Abstract
The quantification of mobile ions on rock surfaces is essential for the investigation of mineral weathering. A need for such measurements arises from the study of initial soil formation in pioneering environments, the biogeochemical weathering of monuments and buildings, and the chemical reactivity of minerals in general. In the case of mineral surfaces covered by lichens, the quantification of adenosine triphosphate (ATP) is a measure of the vitality of the organisms. To date, non-destructive investigations of rock surfaces and growth of biofilms have generally been limited to visual methods. We evaluated a new technique for the analysis of readily available ions and ATP. For this, a single drop of pure water is spread on bare mineral surfaces or rock-based crustose lichens. The solution is recollected and analyzed for dissolved ions and ATP using a portable capillary electrophoresis instrument and a luminometer, respectively. We illustrate the natural heterogeneity of available ions on freshly broken granite surfaces and the effects of subsequent wetting, freezing, and thawing. In addition, the influence of humidity and age of crustose lichens is demonstrated by ion and ATP analysis.
Highlights
Rock surfaces are habitats for microbes and primary sources of nutrients
We evaluated a new technique for the analysis of readily available ions and adenosine triphosphate (ATP)
The assembly was placed in a desiccator and a vacuum applied causing the pore spaces of the granite sample to fill with water, humidifying the granites completely
Summary
The suitability of rock surfaces for colonization depends on the physical shape of the surfaces and the bioavailability of cations and anions Processes providing those nutrients are atmospheric deposition and mineral weathering. The reactivity of accessible minerals controls the rate of weathering and the rate of initial soil formation and development of soil fertility [6]. The present work introduces a novel and non-destructive sampling method for the measurement of readily available ions and mobile ATP from rock surfaces that are either bare or covered by lichens. (iii) we analyzed the readily available ions and mobile ATP on lichens. For this purpose, lichen-covered granite surfaces were investigated with respect to their age (size) and to humidity
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