugnell R. Biofilm colonization of stone materials from an Australian outdoor sculpture: Importance of geometry and exposure. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT 2023; 339:117948. [PMID: 37080094 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2023.117948] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/13/2023] [Revised: 03/27/2023] [Accepted: 04/12/2023] [Indexed: 05/04/2023]
Abstract
The safeguarding of Australian outdoor stone heritage is currently limited by a lack of information concerning mechanisms responsible for the degradation of the built heritage. In this study, the bacterial community colonizing the stone surface of an outdoor sculpture located at the Church of St. John the Evangelist in Melbourne was analysed, providing an overview of the patterns of microbial composition associated with stone in an anthropogenic context. Illumina MiSeq 16S rRNA gene sequencing together with confocal laser microscope investigations highlighted the bacterial community was composed of both phototrophic and chemotrophic microorganisms characteristic of stone and soil, and typical of arid, salty and urban environments. Cardinal exposure, position and surface geometry were the most important factors in determining the structure of the microbial community. The North-West exposed areas on the top of the sculpture with high light exposure gave back the highest number of sequences and were dominated by Cyanobacteria. The South and West facing in middle and lower parts of the sculpture received significantly lower levels of radiation and were dominated by Actinobacteria. Proteobacteria were observed as widespread on the sculpture. This pioneer research provided an in-depth investigation of the microbial community structure on a deteriorated artistic stone in the Australian continent and provides information for the identification of deterioration-associated microorganisms and/or bacteria beneficial for stone preservation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cristina Cattò
- Department of Food Environmental and Nutritional Sciences, Università Degli Studi di Milano, Milano, Italy; Department of Microbiology and Immunology, At the Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia.
| | - Andre Mu
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, At the Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia; Doherty Applied Microbial Genomics, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, At the Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia.
| | - John W Moreau
- School of Geographical and Earth Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, United Kingdom; School of Geographical, Atmospheric and Earth Sciences, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, Australia.
| | - Nancy Wang
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, At the Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia.
| | - Francesca Cappitelli
- Department of Food Environmental and Nutritional Sciences, Università Degli Studi di Milano, Milano, Italy.
| | - Richard Strugnell
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, At the Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia.
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3
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Chen J, Zhao Q, Li F, Zhao X, Wang Y, Zhang L, Liu J, Yan L, Yu L. Nutrient availability and acid erosion determine the early colonization of limestone by lithobiontic microorganisms. Front Microbiol 2023; 14:1194871. [PMID: 37362915 PMCID: PMC10289080 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2023.1194871] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/27/2023] [Accepted: 05/29/2023] [Indexed: 06/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction Microorganisms, including the pioneer microorganisms that play a role in the early colonization of rock, are extremely important biological factors in rock deterioration. The interaction of microorganisms with limestone leads to biodeterioration, accelerates soil formation, and plays an important role in the restoration of degraded ecosystems that cannot be ignored. However, the process of microbial colonization of sterile limestone in the early stages of ecological succession is unclear, as are the factors that affect the colonization. Acid erosion (both organic and inorganic), nutrient availability, and water availability are thought to be key factors affecting the colonization of lithobiontic microorganisms. Methods In this study, organic acid (Oa), inorganic acid (Ia), inorganic acid + nutrient solution (Ia + Nut), nutrient solution (Nut), and rain shade (RS) treatments were applied to sterilized limestone, and the interaction between microorganisms and limestone was investigated using high-throughput sequencing techniques to assess the microorganisms on the limestone after 60 days of natural placement. Results The results were as follows: (1) The abundance of fungi was higher than