World Heritage Research: Search

Publications

Showing 561 – 580 of 15962 publications

Iconic Swartkrans fossils and hominid taxonomy, I: SK 15 mandible

Fossil Hominid Sites of South Africa — 2026 — WHEE77F53008A

A critical re-evaluation of the Swartkrans hominid mandible, SK 15, challenges its classification within Paranthropus, proposing instead alternative taxonomic placements that better reflect its morphological traits. The study scrutinizes a high-profile claim that SK 15 should be reclassified as Paranthropus capensis, arguing for a more nuanced approach to hominid taxonomy at this pivotal South African site. Swartkrans, renowned for its Oldowan tools and butchered bones, holds significant implications for understanding early hominid behavior and evolution. The research combines morphological analysis with taxonomic reassessment, aiming to clarify the evolutionary relationships of key fossils from one of palaeoanthropology’s most important sites.

Identification Keys to the Woody Lianas of Apocynaceae from the Sangha Trinational, Central Africa

Sangha Trinational — 2026 — WHE8B3C27CF74

A comprehensive identification guide to the woody lianas of Apocynaceae, encompassing 16 genera and 46 species from the Sangha Trinational in Central Africa, has been developed. This guide provides vegetative keys, genus and species descriptions, along with illustrations of key diagnostic characters, offering a critical tool for botanists and researchers studying this ecologically significant family. The study aims to facilitate accurate identification and classification, supporting conservation efforts and biodiversity research in the region.

Identification of distinctive new rainforest communities in the Greater Blue Mountains World Heritage Area, Australia

Greater Blue Mountains Area — 2026 — WHE58C7E54DF0

Researchers have identified two distinctive new rainforest communities in the Greater Blue Mountains World Heritage Area (GBMWHA), Australia, which were previously misclassified as sclerophyll-dominated forests. This discovery challenges existing vegetation mapping, revealing that 65% of surveyed sites and over 90% of putative rainforests in the region are incorrectly labeled. The study used field validation, high-resolution spatial data, and bryophyte analysis—typically overlooked in vegetation classification—to delineate these communities: 'Hawkesbury Warm Sheltered Gully Rainforest' and 'Hawkesbury Subtropical-Dry Bench Rainforest.' The findings underscore the urgent need to revise Plant Community Type (PCT) mapping to protect the region's Outstanding Universal Values, which face threats from fires and urban development.

Identification of Endoparasites in Javan Banteng (Bos javanicus javanicus) in Ujung Kulon National Park (UKNP)

Ujung Kulon National Park — 2026 — WHE378314D49D

A study on Javan banteng (Bos javanicus javanicus) in Ujung Kulon National Park (UKNP) identified five endoparasite types with significant infection levels, including Ascarid (1,050 EPG), Strongyloides (1,600 EPG), Paramphistomum (50 EPG), and Eimeria (550 OPG). These findings highlight the prevalence of parasitic infections in this critically endangered species, with Strongyloides showing the highest infection intensity. The research used microscopic methods—flotation, sedimentation, native, and McMaster techniques—to analyze fecal samples at IPB University's Protozoology Laboratory. Such high infection levels may pose a threat to banteng health, warranting further investigation into their ecological and conservation implications.

Identifying and Evaluating Cultural Genes in the Historic Centre of Macao: A Multi-Stakeholder Perspective

Historic Centre of Macao — 2026 — WHE1A2421602A

A study of the Historic Centre of Macao reveals distinct cultural priorities among tourists, residents, and experts, highlighting significant disparities in how different groups perceive its heritage. Residents show the strongest connection to intangible elements like beliefs and folk customs, while tourists favor tangible aspects such as decorative features and cuisine, often overlooking architectural structures. The research introduces a dual-strand model for identifying cultural genes—both tangible (e.g., architecture) and intangible (e.g., religion, folklore)—combined with the AHP-fuzzy comprehensive evaluation method to quantify public engagement. This approach provides a data-driven framework for preserving and revitalizing the site, offering insights applicable to other UNESCO World Heritage Sites facing urbanization and tourism pressures.

