Aerobiology is the science that studies the biological component of the atmosphere and its effects on living systems and on the environment. This term was used for the first time in 1935, but the attention of scientists to the biological component of the atmosphere goes back to 1769, when the Italian biologist Spallanzani carried out a series of experiments that disproved the concept of spontaneous generation of life and proved the presence of viable microorganisms in the air. Aerobiology has marked characteristics of interdisciplinarity: its application fields range from respiratory diseases...

This publication brings together wide-ranging scientific contributions from the field of plant biology relating to the conservation of cultural heritage and offers fundamental knowledge as well as specific suggestions for practical applications.
Plant Biology for Cultural Heritage presents the work of dozens of scientists who have studied problems presented by the biological degradation of cultural heritage, tackling both general topics (mechanisms of biodeterioration; correlation between biodeterioration and environment; and destructive organisms) and specific ones (problems presented...

This is a translated and revised edition of the original Italian version.
This book is the first to give a general overview of the application of aerobiology (the science that studies the biological components of the atmosphere) to the conservation of our cultural heritage.
Aerobiological monitoring makes it possible to estimate the risks of degradation of artefacts of historical or artistic importance by airborne microorganisms (airborne spores and vegetative structures) according to the types of materials forming the artefacts, to the conditions of the microclimate and to the type...