that of bacteria in the early colonization of limestone, and the dominant bacterial phyla were Proteobacteria, Bacteroidota, and Actinobacteriota, while the dominant fungal phyla were Ascomycota, Basidiomycota, and Chytridiomycota. (2) Acid erosion and nutrient availability shaped different microbial communities in different ways, with bacteria being more sensitive to the environmental stresses than fungi, and the higher the acidity (Ia and Oa)/nutrient concentration, the greater the differences in microbial communities compared to the control (based on principal coordinate analysis). (3) Fungal communities were highly resistant to environmental stress and competitive, while bacterial communities were highly resilient to environmental stress and stable. Discussion In conclusion, our results indicate that limestone exhibits high bioreceptivity and can be rapidly colonized by microorganisms within 60 days in its natural environment, and both nutrient availability and acid erosion of limestone are important determinants of early microbial colonization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jin Chen
- Key Laboratory of Plant Resources Conservation and Germplasm Innovation in Mountainous Region (Ministry of Education), College of Life Sciences and Institute of Agro-Bioengineering, Guizhou University, Guiyang, Guizhou, China
| | - Qing Zhao
- School of Mathematical Sciences, Guizhou Normal University, Guiyang, Guizhou, China
| | - Fangbing Li
- Key Laboratory of Plant Resources Conservation and Germplasm Innovation in Mountainous Region (Ministry of Education), College of Life Sciences and Institute of Agro-Bioengineering, Guizhou University, Guiyang, Guizhou, China
| | - Xiangwei Zhao
- Key Laboratory of Plant Resources Conservation and Germplasm Innovation in Mountainous Region (Ministry of Education), College of Life Sciences and Institute of Agro-Bioengineering, Guizhou University, Guiyang, Guizhou, China
| | - Yang Wang
- Key Laboratory of Plant Resources Conservation and Germplasm Innovation in Mountainous Region (Ministry of Education), College of Life Sciences and Institute of Agro-Bioengineering, Guizhou University, Guiyang, Guizhou, China
| | - Limin Zhang
- Institute of Guizhou Mountain Resources, Guizhou Academy of Sciences, Guiyang, Guizhou, China
| | - Jinan Liu
- Garden Greening Center of Logistics Management Office, Guizhou University, Guiyang, Guizhou, China
| | - Lingbin Yan
- Key Laboratory of Plant Resources Conservation and Germplasm Innovation in Mountainous Region (Ministry of Education), College of Life Sciences and Institute of Agro-Bioengineering, Guizhou University, Guiyang, Guizhou, China
| | - Lifei Yu
- Key Laboratory of Plant Resources Conservation and Germplasm Innovation in Mountainous Region (Ministry of Education), College of Life Sciences and Institute of Agro-Bioengineering, Guizhou University, Guiyang, Guizhou, China
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4
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Pyzik A, Ciuchcinski K, Dziurzynski M, Dziewit L. The Bad and the Good-Microorganisms in Cultural Heritage Environments-An Update on Biodeterioration and Biotreatment Approaches. MATERIALS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2021; 14:E177. [PMID: 33401448 PMCID: PMC7795576 DOI: 10.3390/ma14010177] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/03/2020] [Revised: 12/27/2020] [Accepted: 12/29/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Cultural heritage objects constitute a very diverse environment, inhabited by various bacteria and fungi. The impact of these microorganisms on the degradation of artworks is undeniable, but at the same time, some of them may be applied for the efficient biotreatment of cultural heritage assets. Interventions with microorganisms have been proven to be useful in restoration of artworks, when classical chemical and mechanical methods fail or produce poor or short-term effects. The path to understanding the impact of microbes on historical objects relies mostly on multidisciplinary approaches, combining novel meta-omic technologies with classical cultivation experiments, and physico-chemical characterization of artworks. In particular, the development of metabolomic- and metatranscriptomic-based analyses associated with metagenomic studies may significantly increase our understanding of the microbial processes occurring on different materials and under various environmental conditions. Moreover, the progress in environmental microbiology and biotechnology may enable more effective application of microorganisms in the biotreatment of historical objects, creating an alternative to highly invasive chemical and mechanical methods.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adam Pyzik
- Department of Environmental Microbiology and Biotechnology, Institute of Microbiology, Faculty of Biology, University of Warsaw, Miecznikowa 1, 02-096 Warsaw, Poland; (K.C.); (M.D.); (L.D.)