Identifying and Mapping Plant Species on Historical Buildings Using UAV-Based Imaging: The Case of the Safranbolu City

City of Safranbolu — 2026 — WHE7B2D442C95

Researchers identified eight plant species colonizing historical stone mosques in Safranbolu using UAV-based imaging, revealing that Ailanthus altissima and Tortula muralis pose significant structural risks. The study mapped plant distribution patterns, showing colonization concentrated on roof and dome rim areas, with building material and microclimatic conditions driving species diversity. High-resolution UAV imagery proved an effective, non-damaging method for documenting cultural heritage threats while enabling rapid threat detection. This approach offers a scalable solution for monitoring and preserving at-risk structures without physical intervention.

Ignorantia de Barbaris. Complacency, Boastfulness and Security in the Roman Worldview in the Face of the New Bordering Peoples in the Mid-third Century A.D.: From Contempt to Bewilderment

Frontiers of the Roman Empire – Dacia — 2026 — WHE616140BD66

A shift from complacency to bewilderment characterized the Roman response to new barbarian peoples, such as the Goths, during the mid-third century AD. This study reveals how Rome's traditional sense of security and boastfulness eroded under pressure from migrating groups, leading to administrative and military abandonment of provinces like Dacia. To cope with this disruption, Roman sources began investigating and assimilating these new groups' origins with ancient ones, such as the Getae and Dacians, laying the groundwork for long-lasting identity confusion and appropriation. This phenomenon extended across Europe from the 4th century onward, reshaping cultural and political realities.

Il domani e le comunità utopiche

Crespi d'Adda — 2026 — WHE1EC6D8BFE8

Utopian communities, from 19th-century visionary experiments to modern gated enclaves, reveal enduring human aspirations for cooperation and equality. This study traces the evolution of ideal urban forms—from Edward Bellamy's fictional Boston to Ebenezer Howard's Garden Cities—culminating in industrial villages like Crespi d'Adda and Olivetti's Canavese communities. While these experiments aimed to reimagine collective life through planned design, their legacy is ambiguous, reflecting tensions between public ideals and privatized urbanism. The analysis highlights how utopian impulses persist, even as they adapt to contemporary contexts.

Image-based automatic detection of efflorescence on limestone heritage constructions: Application to the Monastery of Batalha

Monastery of Batalha — 2026 — WHECBE2E02CD5

A breakthrough in the automated detection of efflorescence on limestone heritage structures has been achieved, demonstrating that material-specific training enhances segmentation performance. The study revealed that convolutional neural networks (CNNs) can accurately delineate efflorescence with a best Binary IoU score of 92%, and even a specific model achieved 76% accuracy. This advancement was validated using imagery from the UNESCO-listed Monastery of Batalha in Portugal, showcasing its real-world applicability. The research highlights that training dataset composition significantly influences segmentation performance, providing practical guidance for quantitative documentation and monitoring of efflorescence in limestone masonry. Unlike previous qualitative assessments, this methodology offers a reproducible, data-driven approach to heritage conservation.

Imagining Space and Female Agency. Chronicles of a Personal Journey within a Collective History

Megalithic Temples of Malta — 2026 — WHEE62ACD87A4

Prehistoric megalithic temples, such as those in Malta and Çatalhöyük, reveal alternative spatial paradigms that challenge Western cultural frameworks by intertwining domestic, spiritual, and bodily dimensions. This study argues that these sites offer a lens to reconsider architecture's role in self-representation, memory, and agency, proposing more inclusive forms of coexistence. By analyzing gendered space through symbolic thought and ritual practice, the research suggests that Neolithic societies may have conceived relationships between body, fertility, and community differently from later dominant narratives. The essay combines theoretical frameworks with a personal research journey across archaeological sites to explore these themes.

