Conservation Science

The aftermath of World War II (WWII) left numerous European cities devastated, necessitating extensive reconstruction efforts to restore their urban fabric. The city of Poznań, located in western Poland, was no exception, as it bore witness to widespread destruction during the war. In this abstract, we delve into the role of photography in documenting the ruins of Poznań after WWII and how these visual records have contributed to the city's subsequent reconstruction. This research explores the visual representations of post-war ruins in Poznań through the lens of documentary photography. By examining archival photographs, contemporary accounts, and historical narratives, we aim to analyse the significance of these images in understanding the extent of the destruction and the subsequent efforts to rebuild the city. The abstract highlights the inherent power of photography to capture the raw reality of urban devastation, conveying the magnitude of the challenges faced by the city's inhabitants in the aftermath of war. Furthermore, it sheds light on the ways in which photographic documentation played a crucial role in informing reconstruction initiatives, acting as a visual guide for architects, urban planners and policymakers. Drawing from the rich visual archive of post-war Poznań, this study showcases how photographs served as a valuable resource for documenting architectural losses, mapping destroyed areas and preserving cultural heritage. By juxtaposing historical photographs with contemporary images, we examine how the city's landscape has evolved over time, tracing the progression from ruins to reconstruction.

In the article, the authors discussed the course in the subject of heritage protection, including the conservation of historic buildings and placing new objects within historically formed development, at the Faculty of Architecture of the Poznan University of Technology. The authors emphasise the importance of analysing the composition of historical buildings' elevations existing in the vicinity of the designed object. Capturing the main compositional structures and guidelines of the facades of historical objects is difficult, and hence the authors show different ways to achieve this, emphasising different ways of observing the object and graphically recording the layout of the composition and later using these effects in the design stage. The aim is to acquire and improve the ability to fit the designed object into its historic context.

The concept of the post-war reconstruction of many Eastern European cities, shaped as a result of the actions of German town planners at the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries, in many cases consisted of negation, non-continuation or abandonment of previously set development directions. The subject of studies in this text will be the city of Poznań, which continued to develop in the post-war period on the basis of spatial arrangement created as a result of actions of Joseph Stübben in the years [1902][1903][1904][1905][1906][1907][1908][1909][1910][1911][1912][1913][1914][1915][1916][1917][1918].The post-war reconstruction of the city after 1945 preserved its main urban layout created during the modernization period with the participation of a German town planner. The structure of the city preserved in this way consisted mainly of multi-family residential buildings. Urban planning and architectural activities as part of the reconstruction of the city after 1945 were aimed at continuing this concept. A critical analysis of these activities is planned in the following text. Housing construction was an important matter in the period of socialism in Eastern Europe, which on the one hand, supported propaganda activities, but on the other hand, increased the prestige of the authorities, which contributed funds to building new houses for the so-called "working class". "The investor on behalf of the state were housing cooperatives, which were responsible for the preparation of project documentation, which was ordered from state design offices. The post-war reconstruction of the city of Poznań, with the use of complementary buildings, became an interesting experimental field for architects and town planners. The research presented in the text will aim to refer to the creative attitudes of the time, as well as to confront the activities on these issues carried out during the communist period and in the post-1989 period. The aforementioned urban and architectural activities can be treated as an important element of the concept of heritage protection, seen through the prism of over 100 years of history of the concept of a modern city created by Joseph Stübben at the beginning of the 20th century.

Il volume è stato finanziato con i fondi FARB (Fondi di Ateneo per la Ricerca di Base) 2023 dell'Università degli Studi di Salerno, nell'ambito del progetto ORSA230002, responsabile scientifico Nicol Maria Mocchi. La pubblicazione ha superato la procedura di valutazione della Commissione finanziamento iniziative culturali e pubblicazioni del Dipartimento di Scienze del Patrimonio Culturale (Di-SPaC) della medesima università. L'editore è a disposizione per eventuali diritti non riconosciuti.

