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Tourism has become a sector that is transforming historic areas of the current city. Its impact on the quality of life of communities, local economy, access to affordable housing, urban landscape, is being analyzed from studies on gentrification and touristification. This article analyzes the case of Valparaíso (Chile) and how the declaration of its historic area as a UNESCO World Heritage site in 2003, triggered a process of touristification. Through public programmes and private investment, houses were transformed into tourist shops and hotels, shaping a tourist bubble in these residential areas. How inhabitants felt and experienced the tourist transformation of their neighborhoods was analyzed through the use of interviews. The residents reports material and symbolic changes in their living conditions, which are experienced as pressure by displacement from their neighborhood. A pressure expressed in the loss of privacy, depopulation and loss of community networks, the displacement of neighborhood shops, the increase in property taxes, and the absence of public subsidies to rehabilitate their homes. The results place pressure by displacement as one of the main mechanisms of dispossession in historic areas of Latin American cities and suggest that in cities configured from neoliberal urban policies the UNESCO designation acts as a device that strengthens this dispossession. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Coiba National Park is an offshore region on the Pacific side of Panama, which hosts several endemic species of animals and plants. It was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2005. Despite the title awarded to the Park, knowledge about basic elements of its biodiversity are still lacking, which are of vital relevance for management and conservation policies. For instance, until now, no study had ever monitored the araneofauna diversity of the Park. New information: Here, we provide the first checklist of spider species in Coiba National Park, including the main island and several surrounding islands. We sampled during several field trips carried out from August 2021 to August 2023. We identified at least 152 species (98 genera and 30 families) and we report three new spiders species for Panama, namely Ctenus nigrolineatus Berland (1913), Chapoda gitae Zhang & Maddison (2012) and Sarinda nigra Peckham & Peckham (1892). We discuss the implications of our results and recommend future lines of work that include DNA barcoding, monitoring of population and community dynamics, plus linkage of climatic data from the newly-installed meteorological station on the Island. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Increased hazards threatening the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)-designated sites and endangering cultural heritage and community well-being require attention and action. Considering the pivotal role of UNESCO sites in conservation and development, this study assessed their levels of disaster preparedness. The absence of studies assessing disaster awareness, risk perception, and preparedness among UNESCO site actors, as well as the pivotal place of preparedness within the Disaster Risk Management (DRM) cycle justifies this research. Applying the tenets of the Person-Relative-to-Event framework, we hypothesized that a strong positive correlation exists between perceived risks, resources, and disaster preparedness. To collect pertinent data, we employed an embedded mixed-method design and conducted an online questionnaire survey yielding 141 responses from 59 countries. From the results of relevant analyses, wildfires, floods, and droughts are top hazards occurring frequently in UNESCO sites, with significant concerns about pollution and habitat loss during future events. Smartphones emerged as the most available crucial DRM resource, with higher availability of DRM resources correlating positively and significantly with sites’ preparedness. Our findings contribute valuable insights to address missing links for disaster-ready and resilient UNESCO sites, promoting their preservation for future generations.

Given the significance of Historic Cairo as a world heritage site, and since Egypt’s application to the UNESCO in 1979 to register Islamic Cairo, and upon changing the name of the site into Historic Cairo in 2007, and after the International Council on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS) approved the registration in 1979, proceedings were given stating that the information related to identifying such heritage site as insufficient and that it’s required to specify the name and address of the owning authority. Furthermore, since 1993, the UNESCO World Heritage Centre has repeatedly recommended the need for a clear and effective management system, proposing protection and management measures, emphasizing that these procedures require a comprehensive management system to address weaknesses, and developing a management plan consistent with the guidelines issued by the UNESCO World Heritage