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5
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Hall C, Pugsley V. Spontaneous Capillary Imbibition of Water and Nonaqueous Liquids into Dry Quarry Limestones. Transp Porous Media 2020. [DOI: 10.1007/s11242-020-01489-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
AbstractRates of spontaneous imbibition of water and nonaqueous liquids into dry limestones have been measured at 25 °C. Thirteen English and French limestones were used, with eight liquids (water, decane, dodecane, sec-butanol, iso-propanol, tetrahydrofuran, perfluorodimethylcyclohexane, ethanediol). For the nonaqueous liquids, the measured sorptivity generally scales as (surface-tension/viscosity)$$^{1/2}$$
1
/
2
(here called F-scaling). Water sorptivities deviate from F-scaling, indicating partial wetting. A wetting coefficient (wetting index) is derived. Data show that there is little difference in the Hirschwald saturation coefficient measured with the different liquids, although there is a large variation between stones. Results suggest that physicochemical alteration of exposed pore surfaces strongly (and unpredictably) influences the capillary absorption of water by limestones.
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6
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Schröer L, De Kock T, Cnudde V, Boon N. Differential colonization of microbial communities inhabiting Lede stone in the urban and rural environment. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2020; 733:139339. [PMID: 32446079 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.139339] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2020] [Revised: 05/07/2020] [Accepted: 05/08/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Air pollution is one of the main actors of stone deterioration. It influences not only the material itself but also prokaryotes colonizing rocks. Prokaryotes can affect rock substrates and biological colonization will most likely become relatively more important during the course of the 21st century. Therefore, it is necessary to understand the effects of air pollution on biological colonization and on the impact of this colonization on rock weathering. For this reason, we studied the prokaryotic community of Lede stone from two deteriorated monuments in Belgium: one in the urban and one in the rural environment. This research conducts 16S rRNA gene Next Generation Sequencing combined with an isolation campaign. It revealed diverse and complex prokaryotic communities with more specialized bacteria present in the urban environment, while archaea were barely detected. Some genera could cause biodeterioration but the isolates did not produce a significant amount of acid. Soluble salts analysis revealed an important effect of salts on the prokaryotic community. Colour measurements at least indicate that a main effect of prokaryotes might be on the aesthetics: In the countryside prokaryotic communities seemed to discolour Lede stone, while pollution most likely blackened building stones in the urban environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laurenz Schröer
- PProGRess, Department of Geology, Ghent University, Krijgslaan 281 S8, 9000 Ghent, Belgium; Center for Microbial Ecology and Technology (CMET), Department of Biotechnology, Ghent University, Coupure Links 653, 9000 Ghent, Belgium.
| | - Tim De Kock
- PProGRess, Department of Geology, Ghent University, Krijgslaan 281 S8, 9000 Ghent, Belgium; Antwerp Cultural Heritage Sciences (ARCHES), University of Antwerp, Mutsaardstraat 31, 2000 Antwerp, Belgium.
| | - Veerle Cnudde
- PProGRess, Department of Geology, Ghent University, Krijgslaan 281 S8, 9000 Ghent, Belgium; Environmental Hydrogeology, Department of Earth Sciences, Utrecht University, Princetonlaan 8a, 3584 Utrecht, the Netherlands.
| | - Nico Boon
- Center for Microbial Ecology and Technology (CMET), Department of Biotechnology, Ghent University, Coupure Links 653, 9000 Ghent, Belgium.
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7
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Villa F, Cappitelli F. The Ecology of Subaerial Biofilms in Dry and Inhospitable Terrestrial Environments. Microorganisms 2019; 7:microorganisms7100380. [PMID: 31547498 PMCID: PMC6843906 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms7100380] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2019] [Revised: 09/17/2019] [Accepted: 09/20/2019] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
The ecological relationship between minerals and microorganisms arguably represents one of the most important associations in dry terrestrial environments, since it strongly influences major biochemical cycles and regulates the productivity and stability of the Earth’s food webs. Despite being inhospitable ecosystems, mineral substrata exposed to air harbor form complex and self-sustaining communities called subaerial biofilms (SABs). Using life on air-exposed minerals as a model and taking inspiration from the mechanisms of some microorganisms that have adapted to inhospitable conditions, we illustrate the ecology of SABs inhabiting natural and built environments. Finally, we advocate the need for the convergence between the experimental and theoretical approaches that might be used to characterize and simulate the development of SABs on mineral substrates and SABs’ broader impacts on the dry terrestrial environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Federica Villa
- Department of Food, Environmental and Nutritional Sciences, Università degli Studi di Milano, Via Celoria 2, 20133 Milano, Italy.
| | - Francesca Cappitelli
- Department of Food, Environmental and Nutritional Sciences, Università degli Studi di Milano, Via Celoria 2, 20133 Milano, Italy.
