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Showing 941 – 960 of 15962 publications

Remembering Vinod Rishi, IFS (1946-2026)

Sundarbans National Park — 2026 — WHE7D0CAB3E85

Vinod Rishi, IFS (1946–2026), pioneered innovative conservation strategies that significantly advanced wildlife management in India's Sundarbans National Park and other protected areas. His most notable contribution was the introduction of a unique protective measure for Sundarban fishermen—wearing face masks on their backs—to mitigate tiger attacks, a solution rooted in his deep naturalist instincts and engineering background. Rishi also championed the use of satellite imagery for forest mapping, marking a groundbreaking approach to conservation monitoring in India. As a leader in the second generation of wildlife managers, he strengthened multiple protected areas, including Sundarban Tiger Reserve and Buxa Tiger Reserve, through his fieldwork and policy influence, leaving a lasting legacy in conservation history.

Remote Sensing Applications in Miombo and the Coastal Mosaic Forests of Tanzania: Ecological Conditions and Anthropogenic Disturbances in the Selous-Niassa Wildlife Corridor, Tanzania

Selous Game Reserve — 2026 — WHE93E0894746

A critical analysis of the Selous-Niassa Wildlife Corridor reveals stable vegetation conditions from 2001 to 2012, followed by improvements from 2013 to 2020, despite fluctuating rainfall and fire incidences. Remote sensing technology was pivotal in monitoring these changes, providing non-intrusive data collection across vast, inaccessible areas. The study underscores the importance of conservation strategies that prioritize maintaining ecological connectivity while addressing human-wildlife conflicts and regulating land use practices to safeguard the corridor's integrity. This research offers actionable insights for balancing conservation goals with community well-being in the Ruvuma landscape.

Representation of Power Relations in Court Photographs of the Naserid Era: A Case Study of 50 Photographs from the Album House of Golestan Palace

Golestan Palace — 2026 — WHEE13B6D61C0

Court photography during the Naserid era served as a tool for consolidating and surveilling royal power, revealing how visual representation was intricately tied to the discourse of authority. A study analyzing 50 photographs from Golestan Palace's Album House demonstrated that the king was positioned as the central figure, often larger or more prominently framed than others, while servants and enslaved attendants were depicted in submissive poses, reinforcing a hierarchy of command. Naser al-Din Shah's annotations on the images—such as naming, correcting, or erasing individuals—further illustrated his absolute control over representation. The photographs functioned as visual archives, extending the king's surveillance beyond the palace walls. This research challenges the notion that photography captures 'naked reality,' instead framing it as a constructed truth shaped by power dynamics. The study employed qualitative methods, including visual and semiotic analysis, grounded in Foucault's theories of power and Tagg's concept of photographic evidence.

Reproductive isolation in two strains of the marine rotifer Brachionus cf. ibericus (Rotifera, Monogononta) from Quintana Roo, México

Sian Ka'an — 2026 — WHE31CBB88D77

Researchers have identified reproductive isolation between two distinct strains of the marine rotifer Brachionus cf. ibericus in Quintana Roo, Mexico, marking a significant discovery within the Yucatán Peninsula's biodiversity. The study, conducted by Marin-Chan et al., isolated and cultured 23 clones from the northwest (Cancún) and southeast (Sian Ka'an) regions, revealing differences in female production, male development, and resting egg hatching rates. Cross-mating experiments confirmed reproductive barriers between the strains, leading to the proposal of two distinct populations: Brachionus cf. ibericus 'Cancún' strain and 'Sian Ka'an' strain. This finding contributes to understanding the evolutionary dynamics of this ecologically and economically important species complex.

Research Draft — Not an Official DCT Abu Dhabi Publication: The Museum Ecosystem: Dimensions of Sustainability and Their Implementation in Abu Dhabi

Cultural Sites of Al Ain (Hafit, Hili, Bidaa Bint Saud and Oases Areas) — 2026 — WHE6E080176C7

Abu Dhabi's museum ecosystem is a global model for integrating sustainability into cultural heritage preservation and economic growth. The study, part of the CultureSTATS-AD programme, reveals that museums like Louvre Abu Dhabi and UNESCO-listed Al Ain Cultural Sites serve as pillars of social, economic, and environmental sustainability. These institutions enhance community engagement through participatory practices and digital innovation, while also driving local economies by supporting SMEs and aligning with global ESG principles. Abu Dhabi's strategic investment in heritage-centred regeneration projects, such as those in the Oases Areas, exemplifies how cultural sites can contribute to urban resilience and ecological restoration, reflecting alignment with international frameworks like UNESCO’s 2025 Cultural Statistics Framework and OECD guidelines.

