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THE MICROBILOGY OF ROCKS AND WEATHERED STONES
Author(s) -
WEBLEY D. M.,
HENDERSON MOIRA E. K.,
TAYLOR IRENE F.
Publication year - 1963
Publication title -
journal of soil science
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.244
H-Index - 111
eISSN - 1365-2389
pISSN - 0022-4588
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-2389.1963.tb00935.x
Subject(s) - lichen , organic matter , weathering , mineralogy , geology , geochemistry , chemistry , botany , biology , ecology
Summary A study has been made of the microbiology of rock surfaces and weathered stones. Increasing numbers of micro‐organisms were found with increasing degree of colonization by lichens, for example, of rock surfaces. The highest numbers were generally found in‘raw’ soil in rock crevices where the organic‐matter content was high. Bacteria, actinomycetes, and fungi were also found in the interior of porous weathered stones but not in unweathered stones. A high proportion of the organisms isolated were able to render silicates soluble when tested in pure culture in the laboratory.