Bacteria as Important Degraders in Waterlogged Archaeological Woods

An electron microscopic study of archaeological woods from different sites and of different ages revealed that the woods had been attacked by erosion bacteria, tunneling bacteria and soft rot fungi. Bacterial erosion appeared to be most widespread and was present independently as well as together with tunneling and soft rot attacks. Thus, in many instances bacterial erosion was the only type of microbial attack present. This work recognizes the important role bacteria play generally, and erosion bacteria particularly, in the deterioration of waterlogged archaeological woods.