scholarly journals Vegetation Growth Analysis of UNESCO World Heritage Hyrcanian Forests Using Multi-Sensor Optical Remote Sensing Data

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (19) ◽  
pp. 3965
Author(s):  
Suyash Khare ◽  
Hooman Latifi ◽  
Siddhartha Khare
Keyword(s):  
Environmental Parameters ◽  
World Heritage ◽  
Google Earth ◽  
Monthly Precipitation ◽  
Optical Remote Sensing ◽  
Northern Iran ◽  
Unesco World Heritage ◽  
Vegetation Growth ◽  
Modis Ndvi ◽  
Hyrcanian Forests

Freely available satellite data at Google Earth Engine (GEE) cloud platform enables vegetation phenology analysis across different scales very efficiently. We evaluated seasonal and annual phenology of the old-growth Hyrcanian forests (HF) of northern Iran covering an area of ca. 1.9 million ha, and also focused on 15 UNESCO World Heritage Sites. We extracted bi-weekly MODIS-NDVI between 2017 and 2020 in GEE, which was used to identify the range of NDVI between two temporal stages. Then, changes in phenology and growth were analyzed by Sentinel 2-derived Temporal Normalized Phenology Index. We modelled between seasonal phenology and growth by additionally considering elevation, surface temperature, and monthly precipitation. Results indicated considerable difference in onset of forests along the longitudinal gradient of the HF. Faster growth was observed in low- and uplands of the western zone, whereas it was lower in both the mid-elevations and the western outskirts. Longitudinal range was a major driver of vegetation growth, to which environmental factors also differently but significantly contributed (p < 0.0001) along the west-east gradient. Our study developed at GEE provides a benchmark to examine the effects of environmental parameters on the vegetation growth of HF, which cover mountainous areas with partly no or limited accessibility.

scholarly journals Diversity and Gradient Analysis of Common Yew (Taxus Baccata L.) Communities in Eastern Hyrcanian Forests, Northern Iran

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Omid Esmailzadeh ◽  
Meysam Soofi ◽  
Pari Karami
Keyword(s):  
Expert Knowledge ◽  
Environmental Gradients ◽  
Soil Depth ◽  
Environmental Parameters ◽  
Clay Content ◽  
Taxus Baccata ◽  
Northern Iran ◽  
Diagnostic Species ◽  
Hyrcanian Forests ◽  
Species Combination

Abstract Aims: To outline syntaxonomical synthesis of yew (Taxus baccata L.) in the eastern of Hyrcanian forest and to identify their main environmental gradients. Location: Jahan-Nama protected area (JNPA) as a unique yew population with heterogeneous floristically composition in the east of Hyrcanian forests, Northern Iran. Methods: Vegetation units were classified using modified TWINSPAN and were translated into syntaxonomic system. Syntaxa were determined by re-arrangement of each relevé based on diagnostic species occurrences and expert knowledge with the aim to increase the floristic distinctiveness of vegetation units. Syntaxa were finally evaluated by diagnostic species and environmental parameters according to phi- values and ANOVA, respectively. DCA was used to visualize the dissimilarity of syntaxa and their relationships with the environmental factors. We also used species combination concept for determining diagnostic species in the second association. Results: The classification of JNPA yew forests resulted in 6 Vegetation unites. These patterns were translated into four associations, two sub-associations and two variants. (Asso.1) Fago orientalis-Taxetum baccatae is found in northern aspects with lower slopes and higher soil depth; (Asso.2) Aceri velutini-Taxetum baccatae is occurring in the moderate but rocky slopes. Asso.1 and Asso.2 are the same in altitude and involving Carpinus betulus as a co-dominant. (Asso.3) Carpino betuli-Carpino orientale-Taxetum baccatae developed in the intermediate slopes. (Asso.4) Carpino orientale -Taxetum baccatae appeared in the highest slope of northeast and northwest aspects with shallow soil depth. The main factors determining the species composition of the JNPA syntaxa are slope, eastness, elevation and clay content. Conclusions: Our study provides the first syntaxonomic of yew communities in east of Hyrcanian forests and it also used the concept of species combination for exploring diagnostic species for proposing Carpino betuli- Carpino orientale- Taxetum baccatae association. We also showed that yew could be associated with different plant species which are distributing in different site suitability. It caused to have various yew syntaxa in JNPA and considerably reiterate high floristically and ecologically capacity of this area.

