Nitrosovibrio spp., the Dominant Ammonia-Oxidizing Bacteria in Building Sandstone

In five historical buildings in the Federal Republic of Germany, ammonia-oxidizing bacteria of the genera Nitrosovibrio, Nitrosospira, and Nitrosomonas were detected in high cell numbers. In building stones, Nitrosovibrio was the most abundant ammonia-oxidizing organism. In the soil at the foot of each building, Nitrosomonas spp. were the most common ammonia oxidizers, whereas Nitrosovibrio spp. were not detected.