Seasonal variations of environmental fungal community composition in museum storerooms

Abstract:

[Objective] Environmental fungi emerge as the principal agents causing microbial deterioration of museum collections. The varying materials and origins of collections and the different storeroom environments in a museum contribute to high diversity of environmental fungi. Additionally, the air conditioning system within a museum may instigate fungal dispersion among storerooms. Recognizing the compositional differences and seasonal variations of fungal communities in the air across varied storerooms underpins the early warning and prevention against microbial hazards in museum settings. [Methods] Sampling was carried out every two months by the impacting method in the iron and silk storerooms of a museum for one year. Fungal species and community composition were examined by ITS rDNA sequencing. [Results] The amplicon sequencing yielded a broad spectrum of fungal data, encompassing five phyla, 20 classes, and 184 families, over half of which displayed notable seasonal changes. Distinct and comparatively consistent fundamental fungal populations existed in both iron and silk storerooms, exhibiting minimal seasonal variations. However, during summer when it was humid, substantial proliferation of the fungi capable of degrading proteinaceous and cellulosic materials was observed in both storerooms, which presented a latent hazard to the collections. Furthermore, it was noted that certain fungi produced acidic by-products during growth, which could compromise the integrity of the collections. [Conclusion] This investigation provides groundwork for the mitigation and management of environmentally derived fungal threats in museum contexts, underscoring importance for the preventive conservation of museum collections.