Immersive VR technology validation for Fujian Tulou heritage

Fujian Tulou — 2026 — WHEC66A49604F

A novel Cultural Visualization (CV) evaluation model demonstrates that immersive VR technology significantly enhances spatial cognition and cultural detail retention for Fujian Tulou heritage, achieving a 92% accuracy rate compared to traditional media. The study leverages metaverse virtual exhibition halls to transcend spatiotemporal limitations, offering a groundbreaking approach to cultural dissemination. Multimodal experiments combining electroencephalography (EEG), eye-tracking, and behavioral data validated the interaction between cultural salience and cost-effectiveness, providing empirical evidence for VR's potential in heritage preservation.

Immunological and reproductive effects of anthropized environments in Leptodactylus fuscus (Anura)

Cerrado Protected Areas: Chapada dos Veadeiros and Emas National Parks — 2026 — WHE7CF2408BE3

Anthropogenic disturbances in the Cerrado Protected Areas, specifically Chapada dos Veadeiros and Emas National Parks, significantly alter the immunological and reproductive systems of the frog Leptodactylus fuscus. Research indicates that exposure to agricultural (soybean and sugarcane) and urban environments leads to increased lymphocyte and neutrophil counts, reduced spleen white pulp, elevated red pulp, higher mast cell presence, and changes in melanin pigmentation. Additionally, frogs from highly disturbed areas show an expansion in the area occupied by spermatogonia, spermatocytes, spermatids, and spermatozoa, suggesting multi-systemic physiological adaptations or stress responses. This study highlights the potential of tissue biomarkers for monitoring wild populations under environmental stress, providing critical insights into the impacts of anthropogenic activities on native anuran communities.

Impact of Climate Change on the World Heritage in Greenland and Indigenous Peoples’ Culture

Ilulissat Icefjord — 2026 — WHED8DE9F99B4

Rapid glacier retreat due to climate change is destabilizing both the natural and cultural dimensions of Outstanding Universal Value (OUV) at UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Greenland, exposing a structural disconnect between heritage protection regimes and climate governance systems. The study focuses on three sites—Ilulissat Icefjord, Kujataa Greenland, and Asivissuit–Nipisat—and argues that the conventional nature-culture dichotomy is inadequate for understanding these environments, which are integral to Indigenous knowledge systems, subsistence practices, and societal organization. It proposes that OUV should be made more flexible in future revisions of UNESCO’s Operational Guidelines and raises questions about the long-term sustainability of heritage protection amid potential political shifts, such as Greenlandic independence.

Impact of Tourism on Indigenous Bote Community of Chitwan National Park

Chitwan National Park — 2026 — WHEC46C57C363

Tourism in Chitwan National Park, while enhancing the economic livelihood of the indigenous Bote community and contributing to biodiversity conservation, fails to deliver significant socio-cultural benefits. Despite the park's strong destination image in Nepal's tourism sector, the Bote community remains largely unable to capitalize on these opportunities. A mixed-method study revealed weak positive impacts on economic and environmental aspects but no socio-cultural changes. This suggests that while tourism can support sustainable conservation efforts and reduce park-people conflicts, its potential for broader community benefit is underutilized.

Impact structures and deposits of South Africa

Vredefort Dome — 2026 — WHE5A283F0790

South Africa hosts four confirmed impact structures—Tswaing, Kalkkop, Morokweng, and Vredefort—that collectively provide a unique window into Earth's geological history and the effects of large-scale impacts. The Vredefort Dome, Earth's largest and most deeply eroded impact structure, played a crucial role in preserving the Witwatersrand gold deposits, while Morokweng offers rare insights into deep-level impact processes, including the recovery of meteorite fragments from its differentiated melt sheet. Tswaing and Kalkkop preserve critical palaeoenvironmental records spanning hundreds of thousands of years, contributing to our understanding of long-term environmental changes in southern Africa. Additionally, ancient impact spherule beds within South Africa's Archaean rock record represent some of the earliest evidence of extraterrestrial impacts on Earth. This study synthesizes findings from these structures, highlighting their significance for economic geology and planetary science.

