TY - JOUR
T1 - Diversity of fungi associated with petroglyph sites in the Negev Desert, Israel, and their potential role in bioweathering
AU - Rabbachin, Laura
AU - Nir, Irit
AU - Waldherr, Monika
AU - Vassallo, Ylenia
AU - Piñar, Guadalupe
AU - Graf, Alexandra
AU - Kushmaro, Ariel
AU - Sterflinger, Katja
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
Copyright © 2024 Rabbachin, Nir, Waldherr, Vassallo, Piñar, Graf, Kushmaro and Sterflinger.
PY - 2024/1/1
Y1 - 2024/1/1
N2 - The petroglyphs of the Negev Desert, Israel, are famous and valuable archaeological remains. Previous studies have investigated the microbial communities associated with petroglyphs and their potential role in stone deterioration; nevertheless, the role of fungi remains unclear. In this study, the fungal communities present on the stone and, as a comparison, in the surrounding environment (soil and air) at Negev petroglyph sites were analyzed by means of culture-dependent and -independent (metagenomic) techniques. The metagenomic results showed a high fungal biodiversity in the soil, and both approaches highlighted the prevalence of species producing melanized, large, thick-walled spores (mainly Alternaria spp.). From the air sampling, mostly Cladosporium spp. were retrieved. On the other hand, on the rock, the results seem to indicate a low presence of fungi, but with a rock-specialized mycobiota consisting of extremotolerant microcolonial fungi (MCF) (e.g., Vermiconidia and Coniosporium) and lichens (Flavoplaca). In addition, low proportions of cosmopolitan fungi were detected on the stone, but the comparison of the data clearly indicates that they are transients from the surrounding environment. The ability of the isolated strains to dissolve CaCO3 and therefore be a potential threat to the petroglyphs (limestone substrate) was tested, but only one strain resulted in positive acid production under laboratory conditions. Nevertheless, both lichens and MCF detected in this study are well-known stone deteriogens, which may have a significant impact on the petroglyph’s deterioration.
AB - The petroglyphs of the Negev Desert, Israel, are famous and valuable archaeological remains. Previous studies have investigated the microbial communities associated with petroglyphs and their potential role in stone deterioration; nevertheless, the role of fungi remains unclear. In this study, the fungal communities present on the stone and, as a comparison, in the surrounding environment (soil and air) at Negev petroglyph sites were analyzed by means of culture-dependent and -independent (metagenomic) techniques. The metagenomic results showed a high fungal biodiversity in the soil, and both approaches highlighted the prevalence of species producing melanized, large, thick-walled spores (mainly Alternaria spp.). From the air sampling, mostly Cladosporium spp. were retrieved. On the other hand, on the rock, the results seem to indicate a low presence of fungi, but with a rock-specialized mycobiota consisting of extremotolerant microcolonial fungi (MCF) (e.g., Vermiconidia and Coniosporium) and lichens (Flavoplaca). In addition, low proportions of cosmopolitan fungi were detected on the stone, but the comparison of the data clearly indicates that they are transients from the surrounding environment. The ability of the isolated strains to dissolve CaCO3 and therefore be a potential threat to the petroglyphs (limestone substrate) was tested, but only one strain resulted in positive acid production under laboratory conditions. Nevertheless, both lichens and MCF detected in this study are well-known stone deteriogens, which may have a significant impact on the petroglyph’s deterioration.
KW - ITS long-amplicon sequencing
KW - extremotolerant fungi
KW - rock-inhabiting fungi
KW - soil mycobiota
KW - stone biodeterioration
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85198837877&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.3389/ffunb.2024.1400380
DO - 10.3389/ffunb.2024.1400380
M3 - Article
C2 - 39035870
AN - SCOPUS:85198837877
SN - 2673-6128
VL - 5
JO - Frontiers in Fungal Biology
JF - Frontiers in Fungal Biology
M1 - 1400380
ER -