Centre. In 2001, the UNESCO World Heritage Centre referred to the lack of coordination highlighting the great complexity of Historic Cairo as a World Heritage site, which is reflected in the large number of responsible actors, such as the Ministry of Antiquities and the National Organization for Urban Harmony (NOUH) of the Ministry of Culture, Cairo’s Governorate, and other concerned parties. In addition to other ministries, such as Awqaf, Interior, and Housing which established an authority in the name of Fatimid Cairo, operate in different administrative ways and for different goals which represents the main research problem. Therefore, there must be one authority that coordinates and is responsible for the rest of the bodies concerned to facilitate the implementation of a management plan that is consistent with the guidelines approved by the UNESCO World Heritage Centre as soon as possible which is the main purpose of this research. This paper relied on a descriptive research approach and then the deductive research approach to achieve the mentioned goal. Therefore, this research attempts to solve the mentioned issues through proposing a management plan that implements sustainable procedures, planning tools, detailed action plans supported by appropriate laws, high coordination between all the various parties concerned to prevent further damage to the urban fabric and buildings of such World Heritage site. نظراً لأهمية القاهرة التاريخية كممتلك للتراث العالمي. ومنذ تقدم مصر لمنظمة اليونسكو في 1979م لتسجيل القاهرة الإسلامية، وما تم من بتغير اسم الممتلك ليصبح القاهرة التاريخية في عام 2007، وبعد موافقة مجلس الايكوموس على التسجيل 1979م فقد اعطي ملاحظات أفادت بان المعلومات الخاصة بتحديد الممتلك التراثي غير كافية وأنه من المطلوب تحديد اسم وعنوان الجهة التي تملك هذا الأثر والذي يخرج عن الملكيات الخاصة. ولقد أوصي مركز التراث العالمي مراراً منذ عام 1993 وحتى الآن بضرورة وجود نظام إدارة واضح وفعال، واقتراح إجراءات الحماية والإدارة والتأكيد على إن هذه الإجراءات تتطلب نظام إدارة شامل لمعالجة نقاط الضعف، ووضع خطة إدارة تتفق مع المبادئ التوجيهية الصادرة عن مركز التراث العالمي. وفي عام 2001 اشار مركز التراث العالمي الي الافتقار إلى التنسيق، وسلط الضوء على التعقيد الكبير في القاهرة التاريخية كموقع للتراث العالمي، وهو ما يعكسه العدد الكبير جداً من الجهات الفاعلة والمسئولة، مثل وزارة الآثار والجهاز القومي للتنسيق الحضاري التابع لوزارة الثقافة. ومحافظة القاهرة وهذه هي الأطراف الأساسية. بجانب وزارات أخري مثل الأوقاف والداخلية والإسكان التي انشات جهاز باسم القاهرة الفاطمية وكل هذه الجهات تعمل بأهداف ادارية مختلفة. وهو ما يمثل مشكلة البحث لرئيسية. لذا يجب وجود جهة واحدة تكون مسؤولة وتقوم بالتنسيق مع باقي الاطراف ليسهل تطبيق خطة إدارة تتفق مع المبادئ التوجيهية، وتعتمد من مركز التراث العالمي واليونسكو في اسرع وقت. وهو ما يمثل هدف البحث. كما يجب وضع خطة إدارة تُطبق إجراءات مستدامة،ويجب وضع أدوات تخطيطية وخطط عمل تفصيلية مدعومة بقوانين ملائمة، والتنسيق بين مختلف الإدارات والهيئات المعنية لمنع المزيد من الأضرار اللاحقة بالنسيج العمراني والمباني في الممتلك التراثي العالمي.

This paper investigates how management at heritage visitor attractions (HVAs) can innovate with local stakeholders in the co-creation of value for visitors in cultural tourism experiences. Taking a case study of the UNESCO World Heritage Site Schokland in the Netherlands, thirteen interviews were conducted with management and local stakeholders over a five-year period. Our findings advance heritage management discourse by critically assessing HVAs regarding relationship management and innovations with stakeholders that drive development processes. We also contribute to service-dominant logic theory and value co-creation theory by applying the concept of co-creation to the collaborative innovations between management and local stakeholders, whilst offering practical recommendations for HVAs to co-create value for visitors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Resilience to severe crises like COVID-19 is critical for small businesses. However, little empirical research has been conducted to examine the crisis resilience of small businesses to the pandemic from the perspective of business operators. This research note aims at exploring the resilience of small tourism businesses to the COVID-19 crisis in a world heritage city. In-depth interviews with 25 operators were conducted and the results showed that the operators considered the pandemic crisis as a flame to the previous political and economic crises. Different resilience strategies such as business closure, survival, adaption and innovation were applied by different business operators. The results also confirmed that integration and togetherness helped businesses find better resilience when they share pains. The study further found that despite negative impacts, the pandemic created positive social impacts such as cohesion and solidarity among small businesses. In addition, the government supportive policies were not healing, and their plans in dealing with the crisis were not transparent and professional. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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.