A scrapbook compiled between 1660 and 1687 by Gesina ter Borch (1631–1690), a female artist from the small town of Zwolle in the Netherlands, contains an intriguing painting on paper of a full-length portrait of a young Iranian. Although the figure wears the attributes in vogue at the Safavid court of Isfahan, certain elements seem rather incongruous and peculiar. The general composition appears static and rigid, an impression reinforced by an unusual black painted background. Stylistic differences within the painting were also observed, hinting at alterations to the original painting. To investigate the history of the painting and to reconstruct the original composition and identify the later additions, perhaps made by Gesina herself, the painting was examined with different imaging and analytic techniques available at the Conservation and Science Department of the Rijksmuseum. This allowed the research team to discriminate between pigments used for the original composition and pig...

Human footprint models allow visualization of human spatial pressure across the globe. Up until now, Antarctica has been omitted from global footprint models, due possibly to the lack of a permanent human population and poor accessibility to necessary datasets. Yet Antarctic ecosystems face increasing cumulative impacts from the expanding tourism industry and national Antarctic operator activities, the management of which could be improved with footprint assessment tools. Moreover, Antarctic ecosystem dynamics could be modelled to incorporate human drivers. Here we present the first model of estimated human footprint across predominantly ice-free areas of Antarctica. To facilitate integration into global models, the Antarctic model was created using methodologies applied elsewhere with land use, density and accessibility features incorporated. Results showed that human pressure is clustered predominantly in the Antarctic Peninsula, southern Victoria Land and several areas of East Antarctica. To demonstrate the practical application of the footprint model, it was used to investigate the potential threat to Antarctica's avifauna by local human activities. Relative footprint values were recorded for all 204 of Antarctica's Important Bird Areas (IBAs) identified by BirdLife International and the Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research (SCAR). Results indicated that formal protection of avifauna under the Antarctic Treaty System has been unsystematic and is lacking for penguin and flying bird species in some of the IBAs most vulnerable to human activity and impact. More generally, it is hoped that use of this human footprint model may help Antarctic Treaty Consultative Meeting policy makers in their decision making concerning avifauna protection and other issues including cumulative impacts, environmental monitoring, non-native species and terrestrial area protection.

This paper aims to document the conservation processes of a polychrome wooden coffin in the Dahshur archaeological area dating back to the late period. The exterior part of the coffin is decorated with a painted layer. Visual observation, 2D Program, and Optical Microscopy (OM) were used. wood identification. The coffin was in a bad condition. It was covered with a thick layer of dust, losing parts of the painted and gesso layers, as well as other parts of these layers, were lost. Some parts were missing from the head area of the lid coffin. The conservation processes of the wooden coffin included mechanical and chemical cleaning, reattachment of the separated parts of the ground layer and painted layers, filling the edge of the painted layer, and consolidating the painted layer. The conservation process included mechanical cleaning using soft brushes, chemical cleaning using ethyl alcohol and distilled water for painting, stabilization of the separated gesso layer using Paraloid B72, filling cracks of the gesso layers using glass microballoon with Paraloid B72 and consolidating the painted layer with calcium oxide nanoparticles with Klucel G (hydroxypropyl cellulose) 0. 5%

This paper describes the results of a multi-technological analytical protocol performed on the painted surface of an Egyptian wooden coffin and documents the conservation processes of a wooden coffin covered with a black resin layer and coloured materials in Dahshur Archaeological Area dating back to the late period. It uses visual observation, optical microscopy (OM), technical imaging, 2D and 3D programmes, and a scan made using an electron microscope coupled with an Energy Dispersive X-ray (SEM-EDX), X-ray diffraction (XRD). Wood identification was also carried out. The results showed the use of yellow ochre for the yellow painted layer; the ground layer was calcium carbonate with gypsum, and the fabric layer was linen. The conservation processes of the wooden coffin included mechanical and chemical cleaning; reassembling the separated wooden parts, ground layer, and black resin layers; filling the edge of the ground layer; and consolidating the wood, black resin, and painted layer. The conservation processes included mechanical cleaning using soft brushes, chemical cleaning using xylene and distilled water for the black resin layer and ethyl alcohol and distilled water for the painted layer, stabilisation of the separated ground layer using Paraloid B72, filling the cracks of the ground layers using glass microballoons with Paraloid B72, and consolidating the painted layer with nano-silica with Klucel G (hydroxypropyl cellulose) (0.5% concentration).

