title: Microbiology Meets Archaeology: Soil Microbial Communities Reveal Different Human Activities at Archaic Monte Iato (Sixth Century BC).
abstract: Microbial ecology has been recognized as useful in archaeological studies. At Archaic Monte Iato in Western Sicily, a native (indigenous) building was discovered. The objective of this study was the first examination of soil microbial communities related to this building. Soil samples were collected from archaeological layers at a ritual deposit (food waste disposal) in the main room and above the fireplace in the annex. Microbial soil characterization included abundance (cellular phospholipid fatty acids (PLFA), viable bacterial counts), activity (physiological profiles, enzyme activities of viable bacteria), diversity, and community structure (bacterial and fungal Illumina amplicon sequencing, identification of viable bacteria). PLFA-derived microbial abundance was lower in soils from the fireplace than in soils from the deposit; the opposite was observed with culturable bacteria. Microbial communities in soils from the fireplace had a higher ability to metabolize carboxylic and acetic acids, while those in soils from the deposit metabolized preferentially carbohydrates. The lower deposit layer was characterized by higher total microbial and bacterial abundance and bacterial richness and by a different carbohydrate metabolization profile compared to the upper deposit layer. Microbial community structures in the fireplace were similar and could be distinguished from those in the two deposit layers, which had different microbial communities. Our data confirmed our hypothesis that human consumption habits left traces on microbiota in the archaeological evidence; therefore, microbiological residues as part of the so-called ecofacts are, like artifacts, key indicators of consumer behavior in the past.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Microbiology, University of Innsbruck, Technikerstrasse 25, 6020, Innsbruck, Austria. Rosa.Margesin@uibk.ac.at.
authors.forename: Rosa
authors.identifier: 0000-0003-4307-7238
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Margesin
authors.affiliation: Institute of Microbiology, University of Innsbruck, Technikerstrasse 25, 6020, Innsbruck, Austria.
authors.forename: José A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Siles
authors.affiliation: Institute of Microbiology, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, v.v.i., Vídeňská 1083, 142 20, Prague 4, Czech Republic.|Institute for Environmental Studies, Faculty of Science, Charles University in Prague, Benatska 2, 128 01, Prague 2, Czech Republic.
authors.forename: Tomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Cajthaml
authors.affiliation: Institute of Archaeologies, University of Innsbruck, Langer Weg 11, 6020, Innsbruck, Austria.
authors.forename: Birgit
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Öhlinger
authors.affiliation: Institute of Archaeologies, University of Innsbruck, Langer Weg 11, 6020, Innsbruck, Austria.
authors.forename: Erich
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Kistler
mesh_terms: D000085:Acetates / Q000378:metabolism; D001106:Archaeology; D001419:Bacteria / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000378:metabolism; D058491:Bacterial Load; D044822:Biodiversity; D018533:Biomass; D002264:Carboxylic Acids / Q000378:metabolism; D016000:Cluster Analysis; D004269:DNA, Bacterial; D004271:DNA, Fungal; D057075:Enzyme Assays; D005227:Fatty Acids / Q000378:metabolism; D005658:Fungi / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D052836:Heterotrophic Processes; D049690:History, Ancient; D006802:Human Activities / Q000266:history*; D059013:Microbial Consortia / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D010743:Phospholipids / Q000378:metabolism; D012336:RNA, Ribosomal, 16S / Q000235:genetics; D012987:Soil / Q000737:chemistry*; D012988:Soil Microbiology
chemical_list: D000085:Acetates; D002264:Carboxylic Acids; D004269:DNA, Bacterial; D004271:DNA, Fungal; D005227:Fatty Acids; D010743:Phospholipids; D012336:RNA, Ribosomal, 16S; D012987:Soil
keywords: Archaeomicrobiology; Community level physiological profile (CLPP); Culturable and nonculturable bacteria; PLFA; Soil bacterial and fungal diversity