UNESCO World Heritage and Kosovo Towards a Tentative List for Kosovo

2016 ◽  
Vol 5 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-10
Author(s):  
Caroline Jaeger Klein
Keyword(s):  
World Heritage ◽  
Architectural Heritage ◽  
Unesco World Heritage ◽  
Serbia And Montenegro

In 2015, Kosovo tried to join UNESCO and failed by three quotes. Is Kosovo ready for its UNESCO membership? At least for its national architectural heritage, this question is to answer with no. The intensively discussed issue of the medieval monuments of Kosovo inscribed as UNESCO World Heritage by Serbia and Montenegro before the declaration of independency in 2008 and their further management through Kosovo is just one aspect. More troubling is that the rather young state not yet could establish sufficient structures to gain a systematic inventory of its monuments, sites and historic ensembles, nor to extract a tentative list for UNESCO out of such an encompassing inventory. This article intends to clarify the definitions of World Heritage, the institutions and NGO’s involved, the mechanisms and philosophies behind. What is the urgent homework for Kosovo? Which national and international groups of experts Kosovo has to name and make responsible for the systemic inventory of its architectural heritage and for creating a tentative list? What is the role and importance of ICOMOS in that process? Which other stakeholders have to be Identified and educated towards that issue?</p><p>Based on such general considerations the author tries to design finally a preliminary tentative list for the architectural heritage of Kosovo. Hence, not the list itself is of importance but the discussion of the pro and contra arguments for single candidates.

Provincia di Belluno. Tracce di contemporaneità / Province of Belluno. Traces of contemporaneity

ARCHALP ◽  
2018 ◽  
pp. 174-179
Author(s):  
Francesca Bogo
Keyword(s):  
Case Studies ◽  
World Heritage ◽  
Cultural Resistance ◽  
Unesco World Heritage ◽  
Regulatory Constraints ◽  
Landscape Quality ◽  
Historical Heritage ◽  
Contemporary Architecture ◽  
And Diffusion

The Province of Belluno is home of great human and landscape quality and of the beautiful Dolomites, UNESCO World Heritage. How experiences of contemporary architecture fit and how are promoted in this context? It can be said that contemporary architecture does not attract a big audience. This is despite the constant efforts by various bodies and associations to promote its diffusion and development through competitions, conferences, workshops and case studies. In the Belluno region, apart from the extraordinary extant historical heritage, there are widespread examples of new architecture known as “false alpine models” or architecture that has erroneously become typical of the Province’s image. This is the reason why this new architecture with its range of peculiarities is widely reiterated, from north to south of the area. Even though buildings of this type lack any real ties with history or tradition, they find widespread approval by institutions and commissions. They are the result of repetitive practices deriving from constraints imposed by local regulations and a limited aptitude in the use of contemporary language of architecture. Even if the barometer of the vitality of contemporary architecture in the region of Belluno is rather lukewarm, dampened by cultural resistance and by regulatory constraints affecting its growth and diffusion, there is no lack of experiences, initiatives and achievements. The latter is evidence of the fact that where research and the use of contemporary languages are accompanied by the opinions of enlightened patrons, good architecture is born, which find space in the arena of national and international architectural debate. Examples of good architecture, even though limited in number, are distributed across the Province and constitute heritage and the focus for promoting and consolidating the growth and dissemination of contemporary architecture throughout the area.

INHERITING THE CITY: HISTORIC URBAN LANDSCAPE OF GEORGE TOWN UNESCO WORLD HERITAGE SITE

2018 ◽  
Vol 16 (5) ◽  
Author(s):  
Rohayah Che Amat
Keyword(s):  
Local Community ◽  
Urban Landscape ◽  
World Heritage ◽  
World Heritage Site ◽  
Unesco World Heritage ◽  
Landscape Values ◽  
Heritage Site ◽  
Unesco World Heritage Site ◽  
Community Evaluation ◽  
George Town

This research presents the value of historic urban landscape (HUL) elements in influencing the character of George Town UNESCO World Heritage Site (WHS), Penang, Malaysia. The values were perceived by the local community of different social-cultural groups that occupied the study area. The historic urban landscape elements constitute towards the protection of its townscape. The identification of the heritage elements influenced by the community interaction with their environment. This study also helps to define the character of a place, as well as reflecting its historical significance. The study adopted four techniques to gather both qualitative and quantitative data, including questionnaire survey, in-depth interview, visual survey and content analysis. In general, the local community has the capability in valuing the historic urban landscape values. The outcomes of their perceptions became the statement of the historic urban landscape values, which are expected to lead to the development of the areas. The community evaluation and perception can be expanded in implementing any development of the historic urban area by the authority.

