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La "Grotta dell'affresco": Il fenomeno del monachesimo sul confine tra il Ducato di Amalfi e il Principato di Salerno

Costiera Amalfitana — 2018 — WHE646FA17357

A significant discovery of medieval material culture, including a rare fresco, has been made in the 'Grotta dell'affresco' on the Amalfi Coast. This cave complex, situated between Cetara and Maiori, provides notable evidence of Byzantine monasticism that flourished along the boundary of the Duchy of Amalfi and the Principality of Salerno during the late 9th to 11th centuries. The study reveals a broader pattern of religious settlements in Campania, characterized by relic translations, Byzantine saint cults, and the arrival of specialized craftsmen. Despite the challenging terrain, which has hindered systematic research on high-altitude cave occupations, this site offers valuable insights into Oriental troglodyte monastic practices.

La « barbacane » du Crac des Chevaliers (Syrie) et la signification du terme dans le bassin méditerranéen

Crac des Chevaliers and Qal’at Salah El-Din — 2018 — WHE3F08F11266

A closer look at medieval sources reveals that the term 'barbacane' was historically used more broadly than its modern, restrictive definition in France and the UK. Originally, it referred to low or false walls (fausses-braies) placed before fortified enclosures, not just advanced structures controlling access to gates or bridges. This broader usage persists today in Spain and Italy. Applying this understanding to an inscription at Crac des Chevaliers in Syria provides new insights into its architectural significance.

La « barbarisation » de Poséidonia et la fin des cultes grecs à Paestum

Cilento and Vallo di Diano National Park with the Archeological Sites of Paestum and Velia, and the Certosa di Padula — 2018 — WHE0802493CA3

A significant cultural shift occurred at the ancient Greek city of Poséidonia (modern Paestum) during the late 4th century BCE, marking the end of its traditional Greek religious practices. This transition, described as an 'auto-Romanization,' was driven by the political and cultural influence of Rome following its expansion into Campania and southern Italy. The process culminated abruptly in 273 BCE with the establishment of a Roman colony at Paestum, replacing the indigenous gods with those of Roman worship. The study, based on fragments from Aristoxenus, reveals this abrupt shift as part of a broader, long-term cultural assimilation that was violently interrupted by Rome's colonial policies.

La competitividad potencial del puerto de Cartagena: una oportunidad para el comercio exterior

Port, Fortresses and Group of Monuments, Cartagena — 2018 — WHE639BBA2FCC

The port of Cartagena de Indias demonstrates significant potential competitiveness for foreign trade, particularly through its multimodal transport system. This advantage is driven by cost efficiencies and strategic positioning that enhance the movement of containerized goods. The study employs a reflexive analysis approach, integrating direct observation, statistical data from the Port Society and Republic Bank, and insights from academic literature. It builds on prior research, including a degree-level analysis conducted at the Technological University of Bolívar, to identify critical points in fluvial transport that could further optimize logistics. By leveraging these findings, the port emerges as a promising hub for international commerce, with implications for regional trade dynamics.

La Problematique De Gestion Du Parc National De La Comoe (Pnc) En Cote D’ivoire, Entre La Survie Des Populations Riveraines Et La Conservation De La Biodiversite

Comoé National Park — 2018 — WHE7F41B595F9

Comoé National Park (CNP), the largest protected area in West Africa and one of the world's top 20, faces significant anthropogenic pressures that threaten its biodiversity while also impacting riparian communities' survival. The study identifies key socio-cultural, economic, and institutional challenges underlying this management dilemma. Using qualitative approaches and targeted data collection, researchers reveal how political instability in Côte d'Ivoire has exacerbated these pressures, particularly during crises. The research highlights the urgent need for sustainable conservation strategies that balance biodiversity protection with the livelihoods of local populations, offering critical insights for protected area management in similar contexts.

La relique, le reliquaire et le récit hagiographique : des relations ambiguës (diocèses de Mende et de Toulouse) ?

