Experimental investigations into the influence of biofilms and environmental factors on short-term microtopographic fluctuations of supratidal sandstone

Abstract

In this study laboratory experiments were used to explore the role of biofilms, formed by lithobiontic microorganism communities, in causing hourly surface changes of supratidal sandstone and the potential linkage to long-term rock decay. To isolate the influence of individual environmental factors (temperature and humidity) on rock surface changes (expansion and contraction), a colonized (biofilm-covered) and a non-colonized sandstone block (biofilm-free) underwent the same univariate microclimatic simulations closely controlled by an environmental chamber. Simulations were run under three different light conditions, with a natural light lamp on, on and off at 20-min intervals and off, to i..