The 1972 UNESCO World Heritage Convention

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Amy Strecker
Keyword(s):  
Cultural Landscapes ◽  
World Heritage ◽  
Unesco World Heritage ◽  
Spatial Justice ◽  
Landscape Governance ◽  
World Heritage Convention ◽  
The World ◽  
The One ◽  
Conceptual Dependency ◽  
Landscape Protection

Chapter 5 analyses the evolving conception and protection of landscape in the World Heritage Convention. First, it traces the development of landscape protection from its early conceptual dependency on nature, to the incorporation of ‘cultural landscapes’ within the Convention’s scope in 1992. It then discusses the typology of cultural landscapes, issues of representativeness and the implications of the Word Heritage system for landscape protection globally, as well as locally. In this regard, a number of cases are analysed which, on the one hand, support the World Heritage Convention’s instrumental role in landscape governance, but which on the other, highlight the problems involved in ascribing World Heritage status to living landscapes from a spatial justice perspective.

scholarly journals The Wadden Sea as a National Park and UNESCO World Heritage Site: Students’ Word Associations with These Two Conservation Designations

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (14) ◽  
pp. 8006
Author(s):  
Till Schmäing ◽  
Norbert Grotjohann
Keyword(s):  
National Parks ◽  
National Park ◽  
Wadden Sea ◽  
World Heritage ◽  
World Heritage Site ◽  
Unesco World Heritage ◽  
Word Associations ◽  
Heritage Site ◽  
Unesco World Heritage Site ◽  
Significant Difference

The Wadden Sea ecosystem is unique in many respects from a biological perspective. This is one reason why it is protected by national parks in Germany and by its designation as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. In biology didactics, there are only a few studies that focus on the Wadden Sea. This work investigates students’ word associations with the two stimulus words “national park” and “UNESCO World Heritage Site”. The survey was conducted among students living directly at the Wadden Sea and among students from the inland. The analysis of the identified associations (n = 8345) was carried out within the framework of a quantitative content analysis to be able to present and discuss the results on a group level. A statistically significant difference was found between the two groups. Overall, results showed that the students made subject-related associations as well as a large number of associations to both stimulus words that could be judged as non-subject-related. In some cases, a connection with the region of residence could be found, but this was not generally the case. Even students’ immediate residential proximity to the Wadden Sea is no guarantee that they have knowledge of the two considered protection terms.

scholarly journals Variation in Vegetation and Its Driving Force in the Middle Reaches of the Yangtze River in China

Water ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (15) ◽  
pp. 2036
Author(s):  
Yang Yi ◽  
Bin Wang ◽  
Mingchang Shi ◽  
Zekun Meng ◽  
Chen Zhang
Keyword(s):  
Yangtze River ◽  
Remote Sensing Data ◽  
Slope Aspect ◽  
The Yangtze River ◽  
Vegetation Growth ◽  
Modis Ndvi ◽  
Sunshine Hours ◽  
Ndvi Time Series ◽  
Temporal And Spatial Characteristics ◽  
Afforestation Policy

The temporal and spatial characteristics of vegetation in the middle reaches of the Yangtze River (MRYR) were analyzed from 1999 to 2015 by trend analysis, co-integration analysis, partial correlation analysis, and spatial analysis using MODIS-NDVI time series remote sensing data. The average NDVI of the MRYR increased from 0.72 to 0.80, and nearly two-thirds of the vegetation showed a significant trend of improvement. At the inter-annual scale, the relationship between NDVI and meteorological factors was not significant in most areas. At the inter-monthly scale, NDVI was almost significantly correlated with precipitation, relative humidity, and sunshine hours, and the effect of precipitation and sunshine hours on NDVI showed a pronounced lag. When the altitude was less than 2500 m, NDVI increased with elevation. NDVI increased gradually as the slope increased and decreased gradually as the slope aspect changed from north to south. NDVI decreased as the population density and per capita GDP increased and was significantly positively correlated with afforestation policy. These findings provide new insights into the effects of climate change and human activities on vegetation growth.

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