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Zanardini E, May E, Purdy KJ, Murrell JC. Nutrient cycling potential within microbial communities on culturally important stoneworks. ENVIRONMENTAL MICROBIOLOGY REPORTS 2019; 11:147-154. [PMID: 30346661 PMCID: PMC7379959 DOI: 10.1111/1758-2229.12707] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2018] [Revised: 09/24/2018] [Accepted: 10/10/2018] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
Previous studies on microbes associated with deterioration of cultural heritage (CH) stoneworks have revealed a diverse microbiota adapted to stresses such as low nutrients, aridity and high salinity, temperatures and radiation. However, the function of these pioneer microbial communities is still unclear. This study examines bacterial and archaeal diversity in exfoliated and dark encrustation sandstone from Portchester Castle (UK) by 16S rRNA and functional gene analyses. Bacterial and archaeal communities from the exfoliated sites were distinctly different from the dark encrustation. Detected genera were linked to extreme environmental conditions, various potential functional roles and degradation abilities. From these data it was possible to reconstruct almost complete nitrogen and sulfur cycles, as well as autotrophic carbon fixation and mineral transformation processes. Analysis of RNA showed that many of the detected genera in these nutrient cycles were probably active in situ. Thus, CH stonework microbial communities are highly diverse and potentially self-sustaining ecosystems capable of cycling carbon, nitrogen and sulfur as well as the stone biodeterioration processes that lead to alterations such as exfoliation and corrosion. These results highlight the importance of diversity and internal recycling capacity in the development of microbial communities in harsh and low energy systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elisabetta Zanardini
- School of Life SciencesUniversity of WarwickCoventryUK
- Department of Science and High TechnologyUniversity of InsubriaComoItaly
| | - Eric May
- School of Biological SciencesUniversity of PortsmouthPortsmouthUK
| | | | - J. Colin Murrell
- School of Environmental SciencesUniversity of East AngliaNorwichUK
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9
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Sanmartín P, DeAraujo A, Vasanthakumar A. Melding the Old with the New: Trends in Methods Used to Identify, Monitor, and Control Microorganisms on Cultural Heritage Materials. MICROBIAL ECOLOGY 2018; 76:64-80. [PMID: 27117796 DOI: 10.1007/s00248-016-0770-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/19/2015] [Accepted: 04/11/2016] [Indexed: 06/05/2023]
Abstract
Microbial activity has an important impact on the maintenance of cultural heritage materials, owing to the key role of microorganisms in many deterioration processes. In order to minimize such deleterious effects, there is a need to fine-tune methods that detect and characterize microorganisms. Trends in microbiology indicate that this need can be met by incorporating modern techniques. All of the methods considered in this review paper are employed in the identification, surveillance, and control of microorganisms, and they have two points in common: They are currently used in microbial ecology (only literature from 2009 to 2015 is included), and they are often applied in the cultural heritage sector. More than 75 peer-reviewed journal articles addressing three different approaches were considered: molecular, sensory and morphological, and biocontrol methods. The goal of this review is to highlight the usefulness of the traditional as well as the modern methods. The general theme in the literature cited suggests using an integrated approach.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patricia Sanmartín
- Laboratory of Applied Microbiology, School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Harvard University, 58 Oxford St., Room 301, Cambridge, MA, 02138, USA
- Departamento de Edafología y Química Agrícola, Facultad de Farmacia, Universidad de Santiago de Compostela, 15782, Santiago de Compostela, Spain
| | - Alice DeAraujo
- Laboratory of Applied Microbiology, School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Harvard University, 58 Oxford St., Room 301, Cambridge, MA, 02138, USA
| | - Archana Vasanthakumar
- Laboratory of Applied Microbiology, School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Harvard University, 58 Oxford St., Room 301, Cambridge, MA, 02138, USA.