Impacts of Modified Forest Landscapes on Tropical Fish Assemblages

Sinharaja Forest Reserve — 2026 — WHE43D08AF2B4

A critical shift in tropical fish assemblages, particularly among ecologically specialized species, is triggered by forest conversion to agro-crop landscapes. While community-level changes were not robustly detected, the study found that the Critically Endangered loach Schistura madhavai exhibited a strong preference for forested streams, highlighting its sensitivity to habitat modification. The research, conducted in Sinharaja Forest Reserve’s submontane streams, revealed that forest conversion alters environmental gradients such as hydrology, water chemistry, and substrate, thereby reshaping habitats preferred by S. madhavai. Species-level responses were more pronounced than community-wide patterns, underscoring the importance of indicator species in detecting biodiversity changes. The findings suggest that conservation strategies for range-restricted endemics must incorporate species-specific ecological requirements to mitigate the impacts of habitat disturbance.

Implementation and Design Issues at the Intersection of Architectural Components in the Classical Period Ottoman Mosques

Selimiye Mosque and its Social Complex — 2026 — WHEECAD310F12

Classical period Ottoman mosques, often perceived as flawless architectural marvels, reveal significant inconsistencies in their design and implementation. A study analyzing the Selimiye Mosque and other notable structures—using observational and photogrammetric methods—identified morphological anomalies at key intersections, such as facades, minarets, and annexes. These irregularities, including breaks in continuity of mouldings and clashes between components, suggest that Ottoman architecture relied on flexible, on-site adjustments rather than rigid, pre-planned templates. The findings challenge the notion of a deterministic design process, highlighting the dynamic interplay between original layouts and subsequent interventions driven by practical needs.

Implementing supportive policies to promote nature-based solutions at regional level through collaboration with winegrowers

Vineyard Landscape of Piedmont: Langhe-Roero and Monferrato — 2026 — WHE4D76F479FC

A pioneering governmental application of nature-based solutions (NbS) in the UNESCO-listed Vineyard Landscape of Piedmont, Italy, demonstrates their potential to enhance vineyard ecosystems while supporting sustainable wine production. The study highlights 12 agroecology-based practices integrated into vineyards within Europe’s Nature 2000 protected areas, showcasing positive ecological impacts through a participatory approach involving local winegrowers and regional authorities. Case studies from the Monte Fenera Regional Park reveal that collaborative policies, such as the Ecologic Incidence Assessment process, can effectively promote NbS adoption, fostering biodiversity conservation while maintaining traditional viticultural practices like Nebbiolo production in Boca. This model underscores the feasibility of integrating environmental goals with economic and cultural heritage objectives at a regional scale.

Implications of daily thermal variations in the ventilation and indoor CO 2 levels in the karstic system of the Altamira Cave

Cave of Altamira and Paleolithic Cave Art of Northern Spain — 2026 — WHEC9F73AD35F

Daily thermal fluctuations significantly impact ventilation and indoor CO₂ levels within the Altamira Cave's karstic system, posing risks to its Paleolithic cave art. Researchers found that temperature variations influence air movement and gas concentrations, which can affect the preservation of parietal artworks. The study employed continuous monitoring of environmental variables as part of a preventive conservation plan, providing critical data on how thermal dynamics interact with indoor conditions. This insight is vital for developing effective strategies to mitigate CO₂ buildup and maintain stable microclimates in such sensitive heritage sites.

Importance of non-timber forest products in the livelihoods of rural communities in the Democratic Republic of the Congo

Salonga National Park — 2026 — WHED1511FBBBE

Rural communities in the Democratic Republic of the Congo rely heavily on non-timber forest products (NTFPs) for food and medicine, with 74 species used by households near Salonga National Park. While commercialization could diversify income and reduce wildlife pressure, infrastructure limitations hinder its viability. The study, monitoring 457 households over a year, found that NTFP consumption was consistent but varied seasonally, with cultural differences in usage patterns. Though NTFPs provided economic benefits, their contribution to household wealth was minimal due to poor market access. Researchers recommend further research on sustainable harvesting before promoting NTFP commercialization.