Fungi rock-inhabiting

Staley, J. T., Palmer, F. Adams, J. B. (1982). Microcolonial fungi common inhabitants on desert rocks. Science, 215, 1093-5. 

Fig. 11.2. Rock-inhabiting fungi often demonstrate a specific yeast-like growth pattern. Image shows a fungal colony, isolated from a marble surface in Crimea (Ukraine). The whole structure resembles a cauliflower and is intensively pigmented by melanin. The colony is very compact and mechanically hard and thus capable of producing intense pressure on the surrounding material.

Gorbushina, A. A., Beck, A. Schulte, A. (2005). Microcolonial rock inhabiting fungi and lichen photobionts evidence for mutualistic interactions. Mycological Research, 109 (in press). 

Sterflinger, K. Krumbein, W. E. (1995). Multiple stress factors aflecting growth of rock-inhabiting black fungi. Botanica Acta, 108, 490-6. 

Sterflinger K, de Baer R, de Hoog GS, de Wachter R, Krumbein WE, Haase G Coniosporium perforans and C. appollinis, two new rock inhabiting fungi isolated from marble in the Sanctuary of Delos (Cyclades, Greece). Antonie Van Leeuwenhoek 1997 72 349-363. 

Hirsch P, Eckhardt F, Palmer RJ (1995a) Fungi active in weathering of rock and stone monuments. Can J Bot 73 1384-1390 Hirsch P, Eckhardt FEW, Palmer RJ Jr (1995b) Methods for the study of rock-inhabiting microorganisms - a mini review. J Microbiol Meth 23 143-167 Holland KT, Knapp JS, Shoesmith JG (1986) Industrial applications of anaerobes. 

Fig. 11.5. Many different organisms inhabit rock surfaces and by covering the grains and intergranular spaces form a subaerial biofilm. In the deeper layers phototrophic organisms are situated (A), while the surface is mainly inhabited by stress-tolerant dark-pigmented fungi (B).

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