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10
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Brewer TE, Fierer N. Tales from the tomb: the microbial ecology of exposed rock surfaces. Environ Microbiol 2017; 20:958-970. [PMID: 29235707 DOI: 10.1111/1462-2920.14024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/18/2017] [Revised: 10/25/2017] [Accepted: 12/06/2017] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Although a broad diversity of eukaryotic and bacterial taxa reside on rock surfaces where they can influence the weathering of rocks and minerals, these communities and their contributions to mineral weathering remain poorly resolved. To build a more comprehensive understanding of the diversity, ecology and potential functional attributes of microbial communities living on rock, we sampled 149 tombstones across three continents and analysed their bacterial and eukaryotic communities via marker gene and shotgun metagenomic sequencing. We found that geographic location and climate were important factors structuring the composition of these communities. Moreover, the tombstone-associated microbial communities varied as a function of rock type, with granite and limestone tombstones from the same cemeteries harbouring taxonomically distinct microbial communities. The granite and limestone-associated communities also had distinct functional attributes, with granite-associated bacteria having more genes linked to acid tolerance and chemotaxis, while bacteria on limestone were more likely to be lichen associated and have genes involved in photosynthesis and radiation resistance. Together these results indicate that rock-dwelling microbes exhibit adaptations to survive the stresses of the rock surface, differ based on location, climate and rock type, and seem pre-disposed to different ecological strategies (symbiotic versus free-living lifestyles) depending on the rock type.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tess E Brewer
- Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO, USA.,Departments of Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology
| | - Noah Fierer
- Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO, USA.,Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO, USA
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11
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Villa F, Stewart PS, Klapper I, Jacob JM, Cappitelli F. Subaerial Biofilms on Outdoor Stone Monuments: Changing the Perspective Toward an Ecological Framework. Bioscience 2016. [DOI: 10.1093/biosci/biw006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
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12
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Villa F, Pitts B, Lauchnor E, Cappitelli F, Stewart PS. Development of a Laboratory Model of a Phototroph-Heterotroph Mixed-Species Biofilm at the Stone/Air Interface. Front Microbiol 2015; 6:1251. [PMID: 26635736 PMCID: PMC4646968 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2015.01251] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2015] [Accepted: 10/27/2015] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Recent scientific investigations have shed light on the ecological importance and physiological complexity of subaerial biofilms (SABs) inhabiting lithic surfaces. In the field of sustainable cultural heritage (CH) preservation, mechanistic approaches aimed at investigation of the spatiotemporal patterns of interactions between the biofilm, the stone, and the atmosphere are of outstanding importance. However, these interactions have proven difficult to explore with field experiments due to the inaccessibility of samples, the complexity of the ecosystem under investigation and the temporal resolution of the experiments. To overcome these limitations, we aimed at developing a unifying methodology to reproduce a fast-growing, phototroph-heterotroph mixed species biofilm at the stone/air interface. Our experiments underscore the ability of the dual-species SAB model to capture functional traits characteristic of biofilms inhabiting lithic substrate such as: (i) microcolonies of aggregated bacteria; (ii) network like structure following surface topography; (iii) cooperation between phototrophs and heterotrophs and cross feeding processes; (iv) ability to change the chemical parameters that characterize the microhabitats; (v) survival under desiccation and (vi) biocide tolerance. With its advantages in control, replication, range of different experimental scenarios and matches with the real ecosystem, the developed model system is a powerful tool to advance our mechanistic understanding of the stone-biofilm-atmosphere interplay in different environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Federica Villa
- Center for Biofilm Engineering, Montana State University, Bozeman MT, USA ; Dipartimento di Scienze per gli Alimenti, la Nutrizione e l'Ambiente, Università degli Studi di Milano Milano, Italy
| | - Betsey Pitts
- Center for Biofilm Engineering, Montana State University, Bozeman MT, USA
| | - Ellen Lauchnor
- Center for Biofilm Engineering, Montana State University, Bozeman MT, USA
| | - Francesca Cappitelli
- Dipartimento di Scienze per gli Alimenti, la Nutrizione e l'Ambiente, Università degli Studi di Milano Milano, Italy
| | - Philip S Stewart
- Center for Biofilm Engineering, Montana State University, Bozeman MT, USA
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