Research of Functional Aspects of Toponyms in Modern Linguistics

Sulaiman-Too Sacred Mountain — 2026 — WHE3CC3DA184F

Kyrgyz toponyms serve multiple functional roles, reflecting cultural, historical, and geographical aspects. This study identifies four key functions: nominative-localising (e.g., Ala-Archa, Kyzyl-Asker), artistic (metaphorical or metonymic, e.g., Alamedin, Zhylan-Artyk), chronographic, and cultural memory (e.g., Sulaiman-Too, Asanbai Street). Researchers analyzed toponyms in Bishkek and Osh, revealing how they encode geographical features, historical events, and cultural heritage. The findings highlight the pragmatic significance of toponyms in preserving linguistic and ethnographic identities while illustrating their metaphorical or metonymic motivations.

Research on Similarity Matching of Dazu Rock Carvings in China Based on a Trimodal Fusion of pHash, SIFT, and MSRoVGG

Dazu Rock Carvings — 2026 — WHEE9F357E475

A novel quantitative model for assessing the similarity of cultural relics, such as China's Dazu Rock Carvings from the Song Dynasty, achieves 100% recognition accuracy for identical statue types within the same niche while effectively distinguishing between different iconographic types. This breakthrough addresses the limitations of traditional qualitative expert assessments by integrating a trimodal feature fusion approach: Perceptual Hash (pHash) for global structural screening, SIFT for high-dimensional texture feature extraction and local keypoint matching, and an improved MSRoVGG deep learning architecture for semantic-level verification. The model demonstrates robust capabilities in typological classification and stylistic differentiation, capturing nuanced variations in artistic styles and vestimentary features between Buddhist and secular figures.

Research on the Development of Religious Tourism Resources in the Mount Wutai Scenic Area, Shanxi Province

Mount Wutai — 2026 — WHE0060D9ECD0

Mount Wutai, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and significant Buddhist cultural landmark, is experiencing a shift from faith-driven tourism to broader cultural tourism. However, its development faces challenges such as spatial planning issues, limited religious and cultural experiences, infrastructure strain, and ecological pressure. Research suggests that enhancing religious and cultural depth, improving facilities, promoting ecological sustainability, and diversifying tourism products could elevate tourist experiences and support high-quality development in Shanxi Province. The study employed literature review, questionnaire surveys, and comprehensive analysis to assess current trends, identify problems, and propose optimization strategies.

Research on the Division and Interconstruction of the Peking Opera Field Along the Central Axis of Beijing During the Qing Dynasty—Based on Pierre Bourdieu’s Field Theory

Beijing Central Axis: A Building Ensemble Exhibiting the Ideal Order of the Chinese Capital — 2026 — WHE1A7C517B0D

A unique form of Peking opera emerged along Beijing's Central Axis during the Qing Dynasty, characterized by the integration of elegance and vulgarity. This was a result of dynamic interactions between two sub-fields: the court field, centered around imperial power, and the folk field, driven by market logic. The study reveals that while the folk field provided performative vitality and responsiveness to audience demand, the court offered institutional authority and symbolic legitimacy. By applying Pierre Bourdieu's field theory, researchers analyzed differences in core power, spatial characteristics, capital distribution, and actor habits between these fields, shedding light on how power, culture, and art were structurally interconnected during this period.

Research on Urban Functional Zone Identification and Spatial Interaction Characteristics in Lhasa Based on Ride-Hailing Trajectory Data

Historic Ensemble of the Potala Palace, Lhasa — 2026 — WHE487049E4FC

A new method combining ride-hailing trajectory data with Point of Interest (POI) data reveals that Lhasa's urban functional zones exhibit a 'highly composite core, relatively differentiated periphery' pattern. The study identified eight distinct functional zone types, including commercial-residential mixed and science-education-culture areas, with residential regions forming the base and the core area featuring multi-functional agglomeration. The spatial interaction network demonstrates small-world effects and a lognormal degree distribution, highlighting key hubs like Lhasa Station and the Potala Palace. Four functionally coupled communities were detected, forming a 'core leading, two wings supporting' center-subcenter spatial organization pattern. This approach offers a novel perspective for understanding plateau city structures and planning.

