Geoecological Factors of Granite-Rapakivi Destruction and the Features of Biodeterioration in Disturbed Ecosystems
The destruction of rocks in natural and anthropogenic ecosystems is a biosphere process that affects all types of stone. Granite is a durable rock, but this type of rock also is gradually destroyed as a result of interrelated physical, chemical and biological processes. It particularly applies to granite-rapakivi which is widely used in the architecture of St. Petersburg: the fa cades of buildings, embankments of rivers and canals, bridges, sculpted monuments, pedestals. In an urban environment degradation of natural stone is significantly accelerated due to the human impact, especially pollution. In this regard, the aggression of microorganisms that cause bio-deterioration processes of stone materials increases. The investigation of the forms of weathering and biological colonization of rocks in the abandoned quarries and in urban envi ronment are of relevance as it allows to compare these effects in ecosystems with different levels of anthropogenic pressure.