scholarly journals Preliminary Studies on Fungal Contamination of Two Rupestrian Churches from Matera (Southern Italy)

2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (17) ◽  
pp. 6988
Author(s):  
Stefania Mirela Mang ◽  
Laura Scrano ◽  
Ippolito Camele
Keyword(s):  
Fungal Species ◽  
World Heritage Site ◽  
Detailed Knowledge ◽  
Unesco World Heritage ◽  
Isolation And Characterization ◽  
Heritage Site ◽  
Unesco World Heritage Site ◽  
Lecanicillium Psalliotae ◽  
Very High

The Sassi, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and its rupestrian churches, are richly decorated and visited by thousands of visitors every year. It is important to preserve this heritage which shows signs of deterioration due to abiotic and/or biotic factors. Aiming to carry out in the future an environmental-friendly restoration, a screening of the fungi present on walls and frescoes of two rupestrian churches “Santa Lucia alle Malve” and “La Madonna dei derelitti” located, respectively, in the “Sasso Caveoso” and in the “Sasso Barisano” was performed. Isolation and characterization of fungal species from investigated sites was carried out. Total genomic DNA (gDNA) was extracted from pure fungal cultures and subsequently utilized in PCRs using primers that amplify a portion of the ribosomal DNA (ITS5/ITS4) or the β-tubulin gene (Bt2a/Bt2b). The amplicons were directly sequenced. Obtained nucleotide sequences were compared to those present in the GenBank (NCBI) showing a very high similarity (99–100%) with the following species: Parengyodontium album, Alternaria alternata, Cladosporium cladosporioides, Lecanicillium psalliotae, Meyerozyma guilliermondii and Botryotrichum atrogriseum. All sequences from this study were deposited in the EMBL database. Detailed knowledge about fungi isolated from stone is indispensable not only to counter/reduce the structural and aesthetic damage but also to protect the health of both guardians and visitors who may develop different pathologies due to the spores diffused in the environment.

scholarly journals Crag Martin neontology complements taphonomy at the Gorham's Cave Complex

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Keith Bensusan ◽  
Tyson Lee Holmes ◽  
Charles Perez ◽  
Geraldine Finlayson ◽  
Stewart Finlayson ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Fossil Record ◽  
Current Knowledge ◽  
Archaeological Site ◽  
World Heritage Site ◽  
High Fidelity ◽  
Unesco World Heritage ◽  
Heritage Site ◽  
Unesco World Heritage Site ◽  
Very High ◽  
Wintering Population

AbstractSpecies present in the fossil record may continue to exist at an archaeological site, allowing study that fine-tunes our picture of the ecological past. A large wintering population of Eurasian Crag Martins Ptyonoprogne rupestris (ECM) roosts at the ‘Gorham’s Cave Complex’ UNESCO World Heritage site in Gibraltar, which is best known for its occupation by Neanderthals at times when ECMs were also present. Its complex geomorphology allows the study of use of different micro-sites (caves) within the roost. We used mark-recapture to test whether birds showed fidelity to micro-sites for roosting, and for differences in condition of birds across micro-sites. ECM showed very high fidelity towards micro-sites, within and between years, with > 90% chance of recapture at caves where they were first caught. Condition of birds differed between micro-sites, suggesting differences in roost quality between caves; birds were more likely to be recaptured at the micro-site where birds were in best condition, indicating higher survivorship. Our results demonstrate extremely fine-scale fidelity at the largest roosting site documented for ECM globally. Implications for conservation are discussed. The study provides current knowledge of a bird that has been using these caves since the Pleistocene and more generally on these caves as refuges.

scholarly journals CORRECT USE OF COLOR FOR CULTURAL HERITAGE DOCUMENTATION

2019 ◽  
Vol IV-2/W6 ◽  
pp. 107-113 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. Molada-Tebar ◽  
Á. Marqués-Mateu ◽  
J. L. Lerma
Keyword(s):  
Cultural Heritage ◽  
Digital Camera ◽  
World Heritage Site ◽  
Digital Cameras ◽  
Unesco World Heritage ◽  
Heritage Site ◽  
Unesco World Heritage Site ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Rgb Values

<p><strong>Abstract.</strong> Accurate color recording is a fundamental feature for proper cultural heritage documentation, cataloging and preservation. However, the methodology used in most cases limits the results since it is based either on perceptual procedures or on the application of digital enhancement techniques only. The objective of this study is to apply a rigorous procedure for the characterization of cameras based on a second-order polynomial model. Trichromatic digital cameras capture color information in the well-known RGB format. Nevertheless, the signal generated by the digital camera is device dependent. By means of the characterization, we establish the relationship between device-dependent RGB values and the tristimulus coordinates defined by the CIE standard colorimetric observer. Once the camera is characterized, users obtain output images in the sRGB space that is independent of the sensor of the camera. We applied the methodology on a set of pictures targeting Levantine rock art motifs in Cova Civil (Castellón, Spain) which is considered part of a UNESCO World Heritage Site. We used raw image files, with different exposure conditions, with raw RGB values captured by the sensor. The outcomes obtained are satisfactory and very promising for proper color documentation in cultural heritage documentation.</p>

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.

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 Numerical Analysis of an Earthen Masonry Structure Subjected to Blast Loading

CivilEng ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 2 (4) ◽  
pp. 969-985
Author(s):  
Demiana Tse ◽  
João M. Pereira ◽  
Paulo B. Lourenço
Keyword(s):  
Damage Index ◽  
Damage Threshold ◽  
Impulsive Loading ◽  
World Heritage Site ◽  
Unesco World Heritage ◽  
Damage Level ◽  
Heritage Site ◽  
Pressure Profiles ◽  
Unesco World Heritage Site ◽  
Explicit Dynamic

Historic monuments and construction capture the knowledge of civilizations of the past and are a source of pride for people of the present. Over the centuries, these buildings have been at risk from natural and man-made causes. The Alhambra, a UNESCO World Heritage Site in Granada, Spain, is one of such places. This paper aims to evaluate the structural performance of the Torre de la Vela, a tower in the Alhambra, under blast loads. The loads were based on historical records of barrels of gunpowder and were modeled as simplified pressure profiles using existing empirical equations. The effect of impulsive loading on the material properties was accounted for using dynamic increase factors, determined experimentally by previous authors. The model was created using finite element methods (FEM) and the problem was solved using explicit dynamic analysis available in Abaqus/Explicit. Using the failure volume damage index, a blast load applied outside and inside of the building would create a low damage level, which should be treated with caution given the occurrence of localized damage. The removal of elements exceeding a given damage threshold led to more visible damage patterns than the Concrete Tension Damage option in Abaqus.

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