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World Heritage sites face many challenges that affect the quality of life (QOL), it is thus empirical that more research studies shed light upon this important topic. This research examines the most important problems of Egyptian World Heritage Sites, with a focus on the Memphis site due to its outstanding universal value (OUV) and the posed threats that may affect its global value. The necessity of maintaining world heritage sites in accordance with UNESCO's guidelines has recently come to the state's attention so a supreme committee was formed, according to a presidential decree. Thus, this paper aims to present an applied strategy for managing Memphis site in an integrated manner to contribute to raising the QOL indicators while maintaining the OUV of the site through a multiphase research approach; first the theoretical approach, where a literature review and the basic concepts; second, an empirical desk-based literature review of similar sites. This in turn yielded quantitative and qualitative results and allowed for the measurement of the link between QOL and heritage sites management. Then a third phase which consisted of devising an applicable strategy management plan for Memphis site. The strategy has been proposed in light of the country's vision, strategy for sustainable development: Egypt vision 2030, and the strategic plan for Greater Cairo Region 2050. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The alcobaça monastery currently exhibits an extensive bacterial pink biofilms. • This biodeterioration evidence seems to be associated with salt efflorescences. • The colour is probably due to the production of bacterial pigments. • High-throughput sequencing allowed the identification of pink-pigmented bacteria. • This study is helpful to determine the best cleaning procedure to be implemented. The Alcobaça Monastery (Portugal), a UNESCO World Heritage Site, currently exhibits a high degree of surface alterations of the stone architectural elements inside the church, including an extensive pink coloration in the walls and columns, bacteria biofilms, and salt efflorescences. The main goal was to identify the microbiota that colonizes the walls and columns of this monument, to help custodians and conservators-restorers in the selection of the correct procedure to be adopted for the conservation of the monument. Regarding the observed pink discoloration, and considering previous studies, we hypothesize that is caused by biofilms formed by bacteria or other microorganisms that produce pigments of the same color, particularly carotenoids. Curiously, a distinct phenomenon was noticed: the pink discoloration always seems to appear at a very similar height in most of the columns and walls, starting at 40 cm to the floor and associated with the presence of salts on the walls. Using high-throughput sequencing approaches, we were able to characterize the microbial community present. We identified several bacteria that are producers of pink pigments and halotolerant such as Rubrobacter radiotolerans, Domibacillus robiginosus, Bacillus licheniformis and Halalkalicoccus sp. that develop in areas of high salinity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Ancient charred bread can be preserved, maintaining microstructures of cereals. • Bread found in seven archaeological sites in Northern Italy was analysed. • Optical and scanning electron microscopy are used to study microstructural elements. • Infrared spectroscopy can be used to support microscopy. • Raw materials and methods of preparation were identified. This study examines charred bread-like samples found in several archaeological sites across northern Italy and dating from the Early Bronze Age to the Early Middle Ages, some of which are included amongst the UNESCO World Heritage Sites. The aim is to investigate differences and homogeneities in bread production processes in different eras and cultures. Bread was a staple food in many ancient societies, but has rarely been found amongst the materials that survive in archaeological sites. When it is found, it is usually because the bread was charred by accidental combustion (falling into the oven during baking) or deliberate combustion (for ritual purposes). The literature on the issue is not abundant, but has been growing over the past decade. There is, therefore, room to propose new study methodologies at this time. We studied eight samples of charred bread-like products and we used optical and scanning electron microscopy to identify plant tissue remains attributable to cereal caryopses, partly modified by bread-making processes. Energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy and, for the first time, infrared spectroscopy in attenuated total reflectance mode (FTIR-ATR) were also used to investigate the composition and preparation methods of the different types of bread-like products. In particular, FTIR-ATR analysis can give indications about the presence of starch, gluten and lignin in the sample under investigation and it can, therefore, be used as a screening to guide subsequent SEM analysis in the search for specific cereal residues in the dough. In some cases, the different techniques used also revealed the presence of minerals such as silicates and carbonates, probably due to grinding residues or poor sample cleaning. During SEM observations, phytoliths, diatoms and framboids were also found in some of the samples. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• This study investigates factors with both beneficial and harmful qualities for Cultural World Heritage Sites in Europe and North America. • Information employed originates from the UNESCO Periodic Report II and the heritage database. • Factors related to tourism and transportation most often perceived as both beneficial and harmful by site managers. • Bivariate Probit estimations control for site characteristics and location of site. • Estimations reveal that managers are mainly ambivalent to tourism/visitors/recreation, interpretive and sightseeing facilities as well as to ground transport infrastructure. The aim of this study is to investigate factors with both beneficial and harmful qualities for Cultural World Heritage Sites. Particular but not exclusive attention is given to aspects relating to tourism and infrastructure. Data from the World Heritage List for North America and Europe, linked to the 2014 UNESCO Periodic Report II, are employed for the analysis. A simultaneous Bivariate Probit model estimation is carried out on the 30,954 observations and 402 Heritage Sites. World Heritage managers assess that certain factors are both beneficial and harmful for their sites. These contradictory perceptions appear most commonly in relation to tourism/visitors/recreation (28% of the sites), ground transport infrastructure (16%) and to the Society's valuing of heritage (12%). Besides this, ambivalent perceptions are also identified for housing, commercial development, land conversion, forestry/timber production and renewable energy facilities, although to a lesser extent. Estimation results reveal that the highest degree of ambivalence occurs in relation to tourism/visitors/recreation, interpretive and sightseeing facilities and ground transport infrastructure when location and specific site characteristics are controlled for. Thus, the results coincide only to some extent with the descriptive statistics. Compared to other groups of Cultural World Heritage Sites (cultural landscapes, religious sites and other sites) managers of cities have a significantly lower probability of perceiving the different factors as harmful. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Metrology and technical description of the voussoirs of the transverse arch of the nave. • Comparative analysis of tool marks in the cathedral. • Dating by comparison with Early and High Gothic buildings. The fire of April 15, 2019 at the cathedral of Notre-Dame de Paris offered archaeologists and art historians a unique opportunity to work closely with an emblematic building, a World Heritage Site. The recovery of most of the voussoirs from the collapsed transverse arch of the nave has made it possible to study the operating chain of an essential element of the cathedral, from the choice of material to its implementation, including the techniques used by the stonemason or the knowledge of the joiner. This technical analysis has made it possible to establish comparisons with the other elevations of the cathedral, and also with other Early and High Gothic buildings, allowing us to offer a new proposal for the development of knowledge and the overall chronology of construction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• This review gives panorama of heritage digitization in China and categorizes digital twin techniques into six levels to address three specific tasks. • Terrestrial LiDAR and VR are the most prevalent digital twin technologies for decades, while sensor-based monitoring is recently prompted by policy incentives and legislations. • Most digital twin projects are dominated by public sectors, i.e., cultural management authorities, universities, and research institutes. • Efficient data utilization and the seamless integration of diverse data sources within cross-disciplinary collaborations are still challenging. Recent decades have witnessed digital twin as a toolkit to collect, process, and utilize graphical, spatial and other attribute data of cultural heritage. It has been widely applied on cultural world heritage sites in China, which have significant differences in ages, types, materials, and history of maintenance and conservation. Although specific cases are reported previously, a comprehensive overview is still lacking. This paper explores the association between digital twin and heritage conservation, classifying digital twin techniques into six levels to tackle three tasks: data acquisition, visualization and application. It systematically reviews Chinese heritage digitization practices, considering variations in complexity and purposes, and demonstrates typological and chronological characteristics as well as the composition of stakeholders. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mangrove forests deliver incredible ecosystem goods and services and are enormously relevant to sustainable living. An accurate assessment of the global status of mangrove forests warrants the necessity of datasets with sufficient information on spatial distributions and patch patterns. However, existing datasets were mostly derived from ∼30 m resolution satellite imagery and used pixel-based image classification methods, which lacked spatial details and reasonable geo-information. Here, based on Sentinel-2 imagery, we created a global mangrove forest dataset at 10-m resolution, namely, High-resolution Global Mangrove Forests (HGMF_2020), using object-based image analysis and random forest classification. We then analyzed the status of global mangrove forests from the perspectives of conservation, threats, and resistance to ocean disasters. We concluded the following: (1) globally, there were 145,068 km2 mangrove forests in 2020, among which Asia contained the largest coverage (39.2%); at the country level, Indonesia had the largest amount of mangrove forests, followed by Brazil and Australia. (2) Mangrove forests in South Asia were estimated to be in the better status due to the higher proportion of conservation and larger individual patch size; in contrast, mangrove forests in East and Southeast Asia were facing intensive threats. (3) Nearly, 99% of mangrove forest areas had a patch width greater than 100 m, suggesting that nearly all mangrove forests were efficient in reducing coastal wave energy and impacts. This study reports an innovative and up-to-date dataset and comprehensive information on mangrove forests status to contribute to related research and policy implementation, especially for supporting sustainable development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cultural tourism is a growing type of tourism; tourists visit places where they can practice activities, motivating them to experience the heritage and get involved with the local communities. This paper studies the relationship between the sustainable urban development of heritage sites and cultural tourism. It focuses on the ancient Thebes world heritage site, examines urban sustainability at the city level, then studies the urban context of the newly reopened Sphinx Avenue. The analytical framework of this study emerges from the principles of sustainable urbanism together with UNESCO thematic indicators for culture for 2030 and UNESCO recommendations for urban culture future. Three site visits were held to the city and the avenue in 2022 for urban observation. A questionnaire was distributed among inhabitants and visitors to collect qualitative information concerning the accessibility and visibility of the monuments and the position of Sphinx Avenue in the urban context. Furthermore, semi-structured interviews were conducted with tourism companies to explore the tourism sector's point of view. The paper questions the relationship between sustainable urban development and cultural tourism. It suggests urban recommendations to achieve a rich user experience and build a sustainable relationship between the heritage sites and the surrounding communities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Government protected areas are the most dominant governance type in the global network of protected areas, but in recent years, a lack of research compared to indigenous and private nongovernment protected areas has become evident. Consequently, community-inclusive conservation strategies consistent with the advantages of government protected areas are unclarified. Focusing on 49 households living at the Mount Huangshan World Natural Heritage Site in eastern China, this paper uses qualitative research triangulation to explain the causality between community exclusion and local distrust of the protected area and builds an explanation concerning the political and economic context. The questionnaire data analysed from the configuration perspective were corroborated with interviews and archival data, presenting innovative and enlightening findings. Lack of participation alone does not elicit local protests against biohabitat conservation, and government performance determines the trustworthiness of the government protected area. When local households are unaware of the government's efforts, a "trust paradox" in which the households that receive economic gains distrust government PAs emerges. This is caused by the social expectations of the "responsible government" and the survivorship bias of the households who manage to succeed in profiting. Induced or mandatory community participation is needed to strengthen the indigenous perception of the link between local development and government performance. This paper proposes a new strategy for socioecological goals that is consistent with the advantages of government protected areas, the most globally dominant governance type for protected areas and the type employed by the largest number of countries. • Underparticipation alone does not elicit local protest against biohabitat conservation of government PA. • Good government performance is a sufficient condition for the trustworthiness of government PA. • The "trust paradox" in which the benefited households distrust PA is due to the social expectation and survivorship bias. • Induced or mandatory participation generates trust in PA if community is broadly consulted on economic and social areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Multianalytical approach is used to study of fourteen Achaemenian copper-based artefacts from the Persepolis World Heritage Site (550–330 BCE). • The chemical analysis shows application of Cu-Sn, Cu-Sn-Pb and Cu-Zn to produce metal artefacts. • Achaemenian copper-based artefacts are manufactured with a range of shaping methods from casting to working-annealing. Achaemenid metalworking is an interesting example of art and craftsmanship in the ancient Near East. Although relevant studies have been made during the last few decades, these have not included copper-base metallurgical technology. In this paper fourteen copper-base artefacts from early excavations of the Persepolis World Heritage Site have been investigated in detail. These artefacts include ten arrowheads, two broken pins, thin metal strips (or parts of a bracelet) and part of a rod. Samples were analysed using inductively coupled plasma-optical emission spectroscopy; scanning electron microscopy + energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy; and metallography. The results showed that most of the artefacts were made of tin bronze and leaded tin bronze. However, the bracelet was brass. The arrowheads were made by casting, and some were then annealed. The pins, bracelet and rod were secondary products obtained by cycles of cold-working and annealing. Of particular interest are the use of leaded tin bronze to cast the arrowheads and a brass to make the thin bracelet. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• First time use nanolime for the conservation of Chinese earthen-based murals. • One treatment increases surface cohesion with acceptable color change. • Interaction mechanism between nanolime and pigments particles was investigated. • One treatment with nanolime decreases the pore diameter while keeps the porosity. Mogao Grottoes is a World Cultural Heritage site with splendid ancient murals and sculptures which record the culture and history of the Silk Road. To consolidate these earthen-based murals with multilayer structure, nanolime were synthesized with anion exchange method and the effectiveness and compatibility of using it for the conservation of Dunhuang murals were evaluated. For mural samples, the nanolime treatment increases the surface cohesion and hardness while changing the colors in an acceptable range, in the meantime decreases the pore diameter while keeping the porosity equivalent. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first time nanolime was used for the restoration of earthen-based murals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Hydric (liquid water) dilatation decreases with increasing salinity of pore water. • Salt contamination reverses hygric (water vapour) dilatation phases of clay-rich rocks. • Crystallisation of NaCl develops higher strain than hydration of clay interlayers. • Changes in volume occur more frequently once clay-rich rocks are exposed to salts. • Salt weathering of clay-rich rocks produces granular disintegration and scaling. The mechanisms through which crystallisation of salts and hydration of swelling clays cause deterioration of rocks are generally understood. However, how these two decay mechanisms operate synergistically is less clear. In this study, we investigated the impact of a salt (NaCl) on the deterioration of clay-rich basaltic scoria from which the churches forming the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Lalibela in Ethiopia are hewn. The basaltic scoria is rich in smectite (swelling clay) and zeolitic minerals which have micropores and an affinity for efficient water absorption. Hydric and hygric swelling experiments were carried out on 50 mm cube quarry samples and continuous measurements were taken with Linear Variable Displacement Transformers (LVDT). Hydric (liquid water) tests involved partially submerging the samples in deionised and saline solutions. Hygric (water vapour) tests were done in an environmental cabinet where the RH fluctuated between 60% to 90% RH with salt-free and salt-contaminated samples. The results showed that contamination with salts alters both hydric and hygric behaviour. Hydric swelling was reduced in most samples when contaminated with salt, while the expansion and contraction phases in hygric tests were reversed after contamination with NaCl. Continuous measurement of dilatation allowed us to quantify the strain developed during the phase transition of NaCl. Due to the crystallisation pressure, hygric dilatation increased significantly in salt-contaminated samples. Salt-contaminated samples also showed frequent episodic changes in volume that corresponded both with the hydration/dehydration of clay interlayers and crystallisation/dissolution of NaCl. These volume changes correspond with the damage profile on the surface of the samples, i.e., contour scaling and granular disintegration. The results indicate that the mechanism through which salt contamination accelerates the decay of clay-rich rocks is via an increase in the frequency and degree of hygric dilatation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Deforestation and land conversion can outbreak vector-borne diseases. • There are lack of studies relating forest succession and vector-borne parasites. • Plasmodium tend to infect birds from secondary forest at intermediate succession. • Bird foraging strata is also relevant to Plasmodium infection. Forest regeneration is becoming a powerful tool to combat land conversion which covers 30 % of the Neotropical territory. However, little is known about the effect of forest regeneration on vector-borne diseases. Here, we describe the haemosporidian lineage composition across a successional gradient within an Atlantic Forest bird community. We test whether forest successional stages, in addition to host life history traits affect haemosporidian infection probability. We sampled birds at 16 sampling units with different successional stages between 2017 and 2018 within a forest remnant located in Antonina, Paraná, Brazil. We captured bird individuals using mist-nets, identified them to the species level, and collected blood samples to detect and identify Plasmodium and Haemoproteus lineages based on molecular analysis. We used a Bayesian phylogenetic linear model with a Bernoulli distribution to test whether the haemosporidian infection probability is affected by nest type, foraging stratum, and forest successional stage. We captured 322 bird individuals belonging to 52 species and 21 families. We found 31 parasite lineages and an overall haemosporidian prevalence of 23.9 %, with most infections being caused by Plasmodium (21.7 % of prevalence). The Plasmodium probability of infection was associated with forest successional stage and bird foraging stratum. Birds from the secondary forest in an intermediate stage of succession are more likely to be infected by the parasites than birds from the primary forests (β = 1.21, 95 % CI = 0.11 – 2.43), birds from upper strata exhibit a lower probability of infection than birds from lower foraging strata (β = -1.81, 95 % CI = -3.80 – -0.08). Nest type did not affect the Plasmodium probability of infection. Our results highlight the relevance of forest succession on haemosporidian infection dynamics, which is particularly relevant in a world where natural regeneration is the main tool used in forest restoration. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Biodiversity assessment and monitoring in old-growth forests (OGFs) is crucial for their effective management and conservation amongst various natural and human-induced challenges. In the present study, the spatial and temporal species diversity were assessed in the mixed stands of Białowieża Forest (BF), a renowned UNESCO world heritage site recognized as an OGF. The BF has encountered challenges due to pest outbreaks peaking in 2016–2017 with adverse impacts on species composition. Utilizing airborne laser scanning (ALS) and color infrared (CIR) datasets from 2015 and 2019 (prior and following the peak, respectively), 30 variables were extracted and employed as input for the Random Forest algorithm to identify 14 species of broadleaved and coniferous individuals at plot levels (458 plots) within the BF. We calculated biodiversity indices (including α, β, and γ diversity), Importance Value Index (IVI), bivariate scale-dependent density of species, and temporal β diversity indices independently for data acquired from both field observation (FO) and species maps obtained through remote sensing analysis (RSA). The study found no significant differences in α diversity indices between the FO and RSA across the BF, however, notable discrepancies existed in species richness. Limited species detection was attributed to low species frequency and therefore, insufficient reference individuals. Average β and γ diversities from both datasets showed no significant differences. The RSA accurately identified top species and their changes in terms of IVI. Additionally, the RSA explored scale-dependent density changes of broadleaved individuals around conifers. Consistency was observed between FO and RSA in identifying dominance shifts from losses to gains within the BF communities. The comparison of diversity indices obtained from FO and RSA suggests that the RSA provided comparable results to FO in capturing the diversity of dominant tree species within the BF, providing a promising approach for advancing our understanding of forest biodiversity in OGFs. [Display omitted] • Remote sensing promises accurate insights in species diversity of a mixed forest. • ALS and CIR datasets successfully map species individuals in an old-growth forest. • RS-based temporal β diversity captures the impact of pest out breaks on biodiversity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Industrial accidents, such as toxic spills, are one of the main causes of catastrophic environmental damage to animals and plants. The high number of vessels, including oil tankers that navigate the globe, increases the risk of potential oil spills affecting oceanic islands. The frequency estimation is a fundamental step in any risk assessment. However, this step presents shortcomings when dealing with rare, extreme accidents, i.e., low frequency/high consequence events. Classical statistical approaches are ineffective since available data are generally sparse and often censored in this context. To address this issue, we propose a Bayesian population variability-based method to estimate the distributions of accident rates. Based on that, it is possible to merge sparse data about accidents from various databases with the judgment of experts such as captains, pilots and chief officers. Finally, this method is applied to a real case of oil tankers that navigate nearby the Fernando de Noronha Archipelago, a UNESCO natural world heritage site in Brazil. The results can support risk assessments and provide decision-makers with helpful information to better address measures to prevent accidents or reduce risks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research presents a completely decarbonized system structured with renewable energies for the fragile ecosystem of the Galapagos Islands of Ecuador, with a horizon to the year 2050. The transition process begins with clear legal actions and allocating economic resources that clearly promote a change in the energy matrix and the transition would be achieved until the year 2050. The Galapagos Islands are the second largest marine reserve on the planet, declared a World Heritage Site in 1978 for UNESCO. The archipelago, a beautiful ecological attraction, has tourism as its main economic source. The biggest problem is in the supply of energy that mainly comes from fossil fuels, in addition to that, the smell of fuel in several places is out of tune with the harmonious nature and its species. The efforts began to be noticed when in the Archipelago the new implementations of renewable energy began to become a reality with the purpose of stopping using fossil fuels. In this sense, there is the potential to take advantage of the resources available in specific sites, especially the photovoltaic and wind solar considered in the National Plan All a Life. The change in the productive matrix from the national level also implies a change in demand, including at the transportation level with the use of electric vehicles and the use of electric stoves in homes. The purpose is that energy services in the Galapagos Islands progressively increase, on the one hand, replacing fossil fuels and on the other, supplying the growing demand with a view to 2050, taking advantage of renewable energies until reaching 100%. • The scenario outlined is 100% renewable energy by 2050 in the Galapagos Islands. •The Galapagos archipelago has great renewable energy potential. •The decarbonization in Galapagos will have a positive impact on the socioeconomic and environmental aspects. •Decarbonization is feasible by 2050 depending on the economic situation. •The electricity system of Galapagos will allow it to maintain its status as a Cultural Heritage of Humanity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Owing to their remarkable biodiversity and endemic ecosystems, the Galapagos Islands are one of the most important World Heritage sites. However, due to their isolation and remote geographical location, around 83.6 % of the energy supply in Galapagos relies on the use of fossil fuels, which are polluting the air, the land and the sea, therefore requiring an adequate energy planning for the efficient transition towards a more sustainable and environmentally friendly energy sources. Although there were several previous studies of the decarbonization of Galapagos' energy supply, there is a need for a more comprehensive approach that will combine planning (long-term) and operational (short-term) analysis to evaluate both, the future investment plans and performance of evolving energy supply system, as well as to provide an in-depth evaluation of required system upgrades in terms of locally available renewable energy resources. In order to fill this gap, this paper presents results of two different studies for the optimal decarbonization and transition to a 100 % renewable energy supply of the Galapagos Islands, giving details on the development of modelling tools required for the analysis of different scenarios and various techno-economic constraints. The first study is used for a long-term for analysing and strategic planning of the energy matrix until 2050, starting from existing power plants and following projections for the deployment of new renewable-based energy generation and dedicated energy storage sources to determine the optimal sizing and timing of required grid upgrades. The second study is a short-term annual performance analysis, which considers days of minimum, average and maximum available renewable energy resources to optimize system operation with existing and additional renewable energy generation and storage sources that will minimize, or keep at a certain target level, contributions from diesel generation. The two presented studies complement each other, allowing to evaluate transition to a 100 % renewable energy supply in Galapagos from both the investment/planning perspective and from the operational point of view. The results of two studies are very close in terms of the sizes of required new PV generation and associated energy storage in Baltra-Santa Cruz islands by 2050 (around 50 MW of PV and 145 MW of storage), with the short-term study allowing to identify curtailed PV generation (on average around 140 MWh per day) as an opportunity to connect new controllable loads, and with the long-term study allowing to evaluate interim targets for decarbonization pathways to Net Zero by 2050 through the related techno-economic optimization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Quaternary sediments preserved within the Thirlmere Lakes system, Greater Blue Mountains World Heritage Area, Australia, are an important regional environmental record representing at least the last two interglacials. Understanding the source and evolution of these sediments, both temporally and spatially, is an essential component of the site's reconstruction. In this study, we evaluate this question using physical, mineralogical, elemental, and isotopic analytical techniques. Four distinct lake sediment facies all show bi-modal distributions of coarse sand and clay to fine silts, representing various mixtures of catchment Hawkesbury Sandstone and Ashfield Shale. Clays are predominantly kaolinite-dickite, however, the 7 Å dehydrated form of halloysite is prominent in an orange-yellow oxidised lake facies unit. The relative distribution and concentration of rare earth elements, including yttrium (REY), is heterogeneous across all the lake facies, varying between both lakes and with depth. This variability suggests a geochemical signature reflecting a combination of mixed sources and secondary mineral precipitation, driven by catchment geomorphology and specific site conditions. Slightly positive Ce anomalies in the oxidised lake facies, combined with the greater halloysite representation, represents a period of dry conditions and sub-aerial exposure. Evaluation of catchment, regional and continental REY ratios, Eu anomalies and εNd data implies a predominant internal catchment source signature, with any external contributions restricted to the local Bringelly Shale and the immediate south-eastern Australia, including the Murray River Basin. Geochemical and isotopic values for these proposed internal and external sediment sources predicts that an aeolian source from outside the immediate catchment represents a maximum of 30% of the fine-grained sediment fraction. • Geochemical study of lake sediment sources for temperate east coast Australia. • Dominant source of lake sediments are internal catchment shale and sandstone. • Maximum 30% of the lakes fine-grained fraction is from an external (dust) source. • Source of lake sediments is relatively consistent across last two interglacials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although heritage tourism receives increasing attention, researchers have not yet considered heritage residents' cultural self-improvement and heritage responsibility. Therefore, this study aims to investigate the mechanism of perceived authenticity, localized identity, cultural self-improvement, and heritage responsibility. With empirical evidence from two well-known world cultural heritage sites (i.e., Kaiping and Yongding in China), the study identifies that local residents' localized identity and cultural self-improvement, activated by perceived authenticity of the cultural heritage, significantly stimulate their heritage responsibility. Results further reveal the positive impact of localized identity on cultural self-improvement. The mediating effect of localized identity and cultural self-improvement and the moderation effect of two heritage sites are also confirmed. Important theoretical and practical implications are discussed. • Examine local residents' perceived authenticity in Kaiping and Yonding. • Identify the mechanism behind local residents' heritage responsibility. • Explore the mediating roles of localized identity and cultural self-improvement. • Uncover the moderating effect of hollowed and solid villages. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Low-altitudinal soil had a wider niche for specialists and generalists. • pH had the greatest impact on soil bacterial community in the three altitudinal soils. • The species turnover rate was ranked as low->middle->high-altitudinal soils. • Low-altitudinal soil was more suitable for the growth of soil bacterias on Fanjing Mountain. Recent evidence suggests that Abies fanjingshanensis , endemic to China's Fanjing Mountain—a UNESCO World Heritage site—is facing a worrying decline. It is postulated that this decline is intricately linked to soil conditions. In response, this study has categorized microbial communities as generalists or specialists within soils from varying altitudes and has examined their relationship with soil nutrient status, as well as their implications for species extinction and diversification rates. Our findings indicate that low-altitude soils provide a more expansive and significant ecological niche for both specialist and generalist species compared to those from mid- and high-altitudes. Moreover, microbial diversity was markedly higher in the low-altitude soils. Soil pH emerged as the predominant factor influencing microbial communities across all elevations. In accordance with pH variations, species turnover rates followed an ascending order from low to high altitudes, corroborated by the specialization rates of generalists, which were 16.83, 1.50, and 3.06 times higher in low-, mid-, and high-altitude soils, respectively. Network stability analysis revealed that low-altitude soils exhibited greater robustness compared to their higher altitude counterparts. These results suggest that low-altitude soils on Fanjing Mountain present a more favorable environment for soil bacterial growth, potentially elucidating the marked decline of rare plant species in the mid- and high-altitude regions. This research contributes to a more nuanced understanding of the interplay between microbial communities and soil nutrition on Fanjing Mountain, with broader implications for the conservation of rare montane flora. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Floating marine debris (FMD) poses several threats to marine species, such as entanglement, ingestion, and the transport of pollutants. The Shiretoko Peninsula, located in northern Japan, is a registered World Natural Heritage Site and a biodiversity hotspot. However, FMD has not yet been thoroughly investigated in this region. In 2022, sighting surveys were conducted in Abashiri (west side of the peninsula) and Rausu (east side) to assess the abundance, composition, and distribution of FMD. The mean densities were notably higher in Abashiri, and there was more fishing-related debris in Rausu. Regarding local human activities, the population and number of tourists are higher in Abashiri, and fishing activities are higher in Rausu. While marine pollution is a global issue, our study suggests that addressing it should commence with community-based management at the local level. • Distribution, abundance, and composition of floating marine debris in the Shiretoko Peninsula was assessed for the first time • Plastic was the most abundant floating marine debris in the Shiretoko Peninsula sea area • Density and composition of floating marine debris varied for eastern and western sides of the peninsula [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ha Long Bay is a UNESCO World Heritage Site in Vietnam with unique natural scenery. Development and socio-economic activity impact its water quality. In the context of the Vietnam National Standards, historical follow-up data taken over a five-year period (2016 to 2020), for twenty-eight widely dispersed sampling sites, has been used to carry out a temporal assessment of seawater quality utilizing a Water Quality Index (WQI) method. The analysis shows that the seawater quality is generally acceptable over this period. However, the calculated WQI values for the "pandemic year" of 2020 compared to the data for 2016 to 2019, demonstrate a significantly lesser impact for the bay overall and, more specifically, for seventeen individual sites. Ten sites remain unaffected, and one site shows a significantly higher impact. This study demonstrates how the occurrence of the pandemic in 2020 may be exploited for the interrogation of anthropogenic impacts around the bay. [Display omitted] • Seawater quality in Ha Long Bay, Vietnam, is impacted by anthropogenic activities. • Seawater quality was tracked from 2016 to 2020 using the Water Quality Index. • A lesser environmental impact for the pandemic year of 2020 was demonstrated. • The pandemic was exploited to interrogate anthropogenic impacts around the bay. • The COVID-19 pandemic allowed validation of the WQI and available data quality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Expert system supports selection of heritage friendly urban level energy strategies. • Method allows an incremental decision-making that can be automatized through a DSS. • 3D urban model with categorisation tool offers a data-conscious approach for baseline.\ • The method and the DSS have been implemented in Santiago of Compostela. • Energy retrofit scenarios can be designed that are respectful with the historic values. European Historic Urban Environments (HUEs) are highly appreciated by their inhabitants and visitors and they can be considered as one of the most valuable collective achievements of the European culture. The preservation of our urban heritage requires the protection of the social context as well as the preservation of the authenticity and integrity of its physical materiality. That means improving the quality of life of their inhabitants as well as the sustainability of the historic districts. This paper proposes an incremental decision-making methodology that allows the modelling of the historic city and the selection of the best strategies. An application of this model is demonstrated through a case study using the historic city of Santiago de Compostela in Spain that was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1985. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A rigid differentiation between culture and nature hampers heritage preservation. • Dynamic landscapes require tailormade preservation strategies. • Historical-landscape studies require multi-perspective data analyses. • The HGIS facilitates the flexible management and analysis of (world) heritage sites. • Durable heritage management requires new integrated and versatile approaches. The awareness that cultural heritage plays an influential role in shared identities and in both spatial and environmental development has significantly increased in recent years. International collaboration and treaties, such as the 'FARO-convention' in 2005 emphasize the importance of heritage in relation to aspects of human rights and demography. Furthermore, it is becoming increasingly clear that historical perspectives are essential for making well-informed choices regarding environmental challenges (e.g. spatial planning, sustainable development, climate adaptation). This increased awareness not only emphasizes the importance of cultural heritage for present-day challenges, but equally presents a new set of conditions and standards, and requires the development of new methodologies. Besides conservation, more than ever there is a need for cultural heritage to become contextualized and sustainably accessible. The organisational pinnacle of cultural-heritage conservation is world heritage: sites that are judged to contain a set of cultural and/or natural values which are of outstanding value to humanity. However, to what extent world heritage meets these newly set criteria is unknown. Nevertheless, these sites often reflect an eminent status, scientifically as well as economically (i.e. through tourism). Consequently, world heritage often enjoys interest from multiple stakeholders including governmental, scientific, public, and commercial parties, all of whom engage in contrasting activities and have different interests and needs. As a result the need for accessibility and integrated overviews of these sites is high but equally challenging. In this paper we will focus on the world-heritage site of Schokland (NL). This former island in the Dutch Zuiderzee both reflects outstanding historical and archaeological importance. We will show that the dynamics surrounding this site require tailormade conservation methodologies, which greatly depend on data integration. We present a new Historical Geographical Information System (HGIS) specifically designed to integrate cultural and geoscientific data and facilitate dynamic heritage management. Results show that such a system greatly adds to the contextualization and (digital) accessibility of the heritage site and is essential for substantiating conservation methodologies. Furthermore, it shows great research potential for diachronological reconstructions of dynamic-lowland development. The system facilitates multidisciplinary scientific analyses, integrated monitoring, and public outreach and shows great application potential for other (world-)heritage sites. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We propose a deep learning-based reconstruction method for three-dimensional (3D) cultural heritage objects, which are destroyed or disappear and thus are unavailable for 3D scanning to create digital archives. The proposed reconstruction method uses a single monocular photo and predicts its depth values based on a monocular depth estimation network. While most recent studies have focused on scenes with sharp (high-curvature) edges and large depth differences, such as indoor and outdoor scenes, the proposed method is designed to exert its performance on scenes with small depth differences and soft (low-curvature) edges. The key idea is to involve the soft edges as guidance information in the depth estimation network. We demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed method by applying it to the hidden reliefs of the Borobudur temple, a UNESCO world heritage site. The hidden reliefs were buried behind stone walls and are no longer visible. The 3D information of the reliefs can only be estimated from their old monocular photos. We achieved 97 % reconstruction accuracy for validation data. We also integrate the reconstructed hidden reliefs with 3D scanned data of the visible regions and execute see-through visualization for the integrated data. This visualization can simultaneously show us both visible regions and invisible regions of the temple. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The historic core of Rosetta, Egypt, is a possible nomination for UNESCO World Heritage status. However, the enduring controversy over the conservation scheme for Rosetta's old market has highlighted the difficulties in reaching a satisfactory decision. The challenge lies in determining the best location for relocating the market without affecting locals' life and culture of locals as part of the urban built heritage. The main objective of this study is to present a model of decision-making criteria, which can have many applications in heritage conservation decision making for preserving heritage in historic cities that are distinguished by religious, societal and economic activities. A Multi Criteria Decision Making model (MCDM) is a framework for project selection and is developed utilizing the Technique for Order of Preference by Similarity to Ideal Solution ; (TOPSIS) method, in reference to UNESCO guidelines, and Space Syntax analysis. The joint analytical framework helps to select the best location for the market that would promote the development of the area while also preserving the identity of the historic core. By adopting this proposed joint model, it is possible to meet social needs during urban development. Thus, the outcome of this study is to achieve a balance between the dual elements that the community works to achieve its integration with the historical urban fabric and at the same time allows development and tourism and tries to exist and takes part of the development plan, and promotes the identity of the city in terms of heritage, commercial and cultural activities as well as benefit from achieving development. This model can be tested against development plans for cities of historical economic values in a variety of circumstances extended with other specific criteria related to the context of the case study under analysis and development study, in addition to UNESCO guidelines to ensure its reliability. An urban conservation and development policy will enable the city's authorities to register its historical core as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. This research outcome validates a model for decision-making assessment that can be utilized to assess historic cities that include historical commercial activities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The use of small-bodied animals, especially small Carnivora, as indicators of palaeoenvironment, is becoming more pronounced. These smaller taxa are more spatiotemporally constrained, owing to high territoriality, ecosystem sensitivity and physical limitations on their ability to travel large distances within their lifespan. This article describes seven new Viverridae specimens, together with a re-evaluation of a previously published specimen, from the hominin-bearing site of Malapa, located in the Cradle of Humankind World Heritage Site, South Africa. When combined with other palaeoenvironmental indicators, the addition of these eight specimens, consisting of Genetta sp., Genetta genetta , and Genetta cf. tigrina , allows for a more precise reconstruction of the environment surrounding Malapa as well as providing additional insights into possible depositional factors that could have resulted in the accumulation of the Malapa deposit. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Egypt abounds with multiple heritage sites that have lots of outstanding universal values (OUV). However, there are only 7 Egyptian heritage sites in the permanent list of UNESCO for world heritage. Egypt faces obstacles in registering world heritage sites as a result of the absence of a registration strategy to increase the Egyptian world heritage sites. Therefore, this paper aims propose a strategy to convert the heritage sites included in the tentative list of UNESCO to the permanent list in order to create an Egyptian guide for registration as the world heritage of UNESCO. The paper follows an analytical deduction approach based on the Geographic Information System maps for the city of Rashid. The results have been classified into four categories in light of the (OUV) and ease of rehabilitation as a world heritage. Nonetheless, the results prove that the proposed strategy will increase the world heritage sites in Egypt. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• World Heritage Sites face problems such as an increase in maintenance cost, difficulty to check protection conditions, and destruction. • This paper proposes a new preservation system that might solve the above problems by involving tourists in the preservation activity. • Contingent valuation method and conjoint analysis are used to investigate the possibility of tourists cooperating with the system free of charge and the factors that influence respondents' cooperation with the preservation system. • The results showed that more than 50% of the respondents would be willing to cooperate free of charge. World Heritage Sites (WHSs) face several problems, such as increased maintenance costs, difficulties in checking protection conditions, and graffiti destruction by tourists. Hence, constructing a new system that can effectively lighten the burden of maintenance expenditures is necessary. Presently, a new preservation system that leverages Information and Communication Technology, 3D Restoration Technology by photographic data collection, and artificial intelligence and that involves tourists' participation has been developed. This paper aims to introduce the new preservation system, investigate the possibility of tourists cooperating with the system free of charge, and introduce the details and results of a choice experiment conducted on tourists at Bayon Temple in Cambodia. Analysis results showed that approximately 50% of respondents would be willing to cooperate free of charge, and statistical significance for certain attributes and interactions. The analysis indicated that providing appropriate incentives to tourists who have specific individual characteristics would help promote the use of the preservation system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper presents one of the first economic analyses of residents' choice of different coastal erosion control measures in a developing country — Vietnam. Hoi An, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, was selected given the frequency of coastal erosion events which have caused increasing damages to property, tourism activities and the livelihood of local people in an iconic tourist destination. We designed a discrete choice experiment based on responses from 399 households in order to estimate the willingness to pay (WTP) for differing coastal erosion control measures. Using the generalized multinomial logit model, empirical results yield five important findings. First, residents prefer wider, more public beaches having both trees and restaurants and are willing to accept visible structures such as groynes and stair revetment to prevent further erosion. Second, residents place a higher value on a beach that is protected by robust permanent structures. In particular, residents have the highest WTP for groynes. Third, there exists preference and scale heterogeneity across respondents which are driven by level of education, knowledge of the problem, and the stated level of choice certainty. Fourth, knowledge and experience of coastal erosion are shown to have a strong influence on the valuation residents place on the choice of protective structures. Finally, on average, a resident is willing to pay USD 1.7 per year for a coastal erosion management program that increases beach width by additional 50 meters, beach access by additional 25%, restaurants and trees on the beach and groynes as the erosion protection structure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

K'gari in South East Queensland, Australia, is the world's largest sand island and a UNESCO World Heritage Area. The island is covered by extensive coastal dune fields that have been divided into seven morphological units (the Awinya, Yankee Jack, Bowarrady, Triangle Cliff, Freshwater, Station Hill, and Cape). Optically-Stimulated Luminescence dating of the dune sequences indicate that the Awinya unit is > 340 ka, and the Yankee Jack and Bowarrady units are ca. 180 ka old. Holocene dune sequences comprise Triangle Cliff (ca. 8.5 ka); Freshwater (ca. 4 ka); Station Hill (ca. 1.5 ka) and Cape (ca. < 0.5 ka). Combining these data with dune ages from the adjacent Cooloola Sand Mass, we demonstrate that for at least the last three glacial cycles the dunes were emplaced during intermediate to high sea-levels. At shorter time intervals (decades to centuries), some dune formation is affected by storminess. Initial formation of the dune field occurred in the mid-Pleistocene, but the most recent widespread stabilisation of dunes occurred late in Marine Isotope Stage 7 (MIS 7: 190–240 ka). The preservation of dunes relates to antecedent topography coupled with the duration and height of individual interglacial high sea-stands. This research confirms K'gari as an outstanding example of geomorphological processes and supports its World Heritage listing. • First chronology of all the major parabolic dune units on K'gari (formerly Fraser Island), the world's largest sand island. • The dune units are emplaced during intermediate to high sea-levels at least as far back Marine Isotope Stage 7. • A major Late Holocene scarp suggests that major cyclones can penetrate SE Queensland on occasions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The overall reclamation intensity showed a pattern of low in the northeast and high in the southwest; • The impact mechanism of reclamation and development on the habitat of Anatidae was revealed; • A population and habitat restoration pattern of Anatidae was proposed. As a World Natural Heritage Site primarily focused on protecting migratory bird habitats, the Yancheng coastal wetland is also an important land resource reserve area in China. With a long history of reclamation, the impact of reclamation on waterbird habitats has attracted widespread attention. Therefore, this study was based on the distribution data of wintering Anatidae from 1987 to 2020 and coastal land reclamation data. The landscape development intensity (LDI) index and MaxEnt model were used to reveal the spatiotemporal changes in reclamation development intensity and identify the spatiotemporal evolution characteristics of Anatidae habitats. A geographical weight regression (GWR) model was used to analyze the local differences for the impact of changes in reclamation development intensity on the spatiotemporal distribution of Anatidae habitats. The results showed that the area of land types with higher reclamation intensity in the study area increased rapidly from 1987 to 2020, and the overall reclamation intensity showed a pattern of low in the northeast and high in the southwest. The high-intensity range in 1987 was 5.01 ∼ 6.00, and the reclamation intensity in the western area of Dafeng to Tiaozini was generally greater than 8.01 in 2020. From 1987 to 2020, the population of Anatidae first decreased and then increased, with a clear southward shift in spatial distribution. The evaluation results of suitable habitats revealed that the most suitable area significantly declined from 1280.76 hm2 in 1997 to 60.19 hm2 in 2020, which indicated that the patch space of high-quality habitats was further compressed. The area with the greatest positive impact for the intensity of reclamation and development on habitat suitability from 1987 to 1997 was concentrated near the Beihuanchong area, while in 2007, the negative impact was mostly distributed in the northern and western Hexin area. The regression coefficient ranged from −0.665 ∼ -0.513. The negative impact of reclamation and development further deteriorated in 2020, with a negative correlation coefficient ranging from −1.642 ∼ -0.699. There were significant differences in the impact of environmental variables on the distribution of Anatidae habitats in different periods. In this study, a habitat protection and restoration pattern for Anatidae is proposed, which may provide an important reference for the protection of wintering Anatidae populations and the structural restoration of habitats in Yancheng coastal wetlands. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Flooding is the most frequent and damaging threat to The United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) World Heritage Sites, and has been exacerbated by climate change. Hoi An Ancient Town, one of the world's cultural heritage sites in Vietnam, is facing inundation risks from increasing extreme flood events due to anthropogenic and natural processes. This study combines Geospatial Information System (GIS), remote sensing data, and landscape ecology metrics to assess the flood risk of Hoi An City. The analysis includes (1) classification of land-use/land-cover (LULC) using Sentinel-2 data; (2) computation of a flood risk index using hazard characteristics, physical and demographic exposures, and physical and socioeconomic vulnerabilities, together with adaptive capacity and spatial metrics, and the Fuzzy-Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) method to determine the weight of each index and ranking; and (3) determination of flood risks for the UNESCO World Heritage Sites of Hoi An City and the surrounding areas. By comparing model outputs with historical flood locations (N = 330), the study finds that >75% of past floods occurred at high or very high-risk areas forecasted by the model. Results from the model verified by true flood incidents show that the inundation hotspots are concentrated in the city's heritage sites, where human and climate changes have impacted landscape structure. The flood inundation risk mapping obtained from the synthesis analysis, encompasses hazard, exposure, and vulnerability, offering holistic knowledge to help reduce and manage flood risks at Hoi An World Heritage Sites. This method can be applicable to other sites with similar characteristics. • GIS, remote sensing data, and landscape ecology metrics analyze flood risk for Hoi An UNESCO World Heritage Sites according to UN-SPIDER. • Integrating natural conditions, socioeconomic and landscape characteristics allows a clear quantitative assessment of potential flood impacts in Hoi An City. • More than 75% of past floods occurred at high or very high-risk areas forecasted by the model. • Raising community awareness is a priority to minimize the flood risks to the historic landmarks in Hoi An, Vietnam. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We provide an in-depth analysis of tourists' and residents' preferences for different coastal erosion management programs in Hoi An, a UNESCO World Heritage Site in Vietnam. Using a split-sample choice experiment, we assess how preferences of respondents vary across beach segments affected by coastal erosion in different ways. The choice experiment includes protection structures against coastal erosion (groynes, concrete revetment and stair revetment), soft protection measures (beach nourishment and sandbags) and also some recreational activities usually provided by beaches (restaurants and green spaces). We find that both tourists and residents express strong preferences for a wide public beach protected by structural defenses. However, residents are only willing to financially support beaches with facilities such as trees and restaurants, whereas tourists favor more pristine beaches with only trees. Our results also reveal strong heterogeneity across respondents, especially among residents. Importantly, the paper suggests a need to account for specific characteristics of different beach segments. From a policy perspective, a tourist tax is shown to be a relevant instrument to fund coastal erosion management policies in Hoi An. • Tourists and residents are willing to pay for a coastal erosion management program. • Respondents have different views on protection measures and recreational activities. • Beach nourishment with protection structures are favored by respondents. • Specific characteristics of beach segments matter from a policy perspective. • A tourist tax can be used to fund coastal erosion management policies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Improving outdoor thermal comfort evaluated using ENVI-met model. • Integrating Platanus trees and a central pond reduced mean Tmrt and PET by 7.96 ∘ C and 3.04 ∘ C. • Moving air flow over water led to the greatest improvement of PET in shaded areas. Urban heat islands (UHI) pose a significant threat to the well-being of people and public health because of the more frequent and intense occurrence of heat waves in urban areas. As a result, it is crucial to prioritize enhancing thermal comfort in outdoor spaces and minimizing the impact of extreme heat in urban areas. This study focuses on historically significant Naghsh-e-Jahan Square, a UNESCO World Heritage site in Isfahan, Iran, located in BWK climate zone. This study employs the ENVI-met tool to analyze six design scenarios involving various configurations of green and blue infrastructure. Elements from both the historical and contemporary states of the square, including shading and non-shading trees (Pine and Platanus trees), as well as water in two forms (stream and pond), were investigated over a typical summer day to evaluate climatic parameters (Ta, Rh, Tmrt, and PET). Results reveal a robust correlation between Tmrt and PET; Furthermore, enhancing the green canopy with wind-aligned water surfaces maximizes PET improvement. The optimal case exhibits a 7.96 ℃ and 3.04 ℃ reduction in Tmrt and PET, changing thermal sensation from "very hot" to "warm." This study provides better understanding of passive strategies for improving outdoor thermal comfort in the historic Naghsh-e-Jahan Square. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Ochres are natural deposits enriched in iron oxides /hydroxides widely exploited for artistic purposes. • 16 ocher pigments (commercial and natural) were studied, including materials from the Røros (Norway) district. • The study aimed to define the origin of the ochre pigments used at the UNESCO World Heritage site of Røros (Norway). • A multi-analytical approach (colorimetry, XRF, vibrational spectroscopies, and XRD) was used. • PCA of IR data played a key role in interpreting spectra and other ambiguous analytical results. Ochres are natural deposits particularly enriched in iron oxides and hydroxides giving them their typical colours spanning from bright red to yellow or brown. For this reason, they have been widely exploited over millennia for artistic purposes, becoming among the most known pigments. A series of 16 iron-based powder pigments including both commercial and natural ochres was investigated. Specifically, natural materials came from the Røros (Norway) district, where they were historically extensively used for painting the wooden houses' facades. The set of samples was studied by applying a multi-analytical approach involving colorimetry, X-ray fluorescence, infrared spectroscopy in multiple spectral ranges and configurations, Raman spectroscopy, and X-ray diffraction. The potentiality of coupling infrared spectroscopy with Principal Component Analysis (PCA) in characterising and discriminating iron-based pigments represents an innovative approach to guide the interpretation of results obtained by applying a variety of analytical techniques, thanks to the identified clusters. This allowed, in turn, for depicting an extremely consistent description of the samples and specifically of those used in the conservation intervention of the UNESCO World Heritage site of Røros (Norway) and whose composition has never been studied before. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Response and adaptation to the impacts of climate change is a vital and increasing requirement for protected area management. On the ground managers of cultural and natural values in protected places have requested practical guidance on how to undertake climate change impact analysis, vulnerability assessment, and adaptation planning together with enhanced capacity for planning with partners, rightsholders and stakeholders. In this paper we explore how co-development and subsequent testing among World Heritage site managers, Indigenous experts and researchers, produced guidance for assessing, responding to and planning for the impacts of climate change on the diverse values of World Heritage sites in Australia. We draw on the diversity of cultural and natural heritage values associated with the terrestrial, coastal and marine environments in Australian World Heritage sites, and the broad range of institutional contexts in these sites, to highlight considerations of relevance to other protected areas (including other World Heritage sites around the world, Ramsar wetlands and marine protected areas). Our paper highlights that, for climate adaptation planning to become a normal part of management, there is a need for ongoing capacity building, including around the use of climate information to inform adaptation planning and implementation, as well as integrating Indigenous perspectives. Building capacity may involve trial and error, negotiation, sharing, sourcing and interpreting new information, and changes in expectations. It will require novel and more dynamic relationships between partners and stakeholders. Managers should include capacity building for climate adaptation planning and implementation as a specific climate adaptation task in their planning. • We present co-developed and tested climate change guidance for World Heritage. • This guidance is co-authored with Indigenous experts. • There is an ongoing need for capacity building in adaptation planning. • Co-development processes can build capacity and bring together diverse knowledge. • World Heritage is a useful context for understanding climate adaptation planning needs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• We propose a novel quantitative measurement of place-based symbolic value using computational text analysis of the New York Times travel writing data. • European regions are most well-represented in travel writing and valorized for cultural tourism according to the broadest meanings of culture – its history, art, and food. • When a place's "cultural" values are recognized in non-European regions, the meanings of culture tend to be limited. • Non-European regions, particularly those with legacies of past colonization, are underrepresented in travel writing while primarily valorized for their nature's scenic beauty, obscuring the significance of their "cultural" values. We study the symbolic value of places using the case of global tourism where places are explicitly objectified for valorization. Unlike most prior research that uses tangible measurements like UNESCO's World Heritage Sites for global comparison of place-based symbolic values, we harness the power of computational text analysis to measure the symbolic value of places based on travel writings of the New York Times Travel Section. Our results demonstrate that there is a symbolic hierarchy among places depending on the various meanings of culture and nature and the degree of engagement with either topic. NYT travel writers valorize European regions for cultural tourism according to the broadest meanings of culture, and often engage with the region's history as a main topic of the travel article. However, other regions – particularly the ones with legacies of past colonization – are valorized for their nature's scenic beauty while obscuring the significance of their "cultural" values. Even when a place's "cultural" values are recognized, the meanings of culture tend to be limited in non-European regions. Our findings have implications for the enduring symbolic inequality of places at the global level. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The adversities of a globalized economy and the prolonged state of precariousness in which the indigenous peoples in Central America remain, are factors that push towards an imminent disappearance of their cultural identity and traditional livelihoods. Important global summits of sustainable development have declared the importance of preserving the ancestral wisdom of these native peoples as a world heritage site. However, Policies and strategies to respond to their current problems have generally not been very explicit and efficient in achieving long-term results. One problem identified is the limited empirical evidence of the indigenous territorial context, especially those socioeconomic and territorial analyzes that seek self-dependent and inclusive development styles. To address this research gap, an empirical work is explored to diagnose the current potential of the Honduran Lenca territory as a case study. This is combined with a statistical analysis on the spatial influence of poverty and income variables. The aim is to broaden the understanding of those factors that could oppose the current mechanisms of impoverishment. The main result is the construction of an index of development potential in municipalities of Lenca descent. Poverty patterns and modest deposits of community economies associated with space and its cultural pattern were identified. This provides inputs of important value for the planning of public policies that are more sensitive to the study context, with connections towards sustainable development initiatives. •.Arguments are presented to support more explicit development policies in indigenous communities. • This multifactorial analysis highlights a spatially influenced lag in the analyzed territory. • The municipal development potential index offers a contribution towards more explicit policies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Excessive sulfur and nitrogen deposition is a threat to natural ecosystems. This study investigated the spatio-temporal changes of wet sulfur and nitrogen deposition in Jiuzhaigou to understand the responses of wet deposition chemistry to local and national air pollutant emission changes and to assess relevant ecological risks. The results show that local emission sources (e.g., tourism, post-earthquake reconstruction, and vegetation damages) largely elevated the concentrations of SO 4 2−, NO 3 −, NH 4 +, and Ca2+ at the non-background sites during 2021–2022; However, the gaps of annual sulfur and nitrogen wet deposition fluxes among the background, semi-background, and non-background sites were reduced by annual precipitation. The pH was also higher at the non-background sites due to stronger acid neutralization capacities from crustal dust there, and acid precipitation (pH < 5.6) was not detected at all the sites. During the 2010 to 2022 period, the wet deposition of SO 4 2− and TIN (i.e. total inorganic nitrogen) and the equivalent ratio of SO 4 2−: NO 3 − generally presented a declining trend at the background and semi-background sites, as a result of regional and national emission reductions. The TIN reduction from 2015 to 2016 to 2021–2022 at the background site was more from wet NH 4 + deposition and the site's NO 3 − concentrations and fluxes were relatively stable. Compared to the critical loads (CLs) of sulfur and nitrogen for acidification and eutrophication, the annual wet and wet+dry deposition fluxes of sulfur and nitrogen were lower in almost the entire watershed, except for the CL min of nitrogen for acidification in considerable areas. However, all the wet deposition samples were calcite-unsaturated and had annual TIN concentrations higher than the national environmental standard of total nitrogen for surface water. More field investigations are needed to better assess the ecological risks. [Display omitted] • Acid precipitation (pH < 5.60) was not observed during 2021–2022. • National emission controls decreased acid deposition at the background site. • Local human emissions enhanced acid deposition at the non-background sites. • Alkaline dust well buffered the acidity of precipitation. • CLs were not violated in almost the entire watershed, except for the CL min of nitrogen for acidification. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Flow and sediment connectivity was mapped in the agricultural terraced catchment. • Incorporation of natural-artificial linear landscapes alters spatial patterns of connectivity. • Connectivity gradually increased with the closing of the distance to the linear landscapes. • Artificial ditches enhance both lateral and longitudinal connectivity than road networks. • Introduced weight factor to calculate the index generated more reliable connectivity map. Linear landscape elements, such as man-made ditches and road networks, play a pivotal role in the transport of water and eroded sediments. Yet very few studies have focused on the variations in drainage flow paths disturbed by artificial linear landscapes and their contribution to flow and sediment connectivity (FSC). This study utilized the index of connectivity (IC) to examine and distinguish the impact of natural and artificial linear landscape elements (i.e., natural streams, man-made ditches, and road networks) on the spatial distribution of FSC. The method was employed in a typical agricultural terraced catchment of the Honghe Hani Rice Terraces World Heritage Site of China, based on two weight factors - roughness index (RI) and Rndvic factor. The results indicate that the incorporation of the linear landscape elements for the IC calculation remarkably affected the spatial distribution of FSC. Specifically, FSC values notably increased by closing the distance to linear landscape elements within a specific threshold. Moreover, in the confluence between natural and artificial linear landscape elements, the mean value of FSC was higher compared to scenarios without any or only one linear landscape element. In comparison, the presence of road networks only improved lateral connectivity by modifying the surface flow along east-west directions, while man-made ditches significantly influenced both longitudinal and lateral connectivity to a larger degree, especially in the terraced area. This finding underscores the effectiveness of ditch constructions as management practices for the regulation of water resources and facilitating the downstream transfer of sediment. Field observations and validation confirmed that Rndvic, which incorporates vegetation variable as a weight factor in the calculation of IC, yields more accurate and reliable maps of FSC than that of RI. This study holds far-reaching significance for water resources management and landscape sustainability within terrace-protected areas, providing invaluable insights for decision-makers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Anthropogenic noise is a pollutant of global concern. While the effects of underwater noise pollution have been frequently studied in fish and mammals, our understanding of how this anthropogenic stressor affects marine reptiles is scant. Using a multichannel data logger equipped with a camera and hydrophone, we quantified behavioural responses of a free-ranging green turtle (Chelonia mydas) to vessel noise in the Galapagos Archipelago, an important nesting site in the eastern Pacific. We found that while travelling the turtle increased its vigilance with increasing vessel noise. However, when on the seabed the turtle did not increase its vigilance with increasing noise levels. Our findings illustrate that noise pollution has the potential to alter overall time budgets of animals. Identifying real-time responses of wild animals illustrate how in situ approaches allow to assess the effects of human activities on marine systems. • Underwater noise pollution around the Galapagos archipelago increases. • Real-time data are needed to assess potential impacts on the unique fauna. • Increasing noise levels predict changes in sea turtle behaviour. • Reducing noise at this UNESCO world heritage site is necessary. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] We propose a novel pipeline for structural damage detection on surfaces of complex heritage structures using visual 2 D and 3 D data. We use deep learning and computer vision to detect damages in images of heritage sites, and subsequently localize the detected damage on corresponding 3 D models. This enables intuitive visualization, giving a concrete idea about the extent of damage in 3 D space. To train deep learning models for damage detection, we curate a labeled database consisting of images of Ayutthaya – Wat Phra Si Sanphet Temple (situated in Thailand), essentially converting the damage detection problem into an object detection task. We consider the two most common kinds of damages occurring in heritage structures, namely Crack and Spalling. Models trained using these database are experimentally observed to be robust as they can detect damages among intricate architectural designs and backgrounds. Post-training, we test the model's domain transferability by detecting damages on unseen rendered images from 3 D Models of UNESCO World Heritage Site – Hampi (situated in India). We also present a comparison of the performance of different configurations of Faster-RCNN as the damage detection model over heritage structure data and demonstrate the obtained results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Impact of WHSs on Spanish tourism examined using panel data. • WHSs proven to be a determinant of tourism demand. • Impact of Cultural WHSs on tourism greater in inland than coastal provinces. • "First generation effect" found, with greater impact of WHSs declared during the 1980s. • No global tourism policies should be applied to entire Spanish territory, due to significant differences between provinces. No consensus has been reached on the effectiveness of World Heritage Sites (WHSs) in attracting tourism. This paper analyzes the impact of WHSs on tourist demand in Spain at a disaggregated level for all Spanish provinces (NUTS-3 regions), based on original panel data for 50 Spanish provinces for the 2000–2019 period. The results show a positive impact of WHSs on domestic and foreign tourism demand when considering all the provinces together and that the first WHSs (designated in the 1980s) have a greater tourism-enhancing effect ("first generation effect"). However, there are differences between Spanish inland and coastal provinces: only cultural WHSs have an impact on tourism in inland provinces, whereas, in coastal