Lichen colonization of coastal churches in Galicia: biodeterioration implications

Carballal, Regina; Paz-Bermúdez, Graciela; Sánchez-Biezma, M. J.; Prieto, B.

doi:10.1016/s0964-8305(01)00044-0

Cited by 29 publications

(12 citation statements)

References 4 publications

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“…Starting from nineties it was hypothesized that lichens could have a function of bioprotection towards stone monuments acting in an active or passive way. Lichens could have a protective role on porous stone reducing the intensity of water exchange and the action of other weathering agents such as wind, marine aerosols and pollution [76,101,102], and could also have a protective effect against sand disaggregation [103]. More widespread exfoliation, salt efflorescence, flaking, powdering and honeycombing of noncolonized surfaces would support this hypothesis.…”

Section: Lichens: Bioprotective or Biodeteriorative Effect?mentioning

confidence: 98%

The Role of Fungi and Lichens in the Biodeterioration of Stone Monuments

Salvadori¹,

Municchia²

2016

Open Conf. Proceed. J.

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This review elucidates current knowledge on the significant role of fungi and lichens in the biodeterioration of stone monuments. The effect caused by many epilithic lichen species in the deterioration of different types of stone has been extensively investigated and demonstrated. Nonetheless, many aspects of the deterioration mechanisms of microcolonial fungi (MFC) and endolithic lichens are still to be proved. An interesting hypothesis has recently been put forward involving the secretion of siderophores like compounds. Lichens can provide bioprotection for stone surfaces, acting as a barrier against weathering, retaining moisture, increasing waterproofing, reducing thermal stress and erosion, and absorbing pollutants. Nevertheless, the evaluation of biodeterioration vs. bioprotection cannot be generalised, since it can vary according to the behaviour of different species, as well as being affected by both the lithotype and the environment. In addition to the laboratory studies, more field studies of biological communities are required, to analyse their establishment and succession in natural conditions and after conservation treatments. In order to guarantee the best decision for stone conservation, cleaning operations should not be based on a generalised approach, but should rather be based on a careful evaluation of different aspects concerning biodeterioration and bioprotection.

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Section: Lichens: Bioprotective or Biodeteriorative Effect?mentioning

confidence: 98%

The Role of Fungi and Lichens in the Biodeterioration of Stone Monuments

Salvadori¹,

Municchia²

2016

Open Conf. Proceed. J.

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“…Alternative approaches to this subject have been focusing on: (1) identifying individual species and species assemblages colonizing rock surfaces and making assumptions on their impact based on previous knowledge about their ecological requirements (e.g., Carballal et al. ); (2) determining the climatic constraints and habitat preferences of colonizing species based on field observations (e.g., Viles and Cutler , Steinbauer et al. ) or controlled experiments (Carter and Viles , Kidron and Temina , Adamson et al.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The last three decades have been extremely rich in contributions to the knowledge of the various aspects of lichen-induced rock weathering, as seen by the number of reviews available (Adamo and Violante 2000, Chen et al 2000, St. Clair and Seaward 2004, Seaward 2015. Alternative approaches to this subject have been focusing on: (1) identifying individual species and species assemblages colonizing rock surfaces and making assumptions on their impact based on previous knowledge about their ecological requirements (e.g., Carballal et al 2001); (2) determining the climatic constraints and habitat preferences of colonizing species based on field observations (e.g., Cutler 2012, Steinbauer et al 2013) or controlled experiments (Carter and Viles 2003, Kidron and Temina 2010, Adamson et al 2013) thus contributing to the knowledge of environmental factors that are also important for rock conservation; (3) detecting geophysical and geochemical changes at the lichen-rock interface associated with the growth of individual species, including the occurrence of organic and mineral by-products of lichen activity (e.g., Favero-Longo et al 2005, Arocena et al 2007); (4) addressing the influence of human activities on such changes and (5) developing methods to quantify the weathering rates induced by individual species or by a limited set of the most representative ones on the surface of interest (e.g., Aghamiri and Schwartzman Europe and only sporadically in other regions of the globe. Few papers have dealt with the relationship between lichen growth and the weathering of schist (Fry 1924, 1927, Galvan et al 1981, Sanders et al 1994, Aghamiri and Schwartzman 2002, Cann 2012 despite the increasing demand of schist as a building stone.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

