STUDY OF TAXONOMIC COMPOSITION OF MICROBIOTA FROM TWO HISTORICAL SITES FROM IASSY

Abstract

There are few scientific literatures dedicated to the study of taxonomic composition of microbial communities in soils from archaeological sites or walls surface of historical monuments, especially in our country. In the paper are presented the results of a study on taxonomic composition of soil microbiota nearby the Trei Ierarhi Church and the Orthodox Cathedral from Iassy, as well as of microbiota on the walls of the Cathedral. Soil dilutions plated on PDA and Topping culture media revealed after incubation low to moderate numbers of bacteria and fungi, similar for both sites but less biodiversity was recorded in soil near the Cathedral. The bacterial communities were dominated by representatives of genus Bacillus accompanied by pseudomonads and various actinomycetes at Trei Ierarhi and mainly by bacillaceae at Orthodox Cathedral. Various ubiquitorious species belonging to genera Aspergillus (including Aspergillus fumigatus), Penicillium and Fusarium were identified in both soils. Analysis by optic microscopy of slides from soils and Cathedral walls revealed the presence of numerous species of algae from Chlorophyta, Xantophyta (in soils) and also from Cyanophyta, Phaeophyta and Bacillariophyta (on wall surface). Among Protozoa, species belonging to classes Rhizopoda, Ciliata and Flagellata were present in soils from both sites. Ciliates from genera Colpoda, Paramoecium and Spathidium, as well as few non-testacean amoebas from class Rhizopoda represented the protozoa identified on the Cathedral walls.