THE ROLE OF FUNGI IN DEGRADATION AND DETERIORATION OF MONUMENTS: MAHADEV AND SURYA TEMPLES IN NARAYANPUR, INDIA.

Thirteen species of fungi were obtained out of ten samples (five samples of each monument) collected from various places of stone structures of the monuments. Aspergillus fumigatus Fr.species are found in all samples and their percentage frequency is very high. Aspergillus fumigatus Fr., Aspergillus terreus Thom. And Aspergillus flavus fungal species are common on stone of the monument. There should be given priority to the characteristic features of stone structures, their different forms, designs and materials in finding the cause(s) of their degradation and deterioration) This study infers that in the degradation and deterioration of stone there is equal contribution by microbes and the design of stone structures. Hence the nature of the substrate, the relation between substrate and organism, the relation between the design and growth of organism, their frequency distribution are essential components in stone monument preservation interventions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]