Episcopal City of Albi — 2018 — WHED6E797C8A5

Relics in medieval monastic spaces often lack accompanying hagiographic narratives, challenging the assumption that such stories are essential to their cult. A study of southern French dioceses reveals that relics can function independently, structuring urban space and identity without traditional hagiographic support. The research compares relic inventories, liturgical manuscripts, and reliquary iconography—such as a 13th-century Toulousan reliquary that visually expands the legend of St. Exupery—to demonstrate how relics can transcend written narratives. Additionally, the absence of prestigious relics in certain cathedrals spurred late medieval hagiographic text creation, highlighting their dual role: both as symbols of power and catalysts for storytelling.

La valoración patrimonial del paisaje cultural cafetero del Tolima, Colombia: retos y estrategias para su conservación y apropiación

Coffee Cultural Landscape of Colombia — 2018 — WHE05B87EFA56

The Coffee Cultural Landscape of Colombia, particularly in the Tolima region, is identified as a critical cultural asset with significant potential for conservation and social cohesion. This study highlights its unique attributes that link nature and culture, offering a model for sustainable land use, climate change adaptation, and environmental stewardship. It also addresses challenges such as generational transition away from coffee cultivation and the need to integrate tourism while preserving traditional practices. The research proposes strategies for territorial planning, risk management, and social reconstruction, positioning the landscape as a key element in post-conflict reconciliation efforts.

La valoración patrimonial del paisaje cultural cafetero del Tolima, Colombia. Retos y estrategias para su conservación y apropiación

Coffee Cultural Landscape of Colombia — 2018 — WHEF5608215C9

Research on the Coffee Cultural Landscape of Colombia identifies it as a vital cultural asset, emphasizing its role in regional identity and sustainable development. The study highlights the landscape's significance for environmental sustainability, climate change adaptation, and social cohesion, particularly in post-conflict reconstruction efforts. It proposes strategies to address challenges such as land use planning, risk management, and generational shifts away from coffee cultivation. By focusing on the cultural-nature linkages of Tolima's coffee landscapes, the research aims to bridge gaps in scientific knowledge about this high-quality agricultural region while fostering community engagement and resilience.

La ville coloniale de Santo-Domingo (République dominicaine), entre patrimonialisation et gentrification

Colonial City of Santo Domingo — 2018 — WHE9363AAC749

Santo Domingo, the 'first city of the New World,' undergoes significant socio-spatial transformations driven by tourism development and gentrification. The study reveals that the city's rich colonial heritage—marked by landmarks like the first convent and university—attracts substantial international tourism, which in turn fuels investment and gentrification, particularly in its historic core. This process reshapes the urban landscape while preserving its cultural significance. The research links tourism growth to these changes, employing a qualitative approach to analyze spatial and social dynamics.

Laboratory Tests of the Fissure Impervious Materials in Longmen Grottoes

Longmen Grottoes — 2018 — WHEF84904F89F

A new generation of impervious materials for fissures in the Longmen Grottoes has been identified through laboratory testing. These modified epoxy resins demonstrate superior performance compared to traditional waterborne epoxy and superfine cement, offering higher strength, lower shrinkage, reduced volatility, and enhanced resistance to acid and alkali corrosion. The study highlights that adding specific adjuvants to the modified epoxy resin significantly improves its durability and comprehensive properties, making it the most effective solution for preventing water seepage—a major cause of grotto degradation. This breakthrough addresses long-standing challenges in cave preservation, offering a more robust alternative to materials previously used.

