Artificial light management alters the phototrophic microbiome of a millennial mausoleum

Heritage monuments are integral for conserving history and human legacies for the next generations. These monuments are also highly vulnerable to microbial biodeterioration derived from management, once they are open to the public. Artificial lights, for example, readily lead to the outbreaks of phototrophic microorganisms. Yet underlying mechanisms and how to mitigate or prevent this kind of biodeterioration remain an enigma. Thus, we conducted the first two-year manipulative experiment to investigate the in situ impacts of different types of artificial lights in a millennial Chinese imperial mausoleum.