Zhu Chengshuai, Wang Bowen, Liu Zhengdong, Guo Yifei, Zheng Linting, Zhang Bingjian, Hu Yulan
Department of Cultural Heritage and Museology, Zhejiang University, 310028, Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, P.R. China.
Department of Chemistry, Zhejiang University, 310027, Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, P.R. China.
World J Microbiol Biotechnol. 2025 Jan 7;41(2):25. doi: 10.1007/s11274-024-04237-y.
For large, open-air lithic cultural heritage, colonization is an inevitable process. This study examines the dual impact of colonization on the Leshan Giant Buddha's sandstone monuments, focusing on both biodeterioration and protection. Over three years, we conducted field surveys and monitored biocrusts (bryophytes, lichens, and biofilms) on these monuments, observing significant biodeterioration primarily due to mechanical exfoliation and acid corrosion. To assess the potential of biota in conserving sandstone monuments, we replicated biotic crust colonization on laboratory sandstone samples. In the laboratory, we observed biomineral formation, primarily calcium carbonate, on the rock specimen surfaces after two years. Comparative analysis with control samples showed that biocolonization notably changed the rock's hydrophobicity, surface hardness, and weight loss, indicating a protective effect. Further analyses using XRD, SEM-EDS, and transcriptomics identified carbonic anhydrase as a key enzyme in the biomineralization process. Our findings suggest that under controlled conditions, biocolonization can be steered towards bioprotection, offering new strategies for the in-situ preservation of open-air lithic cultural heritage.
对于大型露天石质文化遗产而言，生物定殖是一个不可避免的过程。本研究考察了生物定殖对乐山大佛砂岩古迹的双重影响，重点关注生物劣化和保护方面。在三年时间里，我们对这些古迹进行了实地调查，并监测了生物结皮（苔藓、地衣和生物膜），观察到主要由于机械剥落和酸腐蚀导致的显著生物劣化现象。为了评估生物群落在保护砂岩古迹方面的潜力，我们在实验室砂岩样品上复制了生物结皮定殖过程。在实验室中，两年后我们观察到岩石标本表面形成了生物矿物，主要是碳酸钙。与对照样品的对比分析表明，生物定殖显著改变了岩石的疏水性、表面硬度和重量损失，显示出保护作用。使用X射线衍射（XRD）、扫描电子显微镜-能谱分析（SEM-EDS）和转录组学的进一步分析确定碳酸酐酶是生物矿化过程中的关键酶。我们的研究结果表明，在可控条件下，生物定殖可以导向生物保护，为露天石质文化遗产的原位保护提供新策略。