The conservation community is increasingly focusing on the monitoring and evaluation of management, governance, ecological, and social considerations as part of a broader move toward adaptive management and evidence-based conservation. Evidence is any information that can be used to come to a conclusion and support a judgment or, in this case, to make decisions that will improve conservation policies, actions, and outcomes. Perceptions are one type of information that is often dismissed as anecdotal by those arguing for evidence-based conservation. In this paper, I clarify the contributions of research on perceptions of conservation to improving adaptive and evidence-based conservation. Studies of the perceptions of local people can provide important insights into observations, understandings and interpretations of the social impacts and ecological outcomes of conservation; the legitimacy of conservation governance; and the social acceptability of environmental management. Perceptions of these factors contribute to positive or negative local evaluations of conservation initiatives. It is positive perceptions, not just objective scientific evidence of effectiveness, that ultimately ensure the support of local constituents thus enabling the long-term success of conservation. Research on perceptions can inform courses of action to improve conservation and governance at scales ranging from individual initiatives to national and international policies. Better incorporation of evidence from across the social and natural sciences and integration of a plurality of methods into monitoring and evaluation will provide a more complete picture on which to base conservation decisions and environmental management.

The topic of this study is the mineralogical and petrographic characterization of lime-based mortars of Hellenistic-Roman age (3rd century BCE), collected from a residential area located in the present historical centre of Palermo, near the remains of the Punic-Roman walls. The collected mortars have been analyzed by optical microscopy, X-ray powder diffraction analysis and scanning electron microscopy, coupled with energy-dispersive spectrometry. The aim of the study was the characterization of the mortars as pertaining to their aggregate and binder composition, aggregate size distribution and aggregate/binder ratio, so as to establish the provenance of raw materials and acquire information useful in terms of formulating suitable restoration mortars. The mineralogical and petrographic investigations allowed to recognize four different recipes used for the formulation of the studied mortars. The aggregate is made up of different proportions of alluvial calcareous and siliceous sands or, in some cases, by 'cocciopesto' -opus signinum. Aerial lime-based mortars have been attested for the majority of the wall coatings and decorations subject to analysis. Furthermore, an unusual mosaic flooring, manufactured with tesserae obtained from overfired, locally produced limestone scraps, was attested. The sandy aggregate was quarried from the coastal alluvial deposits of the river Oreto, whose estuary is situated in the vicinity of the ancient city walls. The binder was primarily produced by the calcination of locally available limestones, lacking in magnesium carbonate. It presents a satisfactory technological similarity with two roughly coeval manufactures, located in western Sicily and relating to the aggregate, as well as the mortars manufactured for the purpose of decorating the historical palaces of Palermo. This in turn indicates a remarkable continuity regarding the selection of locally available raw materials, an aspect mainly dictated by their qualitative characteristics.

Gesù e lo fece flagellare. E i soldati, intrecciata una corona di spine, gliela posero sul capo e gli misero addosso un mantello di porpora; quindi gli venivano davanti e gli dicevano: Salve, re dei Giudei!" (Vangelo di Giovanni 19:1-3) "L'opera d'arte rende noto q u a l c o s ' a l t r o , r i v e l a q u a l c o s ' a l t r o : è allegoria. Alla cosa fabbricata l'opera d'arte unisce anche qualcos'altro. Unire si dice in greco συµβάλλειν. L'opera d'arte è simbolo. Allegoria e s i m b o l o c o s t i t u i s c o n o il campo entro cui si muove, g i à d a t e m p o , l a caratterizzazione dell'opera d'arte". 1 I dipinti di Sebastiano del Piombo sono spesso giudicati dalla critica d'arte, poco d i n a m i c i , r a l l e n t a t i , atemporali e non narrativi. Queste qualità, tuttavia, non v e n g o n o s o l i t a m e n t e i n t e r p r e t a t e i n m o d o positivo. 2 Sebastiano Luciani, detto in tarda età Sebastiano del Piombo (1485-1547), non risulta essere stato un fervente cattolico, tuttavia fu attento osservatore e testimone di un mondo che stava per tramontare, quello caratterizzato dal desiderio di una riforma della chiesa romana che andasse nella direzione delle dottrine fondamentali affermate dai riformatori protestanti d'oltrealpe.