provinces, only natural WHSs have the power of tourism attraction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Multianalytical approach is used to study of Egyptian blue objects from Persepolis World Heritage Site (550-330 BCE). • The chemical composition and microstructure are totally similar to objects which analysed from earlier civilizations, especially from western Asia. • The Achaemenian Egyptian blue objects are different with other ancient objects in the used fluxes especially because of high K 2 O/Na 2 O proportion. • Copper ores or copper/tin bronze filings are potentially possible resources of copper for Egyptian blue production in Persian Empire. Among archaeological items on-display and stored at the site museum of the Persepolis World Heritage Site (WHS), some decorative objects made of a blue paste are of great interest. A multianalytical study was required to identify the technology of their production. Nine blue objects were analysed by different methods including inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS), X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and scanning electron microscopy coupled with energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (SEM-EDS). It turns out that the objects are manufactured from the Egyptian blue. The comparative chemical studies added that the Persepolitan objects are partially different from those of other older civilizations of the west. This ancient artificial material has been in extensive use within ancient civilizations both as painting pigment and as paste to produce decorative objects. The very presence of the Egyptian blue objects in Persepolis heralds the influence of the Egyptian as well as the other Near Eastern civilizations on the art of the Persian Achaemenid Empire. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Historic center of Naples is one of the UNESCO word heritage sites. • Cathedrals, churches and chapels are subject to cavity collapse. • Places of worship are above a connected network of underground cavities. • DInSAR analysis suggest the presence of anomalous areas. • 95 places of worship of the historic center of Naples are susceptible to sinkholes. The historic center of Naples (southern Italy) is characterized by a variety of elements which, forming its cultural asset, have contributed to its recognition as a UNESCO World Heritage site. Among these, cathedrals, churches and chapels are particularly relevant due to their diffusion and differentiation in age. A singular feature of these places of worship is the presence of a frequently connected network of underground cavities. Such cavities, excavated for quarrying tuff blocks, are susceptible to sudden collapses generating sinkholes which in a number of cases have been responsible for the loss of human lives. On this basis and considering the importance of such elements as attractors of visitors, an analysis of susceptibility to sinkholes of cathedrals, churches and chapels has been here carried out. A sinkhole, cavities and places of worship inventory was prepared using available data and was used, in association to ongoing ground deformation data obtained by DInSAR. Results indicated that 40% of the inventoried sinkholes are a product of cavity collapses and in 45 cases cavities lie underneath places of worship. Geodetic data obtained by Differential Interferometric SAR technique indicate that approximately 1 km2 of the historic center of Naples is subject to ongoing subsiding deformation that in several cases is localized above cavities. The susceptibility map derived from available data indicate the presence of a zone where no cathedral, church and chapel can be subject to sinkholes (1) and 3 zones where they can be subject to sagging (2), potential future cavity collapses (3) and future cavity collapses anticipated by ongoing deformation (4); in detail, 34 places of worship are in zone 2, 57 in zone 3 and 9 in zone 4. Considering an increasing susceptibility level of the identified zones, the 9 places of worship located in zone 4 require a quick response in terms of characterization, stability analysis and real time monitoring have been identified. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• World heritage cities' management systems are inefficient. • Process-oriented management meta-model is proposed. • Meta-model is tested on the cases of the two UNESCO cities (Split and Venice). • The Unified Modelling Language method is employed. • The organisation and process architecture is presented by the swim lane diagrammatic technique. This article aims to explain how the world heritage city management system may be improved, and the structure of its processes enhanced by including relevant stakeholders to reach better results, i.e. outputs and outcomes. With this aim, process-based orientation is proposed as a new management approach. The article is divided into two parts. In the first part, theoretical background of the world heritage city management system is given, and process orientation of heritage city management explained. In the second part theoretical concepts were applied to the cases of the world heritage cities (sites) of Split (Croatia) and Venice (Italy). A brief description of the basic characteristics (elements, processes) and of the main problems related to the results (outputs and outcomes) is followed by the application of the Unified Modelling Language as the method. The process architecture of the new management meta-model is presented, processes designed and documented, and activities and responsibilities among stakeholders, both existing as well as potential, within the proposed hierarchical structure shared. By proposing the process-oriented approach to the management of world heritage cities, the paper sets out to contribute to the growing body of knowledge related to cultural heritage management (especially world heritage cities). By applying knowledge from different theories into a process-based approach to the management of world heritage cities, it enables UNESCO's directives to be implemented into the actual managerial system of a World Heritage Site (WHS). We find it potentially useful not only to WHS managers, but also to scholars and other experts who have managerial responsibilities but limited knowledge in this area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Natural rocks, as well as artificial man-made materials, undergo degradation caused by natural and man-made agents. Many pieces made of steatite that are part of magnificent monuments, listed as World Heritage Sites, are currently at an advanced level of degradation. Therefore, alternatives and actions are needed to interrupt this process and recover the deteriorated artefacts. In this context, this work aims to develop and characterise composite materials with the potential to repair surface wear, replace damaged parts and produce copies of sculptures made of soapstone. In order to produce materials with colour and texture similar to rocks, the powder residues of soapstone are used as a dispersed phase in the composites. Three different types of matrix materials (epoxy polymer, white Portland cement and pozzolanic Portland cement) are used in composites in order to identify the most suitable composition for restoration works. A statistical methodology based on the design of mixture is applied to identify the best matrix composition. Through this methodology, it is possible to investigate not only the behaviour of the different matrices that act independently but also the effect of the combination of these materials in several proportions. The physical and mechanical properties such as bulk density, apparent porosity, water absorption, compressive strength and elastic modulus are investigated. Composites made with 30% epoxy polymer and 70% steatite particles reach the greatest potential to be applied in restorations of historic monuments made of soapstone. These composites have properties superior to rocks and other composites, in addition to exhibiting texture and colouring similar to natural soapstone. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• We analyze the preference stability overtime for preserving a cultural landscape. • A test–retest discrete choice experiment was conducted with a temporal gap of 5 years. • There is a structural change on preferences for cultural goods overtime. • Temporal stability of preferences is important for the valuation of cultural goods. This article addresses the question of the stability of preferences over-time for preserving the attributes of the Alto Douro Wine Region, a cultural landscape world heritage site. A test–retest choice experiment is conducted with a broader time period of a five-year lag. Distinctly from the majority test–retest choice experiments, that assume scale homogeneity across respondents, a particular form of the generalised mixed logit model is applied to capture both scale heterogeneity for a pooled data set and data-specific scale heterogeneity effects. The results suggest the presence of a structural change between the two periods, indicating that the policy decision makers should be aware of the influence of external shocks on consumers' preferences and on their willingness to pay for cultural heritage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Managing fire, water, biodiversity and carbon stocks can greatly benefit from early warning of changes in the state of vegetation. While near-real time tools to detect forest change based on satellite remote sensing exist, these ecosystems have relatively stable natural vegetation dynamics. Open (i.e. non-forest) ecosystems like grasslands, savannas and shrublands are more challenging as they show complex natural dynamics due to factors such as fire, postfire recovery, greater contribution of bare soil to observed vegetation indices, as well as high sensitivity to rainfall and strong seasonality. Tools to aid the management of open ecosystems are desperately required as they dominate much of the globe and harbour substantial biodiversity and carbon. We present an innovative approach that overcomes the difficulties posed by open ecosystems by using a spatio-temporal hierarchical Bayesian model that uses data on climate, topography, soils and fire history to generate ecological forecasts of the expected land surface signal under natural conditions. This allows us to monitor and detect abrupt or gradual changes in the state of an ecosystem in near-real time by identifying areas where the observed vegetation signal has deviated from the expected natural variation. We apply our approach to a case study from the hyperdiverse fire-dependent African shrubland, the fynbos of the Cape Floristic Region, a Global Biodiversity Hotspot and UNESCO World Heritage Site that faces a number of threats to vegetation health and ecosystem function. The case study demonstrates that our approach is useful for identifying a range of change agents such as fire, alien plant species invasions, drought, pathogen outbreaks and clearing of vegetation. We describe and provide our full workflow, including an interactive web application. Our approach is highly versatile, allowing us to collect data on the impacts of change agents for research in ecology and earth system science, and to predict aspects of ecosystem structure and function such as biomass, fire return interval and the influence of vegetation on hydrology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]