Lake-level changes and hominin occupations in the arid Turkana basin during volcanic closure of the Omo River outflows to the Indian Ocean

Lower Valley of the Omo — 2018 — WHE1EA5E55B6D

A significant lake-level rise in Lake Turkana, coinciding with volcanic closure of the Omo River outflow to the Indian Ocean between 2.17–1.95 million years ago (Ma), was identified through sedimentary analysis and tephrochronology. This asynchronous phase, occurring during an insolation minimum, resulted in an endorheic lake system characterized by increased alkalinity and a notable archaeological hiatus. The study reconstructed lake levels from 2.4 to 1.7 Ma using sedimentary facies, cyclostratigraphy, and paleochemical properties analyzed via inductively coupled plasma techniques. Findings suggest that hominin coastal occupations resumed during subsequent insolation/eccentricity maxima when Lake Turkana reopened its outflow to the Nile basin, indicating a link between lake dynamics, volcanic activity, and human settlement patterns in the arid Turkana basin.

Land Cover Changes on Ambergris Caye, Belize: A Case Study of Unregulated Tourism Development

Belize Barrier Reef Reserve System — 2018 — WHEE13CF1F410

Between 2000 and 2017, Ambergris Caye, Belize—a key tourist destination within the UNESCO-listed Belize Barrier Reef Reserve System—experienced a significant 10.85% decline in vegetation cover, alongside a 39% increase in urban and barren land, driven by rapid, unregulated development. Using Landsat satellite imagery and unsupervised classification methods, researchers quantified these changes, revealing an annual forest loss rate of 0.67%. This baseline study highlights the environmental impacts of tourism-driven growth on tropical ecosystems, offering critical data for conservation and sustainable planning efforts in the region.

Land cover changes on the West-African coastline from the Saloum Delta (Senegal) to Rio Geba (Guinea-Bissau) between 1979 and 2015

Saloum Delta — 2018 — WHE02674DC3C4

Between the late 1970s and mid-2010s, wooded areas along the West African coastline from Senegal's Saloum Delta to Guinea-Bissau's Rio Geba expanded by 2% in mangroves and 3.5% on dry land, driven primarily by mangrove growth—particularly pronounced in recent decades. This net increase masks significant regressions offset by even greater progressions, with dynamic sectors outpacing stable ones. The study employed LANDSAT TM imagery and undirected classification techniques, enhanced by Principal Component Analysis to refine radiometric contrasts and reclassify misallocated pixels, revealing complex land cover dynamics over 36 years.

Land Subsidence in Coastal Environments: Knowledge Advance in the Venice Coastland by TerraSAR-X PSI

Venice and its Lagoon — 2018 — WHE13EA49B9E7

Advanced satellite-based monitoring reveals millimeter-scale precision in measuring land subsidence in Venice's coastal environment, offering unprecedented insights into both natural and human-induced factors driving ground movement. The study leverages TerraSAR-X Persistent Scatterer Interferometry (PSI), a technique that combines high spatial resolution (3 meters) with short repeat intervals (11 days), to track subsidence across the Venice Lagoon, including its historical center, salt marshes, and areas affected by infrastructure projects like the MoSE barrier. By analyzing data from 2008–2013, researchers achieved vertical accuracy down to the millimeter, even for short-term observations spanning just one year. This breakthrough enhances understanding of subsidence dynamics in Venice, a UNESCO World Heritage Site vulnerable to environmental and anthropogenic pressures.

Landform Recognition in Granite Mountains in East Asia (Seoraksan, Republic of Korea, and Huangshan and Sanqingshan, China) – A Contribution of Geomorphology to the UNESCO World Heritage

Mount Huangshan — 2018 — WHEF6F7FF9170

A comparative geomorphological analysis reveals that Seoraksan, Republic of Korea, possesses unique landform diversity and contemporary dynamic processes not found in the UNESCO World Heritage Sites Huangshan and Sanqingshan, China. The study highlights Seoraksan's outstanding scientific and aesthetic values, including distinctive granite landforms such as domes, fins, bedrock channels, waterfalls, and inherited block fields. This research emphasizes the significance of Seoraksan's geomorphic characteristics for potential UNESCO World Heritage nomination, offering a novel perspective on the global relevance of granite mountain landscapes in East Asia.