Landscape stability is a paramount concern within the field of landscape ecology. Indices of landscape patterns not only facilitate an effective analysis of land use transformations but also delve into the mechanisms of landscape disturbances across various spatial and temporal dimensions. Utilizing land use data spanning from 2014 to 2022 for the Shibing and Libo-Huanjiang South China Karst (SCK) World Heritage Sites (WHSs), this study delves into the landscape dynamics of these areas over the past 8 years. This investigation employs landscape pattern indices and a moving window technique to construct a landscape stability evaluation model, incorporating indices such as the Contagion Index, Patch Density, and Total Edge Contrast. Moreover, the study employs Moran's I, a spatial autocorrelation index, to scrutinize the shifts in geographical heterogeneity of landscape stability within the said period. The findings reveal: (1) Between 2014 and 2022, the landscape patterns of the Shibing and Libo-Huanjiang WHSs have undergone significant transformations, with Woodland emerging as the predominant landscape type and its area exhibiting an upward trend in recent years. (2) The level of fragmentation within the research area has decreased, landscape diversity has diminished, and the aggregation index has risen, according to the landscape pattern indices from 2014 to 2022, indicating that conservation measures have significantly influenced the evolution of landscape patterns. (3) Throughout most of the study period, landscape stability predominantly remained at a relatively stable level, albeit with noticeable fluctuations in years heavily impacted by human activities. (4) The areas of high-high agglomeration and the hotspots of the heritage sites were primarily concentrated within the core zones of these sites, suggesting focused areas of conservation and landscape integrity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AbstractFreeze temperature and ice quantity formed inside porous media has been investigated on limestone tilestone samples by Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC) measurements. The aim was to determine the role of these stone frost features on limestone damage to Freeze-Thaw (FT) cycles, in relation to the presence of stylolite inside their structure. In fact, the presence of stylolite inside the structure leads to increase locally the pore rate and size, with connected pores. This implies a local increase of ice quantity formed at the surround of stylolite. Damage is thus associated to a heterogeneous nucleation, a rapid growth and ice-front propagation inside pores induced by the presence of stylolite. Specimens exhibiting an increase of quantity of ice formed inside their stylolite – of more than 30% compared to host rock – were damaged by freeze/thaw cycles. Furthermore, stones with freezing temperature lower than the minimum of FT cycles temperature are frost resistant. Finally, low-temperature calorimetry appears to be a practical and cheap method for quickly assessing frost limestone susceptibility. For example, this method can benefit some modest heritage constructions in UNESCO World Heritage site ‘Causse & Cevennes’, made by craftsmen who need to quickly know the frost resistance of the stones they use. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Measuring the sociocultural productivity of heritage sites remains an ongoing issue for international organizations concerned with the conservation and promotion of traditional sites. The productivity of these locations is not only affected by tangible elements but also by intangible factors, such as the emotions generated by the experiences. For this purpose, 597 employees of hotels in these historical locations who had visited one of the 14 heritage sites in Spain assessed what role emotions play in this contribution. The methodology used was the application of structural equations. Several conclusions have been drawn utilizing the SmartPLS 4 software. The first is that the generation of positive emotions comes exclusively from cultural and historical dynamization and not from technological advances or an eagerness to learn. The second is that both the application of technological advances and cultural dynamization have a direct impact on productivity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Deforestation is linked to the increasing prevalence of small forest fragments worldwide and an associated loss in functional diversity. However, our long-term understanding on how biodiversity and functional roles respond in such isolated fragments is limited, especially in Southeast Asia. We compared the bird community in a small primary rainforest fragment in the Singapore Botanic Gardens, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, using historical records in 1898 and contemporary surveys conducted in 1998 and 2018–2021. Species composition was expectedly dissimilar between the 1898 and contemporary bird communities (50%), driven mostly by turnover (45.5%) rather than nestedness (4.5%). Despite the changes in community composition and species extirpations, both species richness and functional diversity were retained. Our results suggest that small forest fragments can form novel bird communities that are functionally similar to previous communities that inhabited the fragment, leading to the retention of functional diversity. Such functional redundancy may be encouraged through habitat restoration initiatives adjacent to fragmented forests. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Understanding the spatial distribution of world cultural heritage in its present-day geographical context is the foundation for the identification of and subsequent protection from key threats and vulnerabilities, particularly those arising from anthropogenic climate change. To address this challenge, we classified 45 Spanish world cultural heritage sites (WCHS) listed in the UNESCO register (as of 2023) according to type, entry date, and creation date. To establish a basis for a detailed analysis of the specific impact of climate change on the Spanish WCHS, a spatial cartographic database was developed showing the relationships between the WCHS and key geographical and climatic variables. We then used historical climate data, combined with a review of the impact mechanism of climate conditions on cultural heritage, to quantitatively evaluate the extent to which the WCHS in Spain are affected by local climate conditions from five aspects: freeze thaw cycle, thermal stress (thermoclastism), hydrodynamic scoring, corrosion, and biodegradation. Based on the above climate condition risks, we identified the five Spanish WCHS with the greatest potential climate condition risks, including Santiago de Compostela (Old Town), Pyrénées—Mont Perdu, the Roman Walls of Lugo, the Routes of Santiago de Compostela: Camino Francés and Routes of Northern Spain, and the Tower of Hercules. Additionally, based on different shared socioeconomic pathways (SSPs), we conducted a qualitative assessment of climate risk changes for WCHS in Spain under climate change. We found that the SSP1-2.6 scenario had the lowest climate risk, emphasizing the importance of achieving carbon neutrality for the protection of the WCHS. Our work translates historical climate conditions into specific climate risk levels for cultural heritage, providing data and theoretical support for effectively assessing the climate risks to Spanish WCHS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Biological nitrogen fixation (BNF), an unparalleled metabolic novelty among living microorganisms on earth, globally contributes ~88-101 Tg N year-1 to natural ecosystems, ~56% sourced from symbiotic BNF while ~22-45% derived from free-living nitrogen fixers (FLNF). The success of symbiotic BNF is largely dependent on its interaction with host-plant, however ubiquitous environmental heterotrophic FLNFs face many limitations in their immediate ecological niches to sustain unhindered BNF. The autotrophic FLNFs like cyanobacteria and oceanic heterotrophic diazotrophs have been well studied about their contrivances acclimated/adapted by these organisms to outwit the environmental constraints for functional diazotrophy. However, FLNF heterotrophs face more adversity in executing BNF under stressful estuarine/marine/aquatic habitats. Methods: In this study a large-scale cultivation-dependent investigation was accomplished with 190 NCBI accessioned and 45 non-accessioned heterotrophic FLNF cultivable bacterial isolates (total 235) from halophilic estuarine intertidal mangrove niches of Indian Sundarbans, a Ramsar site and UNESCO proclaimed World Heritage Site. Assuming ~1% culturability of the microbial community, the respective niches were also studied for representing actual bacterial diversity via cultivation-independent next-generation sequencing of V3-V4 rRNA regions. Results: Both the studies revealed a higher abundance of culturable Gammaproteobacteria followed by Firmicutes, the majority of 235 FLNFs studied belonging to these two classes. The FLNFs displayed comparable selection potential in media for free nitrogen fixers and iron-oxidizing bacteria, linking diazotrophy with iron oxidation, siderophore production, phosphorus solubilization, phosphorus uptake and accumulation as well as denitrification. Discussion: This observation validated the hypothesis that under extreme estuarine mangrove niches, diazotrophs are naturally selected as a specialized multidimensional entity, to expedite BNF and survive. Earlier metagenome data from mangrove niches demonstrated a microbial metabolic coupling among C, N, P, S, and Fe cycling in mangrove sediments, as an adaptive trait, evident with the co-abundant respective functional genes, which corroborates our findings in cultivation mode for multiple interrelated metabolic potential facilitating BNF in a challenging intertidal mangrove environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Shibing Karst constitutes a pivotal component of the "South China Karst," and its ecosystem health integrity crucially influences the Outstanding Universal Value (OUV) of the corresponding Natural World Heritage (NWH). Consequently, robust ecosystem health assessment (EHA) is imperative for the judicious conservation and management of this heritage, as well as for the sustainable progression of the region. This research assessed the health of the Shibing Karst ecosystem from 2004 to 2020 by employing changes in landscape patterns through the Vigor-Organization-Resilience-Ecosystem Services (VORS) model. Spatial autocorrelation was employed to discern the spatial coherence and evolutionary patterns of ecosystem health, whereas a geo-detector ascertained the pivotal determinants impacting regional ecosystem vitality. The findings revealed that: (1) The landscape patterns distribution in the study area exhibited considerable constancy, primarily comprising forest land, with a rising trajectory in construction land and water, juxtaposed with a recession in shrubland, grassland, paddy land, and dryland expanses. (2) From 2004 to 2020, the ecosystem of the study area maintained its health and remained stable, with mean values of 0.8303, 0.7689, 0.6976, and 0.7824, respectively, showing an evolutionary trend of an initial downtrend trend followed by an upswing, with 2016 marking a pivotal juncture. (3) Spatial clustering analysis highlighted significant clustering characteristics of ecosystem health, with a nominal decrease in the Global Moran's I index from 0.666 to 0.665, which is indicative of a subtle decrease in clustering over time. High-high clustering areas were predominantly located within the World Heritage Site (WHS), while low-low clustering areas were mainly distributed in the southeastern part of buffer zone. (4) Land use and cover change (LUCC) and Ecosystem Services (ESs) were identified as the primary indexes of EHA, with Ecosystem Resilience (ER), Ecosystem Vigor (EV), and Ecosystem Organization (EO) exerting relatively mild influences. This study provides a scientific framework for policymakers in local governance to devise strategies for ecosystem conservation and management, enhances the analytical perspective on the integrity and conservation of Karst Natural World Heritage (KNWH). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Most protected area impact research that uses counterfactuals draws heavily on quantitative methods, data, and knowledge types, making it valuable in producing generalizations but limited in temporal scope, historical detail, and habitat diversity and coverage of ecosystem services. We devised a methodological pluralistic approach, which supports social science qualitative methods, narratives, mixed methods, and interdisciplinarity, to fully unlock the potential of counterfactuals in ensuring a place‐based and detailed understanding of the socioecological context and impacts of protected areas. We applied this approach to derive possible counterfactual conditions for the impact of a montane protected area on 40 years of vegetation change in the Cape Floristic Region—a global biodiversity hotspot and UNESCO World Heritage Site in South Africa. We incorporated diverse methods, knowledge, and information sources, drawing on before–after protected area comparisons for inside and outside the protected area. A significant increase in shrubland vegetation (17–30%) was observed and attributed primarily to a decline in frequent burning for grazing. This also occurred outside the protected area and was driven by socioeconomic drivers and not by concerns over biodiversity conservation or land degradation. Had the protected area not been established the area would have seen intensification of cultivation and increased road networks, buildings, and water storage in dams. Our approach increased historical temporal coverage of socioecological change and contextualized assumptions around causality. Protected area impact evaluation should reengage in place‐based research that fully incorporates pluralism in methodologies for constructing counterfactuals in a way that builds regional and global understanding from the local level upward. We devised 10 key principles for deriving counterfactuals grounded in methodological pluralism, covering aspects of collaboration, cocreation, inter‐ and transdisciplinarity, diverse values and lived experiences, multiple knowledge types, multiple possible causal mechanisms, social science qualitative methods, perceptions, perspectives, and narratives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study looks at the prioritisation of development projects and the consequential devaluation of cultural heritage in the case of the Kawo Amado Kella defensive wall in Wolaita, southern Ethiopia. The study region has several cultural, natural and combined world heritage sites, although the location is practically unknown on a regional and national level. The area is one of Ethiopia's most culturally rich regions, and the wall was discovered at an ancient location near the Omo River. The Wolaita people live in the Omo River basin and have a rich cultural heritage and over time the defensive wall has suffered from various man-made and natural forces. This study focussed on the maintenance and conservation challenges of the Kawo Amado Kella defensive wall and used a qualitative ethnographic research approach with purposive sampling to understand the significance of the wall on a regional and national level as well as internationally. The results of the research are presented in this article. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

UNESCO World Heritage Sites (WHS) act as icons to attract visitors seeking to experience cultural (ancient) heritage. Gastronomy, as cultural heritage, reinforces the identity of a destination. Presenting a case study from a Portuguese UNESCO WHS, this study brings insights into how these destinations may deepen the knowledge on gastronomic visitors, contributing to their sustainable development. Specifically, this study aims to identify the importance that visitors give to gastronomy and to identify their differences in terms of profile and travel behaviour, through data collected using a visitors' survey. Results show that gastronomy can be a major motivator for visiting a WHS and indicate that visitors strongly motivated by gastronomy have differences in terms of demographic profile, motivations and expenditures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the quest for effective environmental governance, the integration of legal and cultural pluralism within conservation strategies emerges as a critical factor, especially in regions marked by rich ethnic diversity and complex historical legacies. This paper explores the symbiotic relationship between state conservation efforts and the engagement of local communities, with a particular focus on the Indigenous Maroon communities in the Blue and John Crow Mountains (BJCMs) of Jamaica. It underscores the imperative of aligning conservation objectives with the aspirations and traditional practices of these communities to foster sustainable ecosystems and safeguard Indigenous autonomy. Central to this discourse is the development of collaborative frameworks that respect and incorporate the legal and cultural dimensions of pluralism, thereby facilitating a co-managed approach to environmental stewardship. This study emphasizes the role of collaboration and trust as pivotal elements in cultivating a mutual understanding of the interdependencies between state law and Indigenous law. This research advocates for a reciprocal exchange of knowledge between the state and community members, aiming to empower the latter with the resources necessary for effective environmental protection while respecting their legal autonomy. This approach not only enhances conservation initiatives overall, but also ensures that these efforts are informed by the rich cultural heritage and traditional ecological knowledge of the Maroon communities. By examining the conservation practices and governance challenges faced by the Maroons in the BJCMs, this paper reveals the nuanced dynamics of implementing state-led conservation laws in areas characterized by cultural and legal pluralism. The findings highlight the necessity for state regulatory frameworks to enable collaborative governance models that complement, rather than undermine, the traditional governance structures