The impact of solvent residues in solvent-based acrylics
on the results of Oddy tests for corrosivity was examined.
Solvents can distort Oddy test results, leading to
false-positive or false-negative outcomes. Acetates such
as ethyl acetate and n-butyl acetate can cause corrosion
by hydrolysis into acetic acid and alcohol. A comparison
of the drying methods showed that heat drying at 60°C
for 14 days is suitable for most acrylic solutions. However,
particularly for slow-drying solutions, longer drying times
may be required. The results suggest that the use of acetates
as solvents should be avoided in conservation.

A spearhead of archaeological and cultural significance has been found and analysed in Serbia. In the corrosion products of the artefact, the dominant phases were goethite (αFeO(OH)) and magnetite (Fe3O4) whose presence explains a good preservation of the base metal, iron, over the centuries and the artefact stability after excavation. Besides goethite and magnetite, the corrosion products were identified to contain, to a lesser extent, less stable lepidocrocite (γ-FeO(OH)) and the phases that come from the rocks and soil from the surrounding environment (plagioclase). The phases containing chloride ions were not detected in the corrosion products (akaganéite, β-Fe8O8(OH)8Cl1.35), which indirectly indicates that the content of chloride ions was not significant in the underground exploitation conditions. The lack of chloride ions also contributed to the corrosion stability of the artefact during the period after excavation.

This paper presents the results of an interdisciplinary research that was carried out at the Friars Minor church in Brzeg. Firstly, the monastery and church architecture are discussed and reference sources are analysed. The authors' considerations are based on architectural and archaeological research, on the analysis of technology, construction material and architectural detail as well as on iconographic studies the authors have carried out. They form the grounds for the presentation of the medieval church that consisted of a three-span chancel and a twoaisle four-span nave, which was built at the end of the 13 th century. The church was subjected to transformations in two phases. During the first phase, in the 2 nd half of the 14 th century, an altar bay was added and the south aisle was enlarged. During the second phase, at the turn of the 15 th and 16 th centuries, the church was reconstructed after a fire. In the summary, the authors set the stylistic transformations of church architecture in the context of the trends that developed in Silesia in the Middles Ages.

The article presents a model process of rescuing a historic object important for the cultural heritage of Silesia. The process under discussion includes a presentation of the history of the establishment and transformation of the Abbey of the Magdalene Sisters in Szprotawa from the first half of the 14 th century to the beginning of the 20 th century and its adaptation to a museum. The introduction presents historical, source, and literature research. The results of a detailed architectural study of the monastery building are presented. These became the basis for detailed conservation recommendations and the restoration project. The conservation work carried out made it possible to save this valuable building and adapt it for the Szprotawa Regional Museum. The conclusion presents the process of research, revalorization, and adaptation of the former Magdanek monastery against the background of the revalorization of other historic monuments.

Development projects in west Central Africa are proceeding at an unprecedented rate, often with little concern for their effects on biodiversity. In an attempt to better understand potential impacts of a road development project on the anuran amphibian community, we conducted a biodiversity assessment employing multiple methodologies (visual encounter transects, auditory surveys, leaf litter plots and pitfall traps) to inventory species prior to construction of a new road within the buffer zone of Moukalaba-Doudou National Park, Gabon. Because of difficulties in morphological identification and taxonomic uncertainty of amphibian species observed in the area, we integrated a DNA barcoding analysis into the project to improve the overall quality and accuracy of the species inventory. Based on morphology alone, 48 species were recognized in the field and voucher specimens of each were collected. We used tissue samples from specimens collected at our field site, material available from ...

Multi-band technical imaging (MBTI) is widely used as an established method for art examination. Although the diverse techniques that are employed have their own specific importance, if the many results in experimental hybrid images are confronted with one another they provide much more information. The main objective of this paper is to show the usefulness of the technique for a holistic understanding of a portrait of the King Carlos IV. More specifically, MBTI is intended to help in the reconstruction of the artist's painting process, by revealing physical traces of the creation and execution of the portrait (ductus and brushstrokes, alterations, underdrawing and staining, pictorial composition process, changes and Pentimenti, inpaintings, pigment identification, etc.). For this case study, such information is necessary to delve into the painter's work process, revealing some characteristics that make it unique, finally allowing the proper identification and attribution of the portrait.