Landscape co-management practices and power structures at the UNESCO World Heritage site of Wachau, Austria

Wachau Cultural Landscape — 2018 — WHEBC8A718758

A study on the UNESCO World Heritage site of Wachau, Austria, reveals that while co-management involving civil society, market forces, and authorities can drive cultural sustainability, it also risks reinforcing existing power structures. The research finds that active citizenship contributes significantly to landscape sustainability, yet new governance platforms often mirror old power dynamics, limiting their potential for transformative change. Pluralistic perspectives and tensions, though beneficial, struggle to disrupt entrenched power constellations.

Landscape complexity perception and representation in a wine-growing region with the designation of origin in the Loire Valley (France): a cultural ecosystem service?

The Loire Valley between Sully-sur-Loire and Chalonnes — 2018 — WHE47F29B22A2

Complex, biodiverse landscapes in wine-growing regions can significantly enhance cultural ecosystem services, such as aesthetic appeal and consumer preference for sustainable practices. A study in the 'Coteaux du Layon' designation of geographical origin (DGO) region of the Loire Valley found that visitors highly valued landscape complexity, including soil management practices that support biodiversity, over traditional representations of vineyards or wine bottles. While winegrowers and tourism professionals primarily focused on promoting wine through conventional imagery, consumer preferences indicated a growing demand for sustainable, ecologically rich landscapes. This suggests that integrating agroecological measures—such as vegetation cover in soil management—into landscape planning could boost the attractiveness and sustainability of DGO regions while aligning with market trends.

Landscape-scale distribution of tree roosts of the northern long-eared bat in Mammoth Cave National Park, USA

Mammoth Cave National Park — 2018 — WHE526DCC4AD4

Female northern long-eared bats (Myotis septentrionalis) in Mammoth Cave National Park, USA, predominantly select roost sites within 2000 meters of known hibernacula, favoring higher elevations in mesic upland deciduous forests near water sources and road corridors. This landscape-scale pattern, identified through mist-netting and radiotelemetry from 2015 to 2016, challenges traditional microhabitat-focused conservation strategies by highlighting the importance of broader spatial considerations for effective maternity habitat management. The study underscores the need for empirically-based, large-scale assessments to inform policies aimed at conserving this declining species.

Landslide susceptibility mapping using fuzzy logic and multi-criteria evaluation techniques in the city of Quito, Ecuador

City of Quito — 2018 — WHE8231BE7540

A landslide susceptibility map for Quito, Ecuador, reveals that 5% of the study area faces critical risk, with 19% high, 58% average, and 18% low sensitivity. The research leveraged fuzzy logic and multi-criteria evaluation techniques in GIS to model susceptibility based on historical and field-validated landslide data. Key factors such as topography, geology, precipitation, and vegetation were standardized using a sinusoidal function to assess their correlation with landslides. Validation confirmed the model's accuracy with a 78.4% adjustment rate and a standard error of 0.216, underscoring its reliability for infrastructure planning in high-risk zones like Simón Bolívar Avenue.

Landslides and dam damage resulting from the Jiuzhaigou earthquake (8 August 2017), Sichuan, China

Jiuzhaigou Valley Scenic and Historic Interest Area — 2018 — WHEB09E31771B

A magnitude 7.0 strike-slip earthquake on August 8, 2017, triggered 1780 landslides and damaged two dams at Jiuzhaigou Valley, a UNESCO World Heritage Site in Sichuan, China. The quake, caused by concealed faults, primarily affected the Rize and Shuzheng Valleys, with most landslides being shallow, small-scale events like rockfalls and avalanches. Key factors included slope angle, aspect, seismic faults, and valley trends, alongside hanging wall and back-slope effects. The Nuorilang Waterfall dam suffered damage due to low initial stability, topographic amplification, and excess pore water pressure, while the Huohua Lake dam was breached. Remote sensing and emergency investigations identified failure modes such as wedge rock mass collapse and weathered rock mass failure.