Journal ArticleDOI
Weathering of rocks induced by lichen colonization — a review
TLDR
In this paper, the effects of lichens on their mineral substrates can be attributed to both physical and chemical processes, such as hyphal penetration, expansion and contraction of lichen thallus, swelling action of the organic and inorganic salts originating from lichen activity.Abstract:
The evidence presented by numerous investigations of the interface between lichens and their rock substrates strongly suggests that the weathering of minerals can be accelerated by the growth of at least some lichen species. The effects of lichens on their mineral substrates can be attributed to both physical and chemical processes. The physical effects are reflected by the mechanical disruption of rocks caused by hyphal penetration, expansion and contraction of lichen thallus, swelling action of the organic and inorganic salts originating from lichen activity. Lichens also have significant impact in the chemical weathering of rocks by the excretion of various organic acids, particularly oxalic acid, which can effectively dissolve minerals and chelate metallic cations. As a result of the weathering induced by lichens, many rock-forming minerals exhibit extensive surface corrosion. The precipitation of poorly ordered iron oxides and amorphous alumino-silica gels, the neoformation of crystalline metal oxalates and secondary clay minerals have been frequently identified in a variety of rocks colonized by lichens in nature. For a better understanding of the impacts of lichens on environments, further work on the comprehensive involvement of the lichen effects on weathering of natural rocks, deterioration of building stones and stonework, and formation of primitive soils should be carried out.read more
Citations
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Metals, minerals and microbes: geomicrobiology and bioremediation
TL;DR: The ubiquity and importance of microbes in biosphere processes make geomicrobiology one of the most important concepts within microbiology, and one requiring an interdisciplinary approach to define environmental and applied significance and underpin exploitation in biotechnology.
Journal ArticleDOI
Life on the rocks.
TL;DR: Subaerial biofilm metabolic activity centres on retention of water, protecting the cells from fluctuating environmental conditions and solar radiation as well as prolonging their vegetative life, which manifests itself as bio-weathering of rock surfaces.
Journal ArticleDOI
Pharmaceutically relevant metabolites from lichens.
TL;DR: This mini-review pays particular attention to the most common classes of small-molecule constituents of lichens, from both the chemical viewpoint and with regard to possible therapeutic implications, which will provide impetus for identifying novel lead-compounds with therapeutic potential and poses new challenges for medicinal chemistry.
Journal ArticleDOI
The role of fungi in weathering
Ellis Hoffland,Thomas W. Kuyper,Håkan Wallander,Claude Plassard,Anna A Gorbushina,Kurt Haselwandter,Sara J. M. Holmström,Renske Landeweert,Ulla S. Lundström,Anna Rosling,Romin Sen,Mark M. Smits,Patrick A.W. van Hees,Nico van Breemen +13 more
TL;DR: The role of fungi in biological weathering has attracted a lot of interest as discussed by the authors, although the role of bacteria (Eubacteria, Archaea) has largely been neglected, until recently, however, fungi has become an increasingly important focus of biogeochemical research.
Journal ArticleDOI
Clay mineral adsorbents for heavy metal removal from wastewater: a review
TL;DR: In this article, a review of the current research in heavy metal adsorption by clay minerals such as halloysite, bentonite, montmorillonite, vermiculite and attapulgite is presented.
References
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Journal ArticleDOI
Soil Organic Matter
TL;DR: In this article, Kononova and Nowakowski discuss the role of organic matter in soil formation and fertility and propose a method to identify the most important parts of soil organic matter.
Journal ArticleDOI
Endolithic Microorganisms in the Antarctic Cold Desert
TL;DR: In the frigid desert of the Antarctic dry valleys there are no visible life forms on the surface of the soil or rocks, yet in certain rock types a narrow subsurface zone has a favorable microclimate and is colonized by microorganisms.
Book
Antarctica: Soils, weathering processes and environment
TL;DR: In this article, the authors discuss the influence of organisms in soil development in Antarctica and the importance of underlying geology to soil formation, and present an alternative approach to Antarctic soil classification.
Journal ArticleDOI
The lithobiontic ecological niche, with special reference to microorganisms
TL;DR: In this paper, the ecological niches of microorganisms within hard, mineral substrates are defined and referred to as epiliths, chasmoendoliths, crypto-endolith, and euendolays.