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This paper deals with the formulation of innovative mortars for the consolidation of archeological structures in underwater environment. The research was conducted within the frame of the MaTaCoS project (Advanced materials and technologies applied to the conservation of underwater cultural heritage) funded by MISE (Italian Ministry of Economic Development). The project concerns the design of advanced tools and methods for the protection of Underwater Cultural Heritage, through specific cleaning and consolidating procedures to be applied directly in situ. The fishpond of the archaeological site of Castrum Novum (Santa Marinella, Rome, Italy) was chosen as a pilot site for experimentation. It is a structure on the coastline, composed of only one tank, with an average immersion of 0.37 m below the sea level, and developing with an NE/SW orientation. The masonry structures reach the maximum thickness at the apex of the fishpond (4.70 m) and consist of a concrete conglomerate composed o...

Poster prestato nella giornata di studi "Sotto il segno del Capricorno: la pittura in età adrianea", Santuario di Ercole Vincitore, Tivoli, 21 febbraio 2025, a cura di ANDREA BRUCIATI con VERONICA FONDI, Istituto Villa Adriana e Villa d’Este – VILLÆ.

Background: An understanding of the conservation status of Madagascar's endemic reptile species is needed to underpin conservation planning and priority setting in this global biodiversity hotspot, and to complement existing information on the island's mammals, birds and amphibians. We report here on the first systematic assessment of the extinction risk of endemic and native non-marine Malagasy snakes, lizards, turtles and tortoises. Methodology/Principal Findings: Species range maps from The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species were analysed to determine patterns in the distribution of threatened reptile species. These data, in addition to information on threats, were used to identify priority areas and actions for conservation. Thirty-nine percent of the data-sufficient Malagasy reptiles in our analyses are threatened with extinction. Areas in the north, west and south-east were identified as having more threatened species than expected and are therefore conservation priorities. Habitat degradation caused by wood harvesting and nontimber crops was the most pervasive threat. The direct removal of reptiles for international trade and human consumption threatened relatively few species, but were the primary threats for tortoises. Nine threatened reptile species are endemic to recently created protected areas. Conclusions/Significance: With a few alarming exceptions, the threatened endemic reptiles of Madagascar occur within the national network of protected areas, including some taxa that are only found in new protected areas. Threats to these species, however, operate inside and outside protected area boundaries. This analysis has identified priority sites for reptile conservation and completes the conservation assessment of terrestrial vertebrates in Madagascar which will facilitate conservation planning, monitoring and wise-decision making. In sharp contrast with the amphibians, there is significant reptile diversity and regional endemism in the southern and western regions of Madagascar and this study highlights the importance of these arid regions to conserving the island's biodiversity.

Humans always relate to animals and they are, in fact, quite central to most people’s everyday existence rather than simply background to human lives. Domesticated animals are powerful symbols of place and ways of life and livelihood. Yak has been an important part of the traditional life of the people living in the highlands of Sikkim. The domestication of Yaks long has sustained the practice of pastoralism in the highlands of Lachen-Lachung in Northern Sikkim, Gnathang-Kupup in East Sikkim, and the KNP region of West Sikkim. Several ethnic communities are highly dependent on the yak for their day-to-day livelihood option. Providing sustenance to human lives to represent cultural symbology, yak has always held out as an important agent to maintain the pastoral landscape and the traditions it follows. This paper discusses the issues related to Yak rearing as it is now been facing a series of challenges imposed by both nature and humans together pushing it toward the verge of disappearance.