Research on Value Activation of Taishan Cultural Ecosystem and Kinetic Energy Transformation Mechanism of Rural Revitalization

Mount Taishan — 2026 — WHEB0D5B7CDF9

Mount Taishan, recognized as a dual natural and cultural UNESCO World Heritage Site, harbors a rich cultural ecosystem that integrates spiritual culture, historical relics, mountain ecology, and rural folk customs. Despite its superior resource endowments—including 15 national cultural relic protection units, 693 municipal intangible cultural heritage items, and a 94.8% forest coverage rate—the surrounding rural areas face challenges such as insufficient cultural value exploration, broken industrial transformation chains, and weak community vitality. This study proposes a three-stage value transformation mechanism—symbolization, scenarization, and productization—to activate the static Taishan cultural heritage into sustainable rural development capital. By leveraging official statistics, questionnaire data, and spatial census results, researchers identify local characteristic cultural genes, summarize typical rural development modes, and construct a multi-agent collaborative guarantee system. The findings aim to address the 'rich poverty' problem in heritage villages, offering theoretical support and practical models for rural revitalization in similar mountainous cultural regions across China.

Resilience Assessment of Traditional Villages Based on Cultural Ecosystem Services—An Empirical Study of the Zuojiang Huashan Rock Art World Heritage Area in China

Zuojiang Huashan Rock Art Cultural Landscape — 2026 — WHECB5032C97D

Cultural ecosystem services are the cornerstone of social–ecological resilience in traditional villages, with their diversity and reinforcement directly shaping village resilience. A study of Zuojiang Huashan Rock Art World Heritage Area revealed that high-resilience villages benefit from robust cultural services and community rules, while low-resilience ones suffer service loss and weakened social ties. The research applied resilience theory, field investigations, interviews, questionnaires, and Delphi surveys to assess spatial variations in resilience. This work enriches resilience theory with cultural dimensions, offering a practical tool for heritage practitioners to transition from static preservation to dynamic, vibrant protection systems.

Resilience or reassembly: Wildfire–vegetation dynamics in rapidly warming subarctic forests of northwestern Canada

Nahanni National Park — 2026 — WHE99004435F7

Rapidly warming subarctic forests in northwestern Canada exhibit resilience to climate change despite significant wildfire activity, with 88% of surveyed sites maintaining conifer dominance post-fire. A study across Nahanni and Nááts'įhch'oh National Park Reserves found that while tree recruitment was generally low—except where fire-adapted lodgepole pine thrived—tree growth may benefit from longer growing seasons and increased summer precipitation. Researchers analyzed 24 burned and unburned paired plots, assessing vegetation structure, composition, and dendrochronological samples to track postfire recovery trajectories. Although recruitment variability suggests potential reassembly rather than full resilience, forests in this region show adaptability if fire-free intervals remain sufficiently long. However, their long-term fate remains uncertain with projected increases in fire activity.

Resilient Pasts for Sustainable Futures: The Role of Building Conservation in Creating a Sustainable Built Environment

Blenheim Palace — 2026 — WHE353F939C5F

Historic buildings, including UNESCO World Heritage Sites like Blenheim Palace, offer valuable insights into sustainable and resilient construction practices that can endure for centuries. A study highlights the critical role of building conservation in adapting to climate change, which is no longer a distant threat but an immediate challenge. Flooding, the UK's primary hazard, poses significant risks, with recent extreme weather events demonstrating the need for buildings to withstand unprecedented conditions. The research analyzed two historic estates—Blenheim Palace and a group of churches—to assess their vulnerabilities to local and regional climate change hazards. It emphasized the importance of planned maintenance and conservation philosophy in managing sustainable change and enhancing resilience. The findings underscore that understanding climate-related risks is essential for effective asset management and future maintenance planning, providing actionable strategies for preserving our built heritage.

Resolving data deficiency in a cryptic skink: distribution, threats, and an Endangered conservation status for the Bungle Bungle robust slider (Lerista bunglebungle)

Purnululu National Park — 2026 — WHE8DB5FDDAF7

A cryptic skink, the Bungle Bungle robust slider (Lerista bunglebungle), previously classified as Data Deficient by the IUCN Red List, has been reclassified as Endangered due to its restricted distribution and declining population. Researchers detected 21 occurrences of this species across the southern and eastern Bungle Bungle Range in Purnululu National Park, Western Australia. Using targeted fieldwork, spatial analyses, preserved specimen analysis, and inferred life-history traits from ecologically similar species, they determined that the skink's maximum Extent of Occurrence and Area of Occupancy is 280 km², with threats including changing fire regimes. The study underscores the urgent need to prioritize research on Data Deficient taxa, as many are likely threatened with extinction despite their uncertain status.

