The Peculiarities of the Mycobiota Formation on the Saint Petersburg Stone Monuments Based on Metagenomics and Cultural Data

Abstract

Fungi play an important role in colonization and biodeterioration of stone monuments in the open air. This study significantly complements the data on fungal diversity in lithobiotic communities through the use of metagenomic analysis. It was shown that the mycobiota of tombstones in the historical center of St. Petersburg has a complex structure. There are different complexes of species, which have various origins and ways of getting to the monuments. The complex of dominant fungi in SABs on marble and granite in St. Petersburg is formed by dark-colored micromycetes. At the species level, the absolute dominant in all samples was the Knufia karalitana according to metagenomic data and Aureobasidium pullulans according to cultural data. The use of two methodological approaches indicates the expediency of combining culture-based and molecular genetics methods, which make it possible to obtain the most more complete picture of the formation of lithobiotic communities. The season and the type of biofilm have a key importance for the abundance and diversity of micromycetes on stone surface. It was shown that type of rock has a minimal importance for the fungal diversity on stone monument.