Fungal community structure and viability in biofilms on wall paintings of the Maijishan Grottoes
Source abstract
Abstract
White and black biofilms threatened the wall paintings in UNESCO-listed Maijishan Grottoes. This study investigates these biofilms for viability, composition, functional groups, and degradation potential. The results revealed Scopulariopsis and unclassified_Eurotiomycetes as the core fungal taxa in black and white biofilms, respectively. Fluorescence microscopy and RNA-based high-throughput sequencing proved that white biofilms exhibited higher viability. In addition, we isolated Arachnomyces sp. (unclassified_Eurotiomycetes) as the dominant strain in white biofilms. Laboratory assays demonstrated that Arachnomyces sp. has strong capacities to degrade cellulose, gelatin, casein, and keratin, indicating its biodeterioration of wall paintings. Furthermore, black biofilms were dominated by dung saprotrophic fungi, likely introduced through animal activities within the grottoes. Our findings underscore that the divergences in fungal composition between black and white biofilms are driven by microenvironmental factors, substrate properties, animal activities and ecological selections. The interplay of microbial dispersal and environmental selection shapes biofilms, and microenvironmental control is the essential targeted strategy.
Source: openalex_inverted_index · Quality: baseline
Research context
OpenAlex topics: Building materials and conservation · Mycorrhizal Fungi and Plant Interactions · Lichen and fungal ecology
SciVX discovery tags are terminology-based. OpenAlex topics are source-provided classifications.
References (77)
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