Biocrusts protect the Great Wall of China from erosion

Science Advances, Journal Year: 2023, Volume and Issue: 9(49)

Published: Dec. 8, 2023

The Great Wall of China, one the most emblematic and historical structures built by humankind throughout all history, is suffering from rain wind erosion largely colonized biocrusts. However, how biocrusts influence conservation longevity this structure virtually unknown. Here, we conducted an extensive biocrust survey across found that cover 67% studied sections. Biocrusts enhance mechanical stability reduce erodibility Wall. Compared with bare rammed earth, biocrust-covered sections exhibited reduced porosity, water-holding capacity, erodibility, salinity 2 to 48%, while increasing compressive strength, penetration resistance, shear aggregate 37 321%. We further protective function mainly depended on features, climatic conditions, types. Our work highlights fundamental importance as a nature-based intervention Wall, protecting monumental heritage erosion.

Language: Английский

---

Unearthing the global patterns of cultural heritage microbiome for conservation

International Biodeterioration & Biodegradation, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: 190, P. 105784 - 105784

Published: March 14, 2024

Language: Английский

---

Nontraditional Soil Science: Going beyond agronomy

Pedosphere, Journal Year: 2025, Volume and Issue: unknown

Published: March 1, 2025

Language: Английский

---

Soil biodiversity and function under global change

PLoS Biology, Journal Year: 2025, Volume and Issue: 23(3), P. e3003093 - e3003093

Published: March 27, 2025

Soil organisms represent the most abundant and diverse on planet support almost every ecosystem function we know, thus impact our daily lives. Some of these impacts have been well-documented, such as role soil in regulating fertility carbon sequestration; processes that direct implications for essential services including food security climate change mitigation. Moreover, biodiversity also plays a critical supporting other aspects from One Health—the combined health humans, animals, environment—to conservation historic structures monuments. Unfortunately, is highly vulnerable to growing number stressors associated with global environmental change. Understanding how when supports functions, it will adapt changing conditions, crucial conserving soils maintaining future generations. In this Essay, discuss fundamental importance multiple Health, further highlight knowledge gaps need be addressed conserve next

Language: Английский

---

Uncovering Microbial Diversity and Community Structure of Black Spots Residing in Tomb Mural Painting

Microorganisms, Journal Year: 2025, Volume and Issue: 13(4), P. 755 - 755

Published: March 26, 2025

Microbes colonizing cultural artifacts are a ubiquitous phenomenon which may occur during burial, post-excavation, and storage periods, thereby seriously affecting sustainable heritage conservation. In this study, high-throughput sequencing technology was applied to analyze the microbial community structure in ancient mural paintings surrounding air, as well identify most characteristic taxa causing black spot contamination. The results showed that members of genera Gliomastix Ochroconis were highly abundant black-spots-contaminated areas rarely detected air uncontaminated paintings. Air samples two tombs no significant difference Chao1 Shannon indices, whereas statistically differences observed compared those collected from spots. taxonomic diversity soil-covered exhibited similar structures at genus level. Moreover, when other tombs, spots differed not only composition but also assembly processes co-occurrence patterns, such much less network complexity area. Functional predictions uncover presence functional profiles involved nitrogen cycling, organic matter degradation, animal human pathogens, representing potential threat relics public health. These advance our understanding impacts archeological excavations on variation tomb

Language: Английский

---

On-site Oxford Nanopore® MinION™ Whole Genome Sequencing analysis to understand the microbiome, resistome and metabolic features of subaerial biofilms on stone monuments

Published: May 1, 2025

Language: Английский

---

Nanoparticle-enabled rapid detection of microbial threats to Sanxingdui ancient ivories

Journal of Cultural Heritage, Journal Year: 2025, Volume and Issue: 73, P. 393 - 399

Published: May 1, 2025

Language: Английский

---

The impact of stone position and location on the microbiome of a marble statue

The Microbe, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: 2, P. 100040 - 100040

Published: Jan. 24, 2024

Microbial proliferation and biodeterioration constitutes a serious threat towards the preservation of stone monuments relics. Geometry exposure have been recently pinpointed as important factors determining microbiome organization in monuments. In this work, impacts geometry location on microbial communities their predicted metabolical ecological profiles marble statue were studied. We sampled various epilithic biofilms from Brotero (Coimbra's UNESCO World Heritage site) studied them by Next-generation Sequencing V3/V4 ITS2 regions bioinformatic analyses. verified that location/heights more relevant impact than position/sides Fungal Chlorophyta showed diverse less stable structural Bacteria. Thus, while sub-aerial mainly colonized selective groups extremophilic microorganisms, our results highlight specificity is pronounced prokaryotes. Bacterial metabolic functional distribution patterns found to be distinct adapted according heights, fungi displayed strong domination types saprotrophs. addition "degraders" present all samples, lower areas connections with nitrogen fixators, high middle zones stronger correlations sulfur cycle bacteria. Moreover, at these sites can promoted biodeteriogenic cyanobacteria, bacteria linked biogeochemical cycles, microcolonial Fungi able thrive under hostile environments. addition, mutualistic competitive relationships between taxonomic detected, will require additional focus future studies.

Language: Английский

---

Microbiome Diversity and Cellulose Decomposition Processes by Microorganisms on the Ancient Wooden Seawall of Qiantang River of Hangzhou, China

Microbial Ecology, Journal Year: 2023, Volume and Issue: 86(3), P. 2109 - 2119

Published: April 26, 2023

Language: Английский

---

Spatial and temporal changes in microclimate affect disease distribution in two ancient tombs of Southern Tang Dynasty

Heliyon, Journal Year: 2023, Volume and Issue: 9(7), P. e18054 - e18054

Published: July 1, 2023

Two tombs of the Southern Tang Dynasty (Qinling Tomb and Shunling Tomb), most important cultural heritages in China, were built for emperors 1000 years ago decorated with murals stone sculptures. After their excavation 1950s, it was found that drastic fluctuations environment within had caused multiple diseases, such as salt efflorescence, powdering, biodeterioration, which led to irreversible damage murals. This research comprised long-term (yearly) environmental monitoring short-term (monthly) investigation into distribution crystallization microbial growth two tombs. The objective unveil relationship between temporal spatial distributions mural diseases characteristics while proposing a promising regulation strategy relic conservation. results showed gradual reduction temperature fluctuation from entrance back chamber distinct vertical stratification relative humidity. humidity upper areas reached 100% during summer, averaged around 40–50% lower winter. Consequently, significant condensation observed on ceiling whereas occurred space these influenced by airflow exchange interior exterior. Furthermore, structural disparities contributed higher greater microorganism coverage compared Qinling Tomb. From abovementioned findings, we suggest microclimate control is essential mitigating deterioration should be paid more attention future.

Language: Английский

---