The native forests of Borneo have been impacted by selective logging, fire, and conversion to plantations at unprecedented scales since industrial-scale extractive industries began in the early 1970s. There is no island-wide documentation of forest clearance or logging since the 1970s. This creates an information gap for conservation planning, especially with regard to selectively logged forests that maintain high conservation potential. Analysing LANDSAT images, we estimate that 75.7% (558,060 km 2 ) of Borneo's area (737,188 km 2 ) was forested around 1973. Based upon a forest cover map for 2010 derived using ALOS-PALSAR and visually reviewing LANDSAT images, we estimate that the 1973 forest area had declined by 168,493 km 2 (30.2%) in 2010. The highest losses were recorded in Sabah and Kalimantan with 39.5% and 30.7% of their total forest area in 1973 becoming non-forest in 2010, and the lowest in Brunei and Sarawak (8.4%, and 23.1%). We estimate that the combined area planted in industrial oil palm and timber plantations in 2010 was 75,480 km 2 , representing 10% of Borneo. We mapped 271,819 km of primary logging roads that were created between 1973 and 2010. The greatest density of logging roads was found in Sarawak, at 0.89 km km 22 , and the lowest density in Brunei, at 0.18 km km 22 . Analyzing MODIS-based tree cover maps, we estimate that logging operated within 700 m of primary logging roads. Using this distance, we estimate that 266,257 km 2 of 1973 forest cover has been logged. With 389,566 km 2 (52.8%) of the island remaining forested, of which 209,649 km 2 remains intact. There is still hope for biodiversity conservation in Borneo. Protecting logged forests from fire and conversion to plantations is an urgent priority for reducing rates of deforestation in Borneo.

Species conservation is difficult. Threats to species are typically high and immediate. Effective solutions for counteracting these threats, however, require synthesis of high quality evidence, appropriately targeted activities, typically costly implementation, and rapid re-evaluation and adaptation. Conservation management can be ineffective if there is insufficient understanding of the complex ecological, political, socio-cultural, and economic factors that underlie conservation threats. When information about these factors is incomplete, conservation managers may be unaware of the most urgent threats or unable to envision all consequences of potential management strategies. Conservation research aims to address the gap between what is known and what knowledge is needed for effective conservation. Such research, however, generally addresses a subset of the factors that underlie conservation threats, producing a limited, simplistic, and often biased view of complex, real world situations. A combination of approaches is required to provide the complete picture necessary to engage in effective conservation. Orangutan conservation (Pongo spp.) offers an example: standard conservation assessments employ survey methods that focus on ecological variables, but do not usually address the sociocultural factors that underlie threats. Here, we evaluate a complementary survey method based on interviews of nearly 7,000 people in 687 villages in Kalimantan, Indonesia. We address areas of potential methodological weakness in such surveys, including sampling and questionnaire design, respondent biases, statistical analyses, and sensitivity of resultant inferences. We show that interview-based surveys can provide cost-effective and statistically robust methods to better understand poorly known populations of species that are relatively easily identified by local people. Such surveys provide reasonably reliable estimates of relative presence and relative encounter rates of such species, as well as quantifying the main factors that threaten them. We recommend more extensive use of carefully designed and implemented interview surveys, in conjunction with more traditional field methods.

The state of preservation of the Cartonnage collection stored in the basement of the Egyptian museum in Cairo, is very poor; it is suffering biodeterioration as a result of inappropriate storage. The analytical techniques utilized in this study : optical microscopy (OM), Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) equipped with an energy dispersive X-ray detector (EDS), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopes (FTIR). These analytical techniques aim to specify the layer structure of the cartonnage (preparation layer, painted layer and gilded layer),they also identify the adhesives used to paste the layers of textile and in binding pigments and gilding. The treatment plan started with consolidating the fragile parts, removing the cotton bandages which we used to maintain the shape of the mask. Japanese tissue adhered with Klucel G is used to support the mask. Lenin ruptures were fixed and consolidated using Chitosan 5%.

This research presents the results of the study of unknown mummiform cartonnage from Egyptian museum stores that dates back to the late period (712 BC until 332 BC). It was decorated with blue-red-black-white and yellow pigments on the canvas support which prepared with thin ground layers. The cartonnage con-tain many parts that are missing due to poor storage in the basement of the Egyptian Museum and the spread of mice, in addition to stains resulting from their droppings. This has led to the oblitera-tion of some colors, in addition to the separation and micro crack of the ground layer, paintings and layers of canvas supports. The research aims to study the stratigraphic structure of the Cartonnage Fragments by Optical Microscopy (OM), Film analysis (UV-induced fluorescence imaging) and Multispectral Imaging technique that included (VIS) Visible light, (IR) Infrared CCD Reflected light, (IRF) Infrared Fluorescence, (IRFC) Infrared False Col-ors, (UVR) Ultraviolet Reflected light,...

Marine protected areas (MPAs) were acknowledged globally as effective tools to mitigate the threats to oceans caused by fishing. Several studies assessed the effectiveness of individual MPAs in protecting fish assemblages, but regional