Resource Diplomacy, Cultural Heritage and Community Resilience in the Pilbara, Western Australia

Murujuga Cultural Landscape — 2026 — WHED1C678893B

The Murujuga Cultural Landscape, an aspiring UNESCO World Heritage Site, faces significant threats from large-scale mineral extraction driven by resource diplomacy between Australia and Asia. This study reveals that while such economic exchanges benefit the Australian economy, they also result in the dispossession of Indigenous peoples and the destruction of their cultural heritage. By analyzing the roles of diverse stakeholders—including government authorities, multinational corporations, Indigenous communities, academics, and professionals—the research demonstrates how local-global entanglements of politics and power lead to both heritage protection and destruction. The authors propose interventions to address these complex interactions, aiming to foster a nuanced understanding of the relationship between heritage loss, resource diplomacy, and community resilience.

Response to Comment on ‘Cave Palaeolithic of the Ural Mountains—a review’

Rock Paintings of Shulgan-Tash Cave — 2026 — WHEB5168C6B1E

A recent review and response highlight the significance of the Ural Mountains' cave Palaeolithic, particularly focusing on the Shulgan-Tash/Kapova Cave's rock paintings. The study integrates fragmented Russian-language archaeological data into a broader geo-contextual framework, emphasizing the region's strategic position at the Europe-Asia boundary. While Ruiz-Redondo's comments suggested a brief discussion of Kapova Cave, the review balanced this with palaeoenvironmental and geoarchaeological concepts. The research avoids exhaustive cataloging, instead presenting essential data on Pleistocene cave occupations. It acknowledges the complexity of interpreting the Urals' cave art, noting that while stylistic similarities to southwestern European Upper Palaeolithic art exist, definitive origins remain speculative. Chronological assessments are nuanced, with U-Th and radiocarbon dating providing broad time intervals rather than precise ages for the paintings. The study underscores the importance of contextual associations between paintings and archaeological materials, which are not always straightforward due to sediment mixing and repeated cave occupations.

Restoring Transparency Adaptive Reuse of Tashkent’s Panoramic Cinema

Tashkent Modernist Architecture. Modernity and Tradition in Central Asia — 2026 — WHE9B80BBB8B1

A conceptual proposal for the adaptive reuse of Tashkent’s Panoramic Cinema, a modernist landmark completed in 1964, aims to reinstate its lost architectural qualities while accommodating contemporary functional needs. The study highlights the challenges of preserving the building's original design intent—particularly its transparent foyer and dynamic contrast between solidity and lightness—against the backdrop of economic shifts toward smaller, more flexible screening spaces. Research focuses on balancing heritage conservation with modern functionality, addressing constraints such as the unalterable cinema hall structure. The case study contributes to broader discussions on adaptive reuse in modernist architecture and cultural infrastructure repurposing.

Rethinking Holocene landscape evolution at Olympia (Greece): challenging the palaeolake hypothesis in favour of an open fluvial system

Archaeological Site of Olympia — 2026 — WHE2029DD8C6B

A new geomorphological and sediment-budget analysis challenges the long-held hypothesis of a persistent palaeolake at Olympia, Greece. Instead, evidence from stratigraphic records, microfaunal assemblages, and regional source-to-sink comparisons supports an open fluvial system throughout the Holocene. The study reveals that sediment volumes in the Alpheios delta and floodplain exceed potential lake storage by 14–17 times, while palaeohydrological reconstructions show that presumed harbour sites would have been flooded under a lacustrine scenario. Localised late-Holocene block uplift offers an alternative explanation for previously attributed lake-level fluctuations, indicating the Olympia plain functioned as part of an unimpounded river system, with the Alpheios River likely flowing near the sanctuary's southern margin during Antiquity.

Revalorisation of Heritage Cultural Landscapes Through an Approach Based on Intangible Atmospheres

Kasbah of Algiers — 2026 — WHED9D24BFF3C

Research on the Kasbah of Algiers reveals that heritage atmospheres are shaped by residents' dynamic interactions with social, symbolic, sensory, and spatial dimensions. A key finding is the divergence between professionals, who prioritize spatial aspects, and residents, who value social and symbolic elements more highly. Historical richness fosters attachment, while significant spatial changes lead to disappropriation. The study introduces innovative cartographic tools for inclusive rehabilitation, validating the inclusion of a symbolic dimension in atmosphere theory.