Metataxonomics of historical petroglyphs in the Austrian Alps

This study investigates different aspects of the biodegradation of the petroglyph panels in the Austrian Alps, which, to our knowledge, were never fully explored. For an appropriate evaluation of the biodeterioration phenomena, we employed a combination of chemical analyses and microscopic observations in order to characterize the lithic support and investigate the interactions biofilms/stone, respectively. In addition, a metagenomic approach was used to identify the biofilms composition, and the data obtained were integrated with the aforementioned analyses for a more complete understanding of the interactions of the biopatinas with the lithic substrate.