Dipartimento di Scienze della Vita e Biologia dei Sistemi, Università degli Studi di Torino, Viale Mattioli 25, 10125, Torino, Italy.
School of Geography and the Environment, University of Oxford, South Parks Road, Oxford, OX1 3QY, UK.
World J Microbiol Biotechnol. 2020 Jul 1;36(7):100. doi: 10.1007/s11274-020-02878-3.
Lithobionts (rock-dwelling organisms) have been recognized as agents of aesthetic and physico-chemical deterioration of stonework. In consequence, their removal from cultural heritage stone surfaces (CHSS) is widely considered a necessary step in conservation interventions. On the other hand, lithobiontic communities, including microbial biofilms ('biological patinas'), can help integrate CHSS with their environmental setting and enhance biodiversity. Moreover, in some cases bioprotective effects have been reported and even interpreted as potential biotechnological solutions for conservation. This paper reviews the plethora of traditional and innovative methodologies to characterize lithobionts on CHSS in terms of biodiversity, interaction with the stone substrate and impacts on durability. In order to develop the best management and conservation strategies for CHSS, such diagnosis should be acquired on a case-by-case basis, as generalized approaches are unlikely to be suitable for all lithobionts, lithologies, environmental and cultural contexts or types of stonework. Strategies to control biodeteriogenic lithobionts on CHSS should similarly be based on experimental evaluation of their efficacy, including long-term monitoring of the effects on bioreceptivity, and of their environmental safety. This review examines what is known about the efficacy of control methods based on traditional-commercial biocides, as well as those based on innovative application of substances of plant and microbial origin, and physical techniques. A framework for providing a balanced scientific assessment of the role of lithobionts on CHSS and integrating this knowledge into management and conservation decision-making is presented.
石生生物（栖息在岩石上的生物）已被公认为造成石质文物表面美学和物理化学劣化的原因之一。因此，从文化遗产石质表面（CHSS）去除石生生物被广泛认为是保护干预的必要步骤。另一方面，石生生物群落，包括微生物生物膜（“生物皮”），有助于将 CHSS 与其环境背景相融合，并提高生物多样性。此外，在某些情况下，已经报道了生物保护作用，并将其解释为保护的潜在生物技术解决方案。本文综述了传统和创新的方法，用于根据生物多样性、与石质基底的相互作用以及对耐久性的影响来描述 CHSS 上的石生生物。为了制定 CHSS 的最佳管理和保护策略，应根据具体情况进行这种诊断，因为一般化的方法不太可能适用于所有的石生生物、岩石、环境和文化背景或石制品类型。控制 CHSS 上生物降解性石生生物的策略也应基于对其功效的实验评估，包括对生物可接受性的影响以及对其环境安全性的长期监测。本文回顾了基于传统商业生物杀灭剂的控制方法以及基于植物和微生物来源物质的创新应用以及物理技术的控制方法的有效性。提出了一个框架，用于对 CHSS 上石生生物的作用进行平衡的科学评估，并将这方面的知识纳入管理和保护决策。
