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Land‐use legacies in forests at Jefferson's Monticello plantation

Monticello and the University of Virginia in Charlottesville — 2017 — WHEFC3CCCA3A1

Past land use at Jefferson's Monticello plantation has been the dominant driver of forest composition, overshadowing natural gradients like soil moisture. A chronosequence analysis combining dendroecology, historical documents, and repeated vegetation surveys revealed that forest age explains more variation in species composition than elevation or slope. The study also identified synchronized canopy release events during key periods (early 1800s, 1850s–1860s, and 1960s), indicating intense historical land use. Notably, Pinus recruitment began in the late 18th century on west slopes under Jefferson's tenure, with later cohorts emerging in former agricultural fields. The findings suggest that future forest dynamics at Monticello may diverge from past patterns due to shifts in land use and species availability.

Landscape political ecologies of urban ‘swiftlet farming’ in George Town, Malaysia

Melaka and George Town, Historic Cities of the Straits of Malacca — 2017 — WHE36BFEEDF31

Urban 'swiftlet farming' in George Town, Malaysia, is reshaping local landscapes and sparking social contestation. This study reveals that the industry's proliferation—through converted buildings like shophouses—disrupts urban health, quality of life, and heritage, while also illustrating how residents actively engage in redefining these contested spaces. By applying a landscape political ecology framework, the research demonstrates that urban landscapes are socially constructed, co-constituted by human and environmental dynamics, and subject to ongoing transformation through lived experiences. The findings underscore the role of praxis—everyday actions and activism—in shaping contemporary urban environmental politics. The study is based on six months of participatory ethnographic fieldwork, conducted in collaboration with local stakeholders.

Landscape Services Assessment: A Hybrid Multi-Criteria Spatial Decision Support System (MC-SDSS)

Cilento and Vallo di Diano National Park with the Archeological Sites of Paestum and Velia, and the Certosa di Padula — 2017 — WHEBE4B62EA63

A novel, scalable Geographic Information System (GIS)-based methodology enables the identification and quantification of multi-functional landscape features, crucial for understanding social-ecological systems. Applied to Cilento and Vallo di Diano National Park (Italy), this hybrid Multi-Criteria Spatial Decision Support System (MC-SDSS) maps composite indicators of Landscape Services (LS), including regulating, provisioning, and cultural services, using entropy-based weighting to simulate LS functioning without subjective bias. The approach offers a transferable framework for assessing threatened or resilient landscapes, aligning with the European Landscape Convention's principles by quantifying values attributed to landscapes through data-driven spatial analysis.

Landscape: from common good to human right

Historic Centre of Florence — 2017 — WHEFC917ABB6E

A novel framework defines landscape not merely as scenery but as a dynamic interaction between human culture and the environment, positioning it as a 'common good' and a potential 'human right.' The study bridges theoretical gaps by analyzing contemporary documents—such as UNESCO’s Florence Declaration—and comparing landscape to commons pool resource (CPR) management. Through case studies like community gardens, it argues that landscapes can be collectively managed and legally recognized as rights, integrating three approaches: the right to perceived landscapes, environmental rights, and human rights claims. This redefines landscape as both a domain for asserting rights and an entitlement itself, offering a legal and ethical foundation for its protection.

Large‐scale bleaching of corals on the Great Barrier Reef

Great Barrier Reef — 2017 — WHE6B2408CD6E

The 2015–2016 coral bleaching event on the Great Barrier Reef was unprecedented in severity, with less than 9% of reefs unaffected compared to over 40% in previous mass bleaching events (1998 and 2002). Bleaching severity correlated strongly with local heat exposure, while factors like fishing restrictions or nutrient levels had minimal impact. Post-bleaching mortality and shifts in species composition were directly linked to initial bleaching scores, indicating lasting ecological consequences. Aerial surveys provided a comprehensive dataset, establishing a baseline for future comparisons. The study highlights the increasing vulnerability of coral reefs to climate change.

