A Multi-Analytical Approach to Infer Mineral–Microbial Interactions Applied to Petroglyph Sites in the Negev Desert of Israel

Petroglyph sites exist all over the world. They are one of the earliest forms of mankind’s expression and a precursor to art. Despite their outstanding value, comprehensive research on conservation and preservation of rock art is minimal, especially as related to biodeterioration. For this reason, t...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Applied sciences 2022-07, Vol.12 (14), p.6936
Main Authors: Rabbachin, Laura, Piñar, Guadalupe, Nir, Irit, Kushmaro, Ariel, Pavan, Mariela J., Eitenberger, Elisabeth, Waldherr, Monika, Graf, Alexandra, Sterflinger, Katja
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
analytical techniques
Biodegradation
Biodeterioration
Calcite
Carotenoids
Cations
Clay minerals
Colonization
Cultural heritage
Cyanobacteria
Deserts
Desiccation
Genomes
Light microscopy
Lithic
Manganese
Metagenomics
Metal ions
Microbiomes
Microorganisms
Minerals
Monitoring systems
nanopore sequencing technology
Negev desert
Optical microscopy
Petroglyphs
Radiation
Radiation tolerance
Scanning electron microscopy
Software
Stone
Weathering
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Summary:Petroglyph sites exist all over the world. They are one of the earliest forms of mankind’s expression and a precursor to art. Despite their outstanding value, comprehensive research on conservation and preservation of rock art is minimal, especially as related to biodeterioration. For this reason, the main objective of this study was to explore the factors involved in the degradation of petroglyph sites in the Negev desert of Israel, with a focus on biodegradation processes. Through the use of culture-independent microbiological methods (metagenomics), we characterized the microbiomes of the samples, finding they were dominated by bacterial communities, in particular taxa of Actinobacteria and Cyanobacteria, with resistance to radiation and desiccation. By means of XRF and Raman spectroscopies, we defined the composition of the stone (calcite and quartz) and the dark crust (clay minerals with Mn and Fe oxides), unveiling the presence of carotenoids, indicative of biological colonization. Optical microscopy and SEM–EDX analyses on thin sections highlighted patterns of weathering, possibly connected to the presence of biodeteriorative microorganisms that leach the calcareous matrix from the bedrock and mobilize metal cations from the black varnish for metabolic processes, slowly weathering it.
ISSN:2076-3417
2076-3417
DOI:10.3390/app12146936