On the dual nature of lichen‐induced rock surface weathering in contrasting micro‐environments

Marques

Gonçalves

Oliveira

et al. 2016

Ecology

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Contradictory evidence from biogeomorphological studies has increased the debate on the extent of lichen contribution to differential rock surface weathering in both natural and cultural settings. This study, undertaken in Côa Valley Archaeological Park, aimed at evaluating the effect of rock surface orientation on the weathering ability of dominant lichens. Hyphal penetration and oxalate formation at the lichen-rock interface were evaluated as proxies of physical and chemical weathering, respectively. A new protocol of pixel-based supervised image classification for the analysis of periodic acid-Schiff stained cross-sections of colonized schist revealed that hyphal spread of individual species was not influenced by surface orientation. However, hyphal spread was significantly higher in species dominant on northwest facing surfaces. An apparently opposite effect was noticed in terms of calcium oxalate accumulation at the lichen-rock interface; it was detected by Raman spectroscopy and complementary X-ray microdiffraction on southeast facing surfaces only. These results suggest that lichen-induced physical weathering may be most severe on northwest facing surfaces by means of an indirect effect of surface orientation on species abundance, and thus dependent on the species, whereas lichen-induced chemical weathering is apparently higher on southeast facing surfaces and dependent on micro-environmental conditions, giving only weak support to the hypothesis that lichens are responsible for the currently observed pattern of rock-art distribution in Côa Valley. Assumptions about the drivers of open-air rock-art distribution patterns elsewhere should also consider the micro-environmental controls of lichen-induced weathering, to avoid biased measures of lichen contribution to rock-art deterioration.

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“…It is reported that spherulite and polycrystalline aggregates of calcite are produced by the activity of Escherichia coli in a gel medium; metabolic products such as CO 2 and H 2 O form from polysaccharides, and with calcium ions form carbonic acid, leading to a crystalline deposit [12]. The colonization of buildings by lichens has been studied in churches and granite monuments [13,14]. Lichens can, in some instances, protect exposed brick surfaces from atmospheric weathering, reducing the losses of mobile elements.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Weathering traces in ancient bricks from historic buildings

López-Arce

García-Guinea

2005

Building and Environment

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The aim of this work was to determine the type of weathering suffered by bricks belonging to a number of historic buildings in Toledo, Spain. These bricks had been exposed to either aerial or burial environments, came from different places in the selected buildings, were of different mineralogical composition, and had been fired at different temperatures. X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy and the analysis of their physical properties showed the best conserved to be those that had been buried. Buried Roman bricks made from non-calcareous materials fired at 4900 1C and with a vitrified matrix showed few signs of weathering. Buried Islamic and Mudejar-Romanesque bricks made from calcareous clays and fired at temperatures of o800 1C were similarly well conserved. These showed calcareous cementation of their pore systems, which improved their physical properties. Bricks from the external and internal walls of buildings (e.g., Islamic-Mudejar and Romanesque bricks from inner courtyards and cellars) that had been exposed to aerial conditions were less well conserved. These were made from calcareous materials and had been fired at high temperatures (4900 1C). They showed a number of weathering traces but overall were still in relatively good condition. The worst conserved of all were neoclassical bricks from upper storey internal walls. These were made of calcareous material and had been fired at temperatures of between 800 and 900 1C.The mineralogical composition of the raw materials, the firing temperature, the location of the bricks in the buildings, the environments to which they had been exposed, the action of natural or polluted filtration water, the action of microorganisms and the reigning environmental conditions, all contributed towards the state of conservation of the bricks. Such knowledge may help in the choice of appropriate cleaning or restoration treatments for architectural heritage of brick construction. r

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Lichen colonization of coastal churches in Galicia: biodeterioration implications

Cited by 29 publications

References 4 publications

The Role of Fungi and Lichens in the Biodeterioration of Stone Monuments

The Role of Fungi and Lichens in the Biodeterioration of Stone Monuments

On the dual nature of lichen‐induced rock surface weathering in contrasting micro‐environments

Weathering traces in ancient bricks from historic buildings

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