of the Maroons. This research contributes to the broader discourse on environmental governance by illustrating the potential of culturally informed conservation strategies to address environmental threats while respecting and reinforcing the social fabric of Indigenous communities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Okavango River Basin (ORB) which includes a renowned World Heritage site Okavango Delta, contains highly biodiverse ecosystems. Most of its rural population relies on rain-fed subsistence farming. Limited research has been done on future changes in rainfall and temperature in this region. Here, such changes are analysed for the periods 2030–2059 (near term) and 2070–2099 (long term), relative to the historical period 1985–2014. The analysis is based on the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project Phase 6 (CMIP6), under the shared socioeconomic pathways (SSPs) SSP245 and SSP585. The projected changes vary over the ORB. For rainfall, the models project some significant decreasing trends over Ngamiland in the central/southern ORB, but none are significant over the northern ORB. The significant trends during the near term period include those projected by the model average (-30.60 mm/decade) in March–April (MA) under the SSP585 scenario. Some significant decreasing rainfall trends have also been found in December-February (DJF), but none are significant in October–November (ON). DJF is the main growing season whereas ON (MA) is the onset (end) of the rainy season. For temperature, significant warming trends have been found over both Ngamiland and the northern ORB, with the strongest warming in ON particularly during the near term period. For this ON season over the northern ORB, under the SSP585 (SSP245) scenario, the model average projects a warming trend of 0.56 °C/decade (0.67 °C/decade). These findings may help with the management of agricultural activities, water resources and the highly biodiverse ecosystems in the ORB. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Huanglong Scenic and Historic Interest Area in China, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is famous for its large-scale, diverse, intricately structured, and brightly colored surface travertine landscapes. However, severe degradation of the Huanglong travertine formations, such as blackening and algae erosion, has occurred in recent years, necessitating monitoring and identification. We collected hyperspectral reflectance data of the travertine formations in different states and bare ground using a ground-based hyperspectral radiometer (PSR-2500) from ASD company. After conducting a correlation analysis between the hyperspectral reflectance data and the travertine formations, we identified healthy travertine formations, blackened travertine formations, travertine formations affected by algae erosion, and bare ground. The Siamese network method was employed to generate data labels, and the spectral features of the travertine formations were extracted by combining the sensitive bands with pre-processed and reduced data. The PSO-BPNN classifier was developed by optimizing the back propagation neural network (BPNN) using the particle swarm optimization algorithm (PSO). To verify the effectiveness of PSOBPNN in accurately distinguishing different states of travertine formations, we compared its performance with that of BPNN using three performance indices. Finally, the proposed method was applied to the real-world hyperspectral image data collected by the Micro-Hyperspectral imaging instrument to classify the travertine formations in different states and bare ground. The test set demonstrated good overall performance, with an average overall accuracy (OA) of 0.93, F1-score of 0.92, and Kappa coefficient of 0.97. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Built heritage has been both subject and product of a gaze that has been sustained through moments of colonial fixation on ruins and monuments, technocratic examination and representation, and fetishisation by a global tourist industry. We argue that the recent proliferation of machine learning and vision technologies create new scopic regimes for heritage: storing and retrieving existing images from vast digital archives, and further imparting their own distortions upon this gaze. We introduce the term ' machinic gaze ' to conceptualise the reconfiguration of heritage representation via artificial intelligence (AI) models. To explore how this gaze reframes heritage, we deploy an image-text-image pipeline that reads, interprets, and resynthesizes images of several UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Employing two concepts from media studies— heteroscopia and anamorphosis —we describe the reoriented perspective that machine vision systems introduce. We propose that the machinic gaze highlights the artifice of the human gaze and its underlying assumptions and practices that combine to form established notions of heritage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Microplastic pollution threatens some of the world's most iconic locations for marine biodiversity, including the remote Galápagos Islands, Ecuador. Using the Galápagos penguin (Spheniscus mendiculus) as a sentinel species, the present study assessed microplastics and suspected anthropogenic cellulose concentrations in surface seawater and zooplankton near Santa Cruz and Galápagos penguin colonies (Floreana, Isabela, Santiago), as well as in penguin potential prey (anchovies, mullets, milkfish) and penguin scat. On average, 0.40 ± 0.32 microplastics L−1 were found in surface seawater (<10 μm; n = 63 L), while 0.003, 0.27, and 5.12 microplastics individual−1 were found in zooplankton (n = 3372), anchovies (n = 11), and mullets (n = 6), respectively. The highest concentration (27 microplastics individual−1) was observed in a single milkfish. Calculations based on microplastics per gram of prey, in a potential diet composition scenario, suggest that the Galápagos penguin may consume 2881 to 9602 microplastics daily from prey. Despite this, no microplastics or cellulose were identified in 3.40 g of guano collected from two penguins. Our study confirms microplastic exposure in the pelagic food web and endangered penguin species within the UNESCO World Heritage site Galápagos Islands, which can be used to inform regional and international policies to mitigate plastic pollution and conserve biodiversity in the global ocean. Environ Toxicol Chem 2024;43:1442–1457. © 2024 The Authors. Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of SETAC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The archaeological World Heritage Site of Hegra (Mada´in Salih, Al-Hijr), in Saudi Arabia, is often considered the southern capital of the Nabataean Kingdom. Positioned just northeast of the AlUla Valley (where ancient Dadan is located), the Nabataeans recreated several aspects of their northern capital, Petra. They carved more than 130 tombs into the sandstone outcrops of which nearly a hundred had a monumental character with ornate façades of exceptional beauty and deep sense of enduring. In February 2023, our international, multidisciplinary research team conducted a field campaign in Hegra. Our objective was to measure the orientation of Nabataean tombs and sanctuaries in the area, which could offer new clues to aspects of Nabataean culture and religion that we had studied in earlier works at Petra, and elsewhere in Nabataea. This paper includes the analysis and interpretation of the data on the orientation of 113 tombs, including all monumental ones, the largest coherent set of Nabataean tombs ever analyzed. The results show that the tombs were not randomly orientated but followed a series of patterns, most probably emphasizing the skyscape, within the framework of the Nabataean lunisolar calendar religious festivals, and, on occasions, also the local landscape. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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The transition to a circular economy entails new challenges for architects and designers. Among these, one challenge is to look at waste not only as new resources, from an environmental perspective, but also as bearers of information capable of communicating their history and origin. Moreover, waste can be considered as a means of activating unexpected knowledge and social connections. The article illustrates a circular design experimentation, conducted with architecture and design students and a wine farm, which led to the creation of the CiaBOT project, a belvedere aimed at enhancing the landscape and providing a temporary stopping point in the Monferrato hills (UNESCO World Heritage Site, Italy). CiaBOT is not only a belvedere but is a microarchitecture capable of conveying both material and immaterial cultural values. Its form and materials are intimately connected with the territory with and for which it was designed. These make CiaBOT a "space" of hybridization and dialogue between agricultural tradition and innovation. But it is also a "space" of fieldwork education and knowledge co-generation in which academic and non-academic stakeholders have measured themselves. Through the description of the different stages of the design process, the article is part of the debate on new sustainable ways of designing and building, reflecting on new models of circular economy based as much on design strategies and processes as on the enhancement of human labor and the use of technologies appropriate to the context and actors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to investigate the underlying anthropogenic driving factors of forest landscape degradation in the Kilimanjaro World Heritage Sites (WHS), Tanzania using survey-based data. The essence is to support strategic policies for forest landscape protection and natural heritage sustainability. The research employed empirical data using mixed questionnaires of experts and residents to identify various indirect anthropogenic driving factors of forest degradation, analyze rural poverty and causal mechanisms as indirect anthropogenic drivers of forest degradation, and evaluate the level of awareness and community involvement in forest protection. ArcGIS was used to generate the Maps. About 140 sample sizes were utilized for this study. Using purposive and simple random techniques, about 46 and 100 mixed questionnaires were distributed to experts in forest guard and residents, respectively. Data were analyzed using quantitative and qualitative techniques. Findings showed that indirect factors of forest degradation include high tourism demand, poverty, culture and tradition of local communities, lack of forest protection and conservation education, and insufficient land availability. Also, findings showed that rural poverty as an indirect anthropogenic driving factor of forest degradation is attributed to unemployment in rural areas, inadequate land for agriculture, and insufficient productive forestry availability. Additionally, this study revealed that residents are aware that the forest is under the government's protection, and most people in local communities are not involved in activities for forest protection. Therefore, the study suggests that the locals should be involved in the activities that promote forest protection for effective control and management. Alternative heating methods should also be explored to reduce much pressure on the available forest to improve the natural heritage sustainability of natural WHS found in Sub-Saharan Africa and other parts of the Global South. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As a carrier of cultural characteristics of historic districts, the soundscape has unique advantages in shaping regional cultural personality, and mastering its spatiotemporal characteristics is crucial for preserving soundscape heritage with natural and humanistic environments as its kernel. Focusing on the Three Square and Seven Alleys historic and cultural district in Fuzhou, this paper analyzes the spatial and temporal patterns of the physical acoustic indicators of the soundscape, the spatial dependence of the sound source harmony, and the spatial relationship between the two. It was found that the physical acoustic indicators showed dynamic changes in spatial and temporal scales and reflect specific human activity and behavioral patterns; sound source harmony showed spatial autocorrelation in both global and local models, with prominent spatial characteristics; and the physical acoustic indicators may negatively affect soundscape perception. The study emphasizes the importance of the regional cultural connotation of soundscape in urban planning. It provides a scientific basis for the planning, designing, and managing of soundscape resources in historic and cultural districts and world heritage sites. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper investigates the utilisation of heritage building information modelling (BIM) in order to improve the architectural heritage documentation process at Ad Deir, a significant historical building within the UNESCO World Heritage site of Petra, Jordan. Ad Deir, also known as 'The Monastery', requires accurate and complete documentation for its preservation and effective management. Traditional documentation methods, such as manual surveys and 2D drawings, frequently fail to obtain the intricate details and complexity of heritage structures. This study proposes the use of heritage BIM, which involves creating a digital representation of Ad Deir by combining various data types such as geometric, material, and historical information. Laser scanning technology is used to capture the site in three dimensions, providing a precise representation of its current state. The point clouds are exported to the BIM workflow once they have been processed. The longitudinal and cross-sections of the point clouds revealed the dimensions of regular and irregular elements, which were then traced and modelled accurately. This digital model serves as a platform for future data integration, which may include historical documentation, architectural plans, and construction details. Creating accurate heritage BIM, which involves various levels of knowledge, improves quality control during conservation work and aids in informed decision-making. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Several remote sensing projects have produced coral reef habitat maps globally. This includes the Allen Coral Atlas (ACA) project. The present study focuses on assessing the accuracy of the ACA 6-class benthic habitat products available for New Caledonia in the 0–10-m depth range. The assessment involves using independent control data collected through thousands of in situ photographs of the benthic environment during sea cucumber stock assessments on multiple sites around New Caledonia. The overall accuracy of the ACA benthic product ranked from 20 to 67% depending on the sites and evaluation method. These results are generally lower than those achieved by other global and local coral reef mapping and products which can be primarily explained by the lack of local ground-truth data to train the classifications. In addition, we discuss other significant misclassifications immediately detectable through historical knowledge, and the limited relevance of the classification scheme to represent the actual diversity of New Caledonia coral reef habitats, a key criteria to guide conservation with habitat maps. Overall, the study highlights the limitations of the ACA benthic product that users should be aware of and offer some recommendations and caveats for both potential users and map producers in other areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Since the onset of conflict in Syria in 2011, several heritage sites have suffered partial or complete destruction. The ancient city of Palmyra, a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1980, was placed on the List of World Heritage in Danger in 2013, alongside five other Syrian heritage sites. Between 2015 and 2017, Palmyra experienced the loss of nearly 40% of its historic buildings and landmarks. The site's remote location and ongoing armed conflict pose additional challenges in accessing and preserving it. This paper introduces an interactive online platform employing 360° media to document and disseminate information about the world heritage site of Palmyra. The platform contributes to the safeguarding process of Palmyra, facilitating public engagement and interaction with the site. It also has potential applications for other sites in Syria and beyond. The platform allows users to explore both archival and current information of damaged historical monuments and buildings, revealing their layered histories before and after demolition. Employing interactive 360° media, similar to applications like Google Street View, the platform offers a reality-based digital environment. Users can virtually move into different buildings or follow specific pathways within the site, accessing archival information and documentation about particular monuments and buildings along their journey. This project serves as a unique informational resource for decision-makers and policy planners, aiding in the understanding of the site and the development of relevant strategies and recommendations. It also proves beneficial as an educational tool. The collective understanding fostered by this platform is expected to positively influence post-conflict restoration and reconstruction plans, making it an invaluable asset for research and educational purposes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses the potential of advanced technologies in the field of cultural heritage. It highlights how these technologies, such as virtual reality, artificial intelligence, and 3D printing, can be used to understand, preserve, and enhance cultural heritage. The article also presents scientific papers from the Florence Heri-Tech International Conference, showcasing the various applications of these technologies. The papers cover topics such as the use of hyperspectral imaging for hieroglyph recognition, the enhancement of user experience in cultural spaces through advanced systems, and the use of non-invasive techniques for conservation. Overall, the article emphasizes the significant impact of technology on the research, preservation, and promotion of cultural heritage. [Extracted from the article]