Las bibliotecas en las estancias jesuíticas. El caso de Santa Catalina (Córdoba-Argentina)

Jesuit Block and Estancias of Córdoba — 2017 — WHE97ACAA803D

Research reveals that the Jesuit libraries extended beyond their colleges to include smaller collections housed in various administrative residences, such as estancias, which supported pastoral and educational activities. This study focuses on the library of Santa Catalina, an estancia in Córdoba, Argentina, part of the Jesuit Province of Paraguay, to reconstruct its cultural legacy from limited inventory records. By analyzing these inventories, the research contributes to the preservation of this understudied aspect of Jesuit heritage, offering insights into the broader organizational and educational networks of the order.

Las Manos del Dios del Maíz

Maya Site of Copan — 2017 — WHEEF4AC5985D

The Maya site of Copan stands out as a unique and geographically distant member of the Maya lowlands, characterized by its distinct artistic achievements. The study highlights that Copan's representation of the Maize God, while not adhering to the quality norms of broader Maya visual traditions, exhibits exceptional plastic sophistication and tridimensionality. This anomaly suggests that Copan's people had more creative freedom, engaging differently with the visual rhetoric of the lowlands' Maya tradition. The research explores Copan's complex relationships with southern Mesoamerica and northern Central America, emphasizing its role as a type-site for ancient Maya civilization.

Las Saywas del Inca en el Desierto de Atacama: una Inscripción del Calendario en el Qhapaq Ñan?

Qhapaq Ñan, Andean Road System — 2017 — WHEDB05B94AC8

Research reveals that the 'saywas'—columnar markers along Qhapaq Ñan, the Andean Road System in Chile's Atacama Desert—served as inscriptions of the Inca calendar, aligning with solar cults and marking significant solsticial dates. Unlike rigid measurement units, these tupus varied in dimensions based on contextual factors, reflecting a flexible yet precise spatial-temporal logic. The study combines ethnohistoric and archaeoastronomic methods to demonstrate that saywas, akin to Cuzco's astronomical columns, functioned as temporal indicators along the Inca road network, extending their role beyond capital-centric observations.

Late Cenozoic evolution in the Pamir-Tian Shan convergence: New chronological constraints from the magnetostratigraphic record of the southwestern Tianshan foreland basin (Ulugqat area)

Western Tien-Shan — 2017 — WHE066241C97A

A detailed magnetostratigraphic study of the 1120 m-thick Sankeshu Section in the southwestern Tianshan Foreland Basin reveals that sedimentation occurred from 16.7 to 2.6 million years ago (Ma), with significant increases in rate at ~7 Ma and after 2.6 Ma, marked by the influx of conglomeratic deposits. This study provides new chronological constraints on the tectonic evolution of the Pamir-Tian Shan convergence zone, showing that deformation was concentrated during the Miocene and later periods. Rock magnetic parameters indicate weak deformation influenced by northward indentation from the Pamir, correlating sedimentary events with episodic regional uplift and climatic changes.

Late Cretaceous geology and fossils of Dinosaur Provincial Park

Dinosaur Provincial Park — 2017 — WHE0E7FE19D76

Dinosaur Provincial Park (DPP) stands out as one of the most significant windows into Late Campanian ecosystems globally. Over 35 dinosaur species and numerous other taxa have been identified here, offering unparalleled insights into Cretaceous biodiversity. Initial fossil collecting began in 1912, but it was the late 1960s to 1980s that marked a resurgence of scientific study, led by institutions like the Royal Tyrrell Museum. Modern techniques have since revolutionized our understanding of both dinosaur and non-dinosaurian fossils, while hydrocarbon exploration in Alberta has enriched knowledge of Cretaceous geological processes. This interplay of biological and physical factors has been pivotal in preserving and exposing DPP's fossil riches.

Late Cretaceous–Cenozoic basin evolution and topographic growth of the Hoh Xil Basin, central Tibetan Plateau

Qinghai Hoh Xil — 2017 — WHEF965193D0D

A study of the Hoh Xil Basin on the central Tibetan Plateau reveals significant topographic growth from the Late Cretaceous to the Cenozoic, driven by tectonic activity. The research demonstrates that the eastern and western parts of the basin evolved as a unified system during this period, with sediment accumulation providing evidence of regional tectonic shifts. Detrital zircon U-Pb ages indicate changes in sediment provenance, suggesting contractional deformation and flexural subsidence in the south-central Qiangtang terrane before the India-Asia collision. Post-collision, the basin transformed from a foreland to a hinterland, with upper-crustal shortening and mantle lithosphere loss contributing to its elevation. The study integrates lithostratigraphy, isotopic analysis, and deformation features to reconstruct the basin's dynamic history.

Late Holocene glacier reconstruction reveals retreat behind present limits and two‐stage Little Ice Age on subantarctic South Georgia

New Zealand Sub-Antarctic Islands — 2017 — WHE6A0279435A

A two-stage Little Ice Age, marked by glacier advances around 300 and 120 years ago, has been identified on subantarctic South Georgia using sediment analysis from Middle Hamberg Lake. The study also reveals an unreported retreat of glaciers behind present limits around 500 years ago, providing new insights into Late Holocene climate variability in the Southern Ocean region. Researchers used titanium counts in rock flour, validated with sediment density and grain size data, to reconstruct continuous glacier variations over the past ~1250 years. This approach, combined with local moraine evidence and data from other Southern Hemisphere glaciers, offers a high-resolution paleoclimate record that challenges previous assumptions about glacial behavior during the Little Ice Age.

Late Holocene intensification of the westerly winds at the subantarctic Auckland Islands (51° S), New Zealand

New Zealand Sub-Antarctic Islands — 2017 — WHE34239C552B

A late Holocene intensification of the Southern Hemisphere westerly winds (SHWWs) between approximately 1600 and 900 years ago was identified at the subantarctic Auckland Islands, New Zealand. This finding suggests a northward migration of the SHWW over New Zealand during the first half of the last millennium, consistent with climate-driven vegetation changes in the region. The study used fjord sediment core data, analyzing magnetic susceptibility (MS), bulk organic δ13C and atomic C/N ratios to track terrestrial and marine organic matter influxes, alongside benthic foraminifer δ18O and δ13C to assess water column responses. Comparisons with records from southern South America and West Antarctica indicate a late Holocene strengthening of the SHWWs, likely linked to atmospheric teleconnections and Southern Annular Mode variability.

Late Mesolithic sexe in rock art

Rock Art of Alta — 2017 — WHE9D072636C0

Late Mesolithic rock art from Alta, Norway, reveals distinct gender representations that challenge traditional assumptions about social roles during this period. The study finds that depictions of humans, particularly in the largest rock art areas of Alta, Nømforsen, and Vingen, suggest a more nuanced involvement of women and men in activities such as hunting and rituals than previously thought. By analyzing these representations through the lens of 'sexe'—a concept integrating gender roles with social dynamics—the research links human depictions to anthropological role-types like great hunters, shamans, and Big Men. This analysis is set against a backdrop of increased communication and gift exchange during the final sub-phases of the Late Mesolithic, offering new insights into the social structures and symbolic meanings embedded in this ancient art.

Late Ordovician (Hirnantian) diploporitan fauna of Anticosti Island, Quebec, Canada: implications for evolutionary and biogeographic patterns

Anticosti — 2017 — WHE68C36651B1

A rare discovery of Late Ordovician (Hirnantian) diploporitan echinoderms, including Holocystites salmoensis and an unidentified holocystitid, from the Ellis Bay Formation on Anticosti Island, Quebec, Canada, provides critical insights into their evolutionary origins and biogeographic patterns. These fossils extend the known ancestry of the Silurian Holocystites Fauna by at least 15 million years, challenging previous assumptions about its origination. The study highlights the significance of uncovering underrepresented time periods in Earth's history to better understand evolutionary transitions. By analyzing reefal facies and disarticulated crinoid ossicles, researchers offer a unique perspective on noncrinoid echinoderm dynamics during this pivotal geological boundary.

Late Pliocene Bovidae from Ledi-Geraru (Lower Awash Valley, Ethiopia) and their implications for Afar paleoecology

Lower Valley of the Awash — 2017 — WHE9C0B986BE6

A new species of Beatragus and a fossil wildebeest with a mosaic of evolutionary traits have been identified from the late Pliocene site of Ledi-Geraru in Ethiopia's Lower Awash Valley. This discovery, along with other bovid fossils, reveals that the ancient landscape was primarily composed of open habitats like seasonal grasslands, contrasting with the more wooded environments recorded at nearby Hadar Formation sites. The study suggests a long-term trend toward drier and more open landscapes in the Afar region, dating back to at least 4 million years ago. Researchers analyzed taxonomic abundance and postcranial elements to reconstruct paleoecology, comparing findings with contemporaneous assemblages from the Turkana Basin.

Late Quaternary glaciation in the Hebrides sector of the continental shelf: cosmogenic nuclide dating of glacial events on the St Kilda archipelago

St Kilda — 2017 — WHEECC33EB7C4

St Kilda archipelago, located ~65 km west of the Outer Hebrides and ~60 km east of the Atlantic shelf break, provides critical evidence that challenges the assertion that the British–Irish Ice Sheet (BIIS) extended to near the shelf edge during the Last Local Glacial Maximum (LLGM; c. 27 ka). Cosmogenic nuclide dating of perched boulders at 290 m altitude on the largest island, Hirta, yields consistent exposure ages averaging ≥81.6±7.8 ka, demonstrating that the last ice sheet did not overrun high ground. Additional dating of glacially emplaced boulders on low ground indicates small, locally nourished glaciers occupied a north-facing valley (Gleann Mòr) at c. 30.9±3.2 ka and a south-facing valley (Village Bay) at c. 19.2±2.3 ka. These findings contradict the traditional view of ice sheet behavior during the LLGM, suggesting either surge-like transient streaming behavior or an earlier, more extensive ice sheet. The final glaciation of Village Bay occurred out of phase with the BIIS's overall retreat.

Late Quaternary loess and soils on uplands in the Canyonlands and Mesa Verde areas, Utah and Colorado

Mesa Verde National Park — 2017 — WHE2DEABDBFA1

A new study reveals that thin loess deposits on the uplands of the southeastern Colorado Plateau, including Mesa Verde National Park and Hatch Point near Canyonlands National Park, provide a detailed record of late Quaternary environmental changes. Optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) dating identified distinct loess units with ages ranging from 1740 to 51,000 years, correlating with dune sands in nearby areas. Analysis of particle size, chemistry, and magnetic properties suggests that Hatch Point loess primarily originated from local sandstone sources with minor contributions from atmospheric dust, while Mesa Verde loess was sourced both locally and from the San Juan River system. This research enhances our understanding of past climatic conditions and sediment transport processes in this region.

Lava inundation zone maps for Mauna Loa, Island of Hawaiʻi, Hawaii

Hawaii Volcanoes National Park — 2017 — WHE65C6B31240

A comprehensive mapping of potential lava inundation zones for Mauna Loa, Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, reveals 18 high-risk areas vulnerable to future lava flows. This study provides critical hazard assessment tools by integrating geological data with predictive modeling, offering essential insights for risk management and emergency planning on the Island of Hawaiʻi. The approach combines historical flow analysis with terrain evaluation to identify zones at greatest threat from Mauna Loa's dynamic volcanic activity.

Le attività di scavo e ricerca del Dipartimento di Studi Umanistici a Pompei ed Aquileia e gli studi paleobiologici sulla necropoli di piazza Corrubbio a Verona

Archaeological Area and the Patriarchal Basilica of Aquileia — 2017 — WHEBF02F24364

Recent archaeological and paleobiological studies at UNESCO World Heritage Sites reveal new insights into Roman society and environmental interactions. At Pompeii, analyses of ceramics from Ca’ Foscari excavations and the forum excavations (1980-81) highlight advancements in ceramology and archaeometry, while an international project examines marine resource exploitation in the Vesuvian area. Meanwhile, excavations at Aquileia along the Natiso River provide interdisciplinary perspectives on Roman urban development. Additionally, a study of Verona’s Piazza Corrubbio necropolis integrates archaeological data with paleobiological approaches to reconstruct past societal structures. These findings offer a multifaceted understanding of Roman life and environmental dynamics across northern Italy.