ROCKinBIO is an interdisciplinary research group dedicated to advancing Heritage Science through the application of ecological theory, concepts and methodologies. We investigate the biological processes operating on Cultural Heritage and the built environment, with particular emphasis on stone materials and rocky systems.

Our research combines ecology, geomicrobiology, Earth and Environmental Sciences, molecular biology, environmental monitoring, remote sensing and digital technologies to understand how biological communities interact with materials across spatial and temporal scales. Rather than viewing biological colonisation simply as a source of deterioration, we seek to understand the processes governing colonisation, succession, species interactions and biological–mineral relationships, and how these processes influence the long-term conservation of Cultural Heritage.

Beyond generating fundamental ecological knowledge, we aim to translate scientific understanding into practical tools for conservation, including predictive models, non-destructive analytical methods, environmental monitoring strategies and digital decision-support systems. Through this approach, ROCKinBIO seeks to establish ecology as a core discipline within Heritage Science and to promote the integration of ecological knowledge into conservation practice through collaborations spanning biology, conservation, engineering, architecture, geosciences and the environmental sciences.

Current Research Themes

●Ecology of biological colonisation: Understanding the ecological processes governing the establishment, assembly, succession and functioning of biological communities inhabiting natural and built stone surfaces, from microorganisms and cryptogams to plants and animals, and how these communities respond to environmental change and disturbance.

●Biological-material interactions: Investigating how biological communities alter, protect and transform stone materials through biodeterioration, bioprotection, biomineralisation and other biogeomorphic processes. A major focus of our research is the development of quantitative metrics, standardised methodologies and functional indicators that allow these processes to be quantified, compared and incorporated into predictive conservation frameworks.

●Predictive ecology for Heritage Science: Developing ecological models that integrate biological, geological and environmental data to predict biological colonisation, material change and conservation outcomes under present and future environmental conditions.

●Environmental genomics and analytical Heritage Science: Applying molecular, spectroscopic, microscopic and other analytical approaches to characterise biological communities, identify functional traits and develop reference datasets for Heritage Science.

●Digital ecology and decision-support: Integrating ecological information into digital heritage workflows, including environmental monitoring, remote sensing, Ecological Building Information Modelling (Eco-BIM) and digital twins, to support monitoring, predictive modelling and evidence-based conservation.

●Rock surface ecology: Using natural and cultural stone surfaces as model systems to investigate fundamental ecological and biogeomorphic processes, including biological weathering, ecosystem functioning, adaptation to extreme environments and the interactions between life and mineral substrates.

Ultimately, ROCKinBIO aims to translate ecological knowledge into predictive tools that support the sustainable conservation and management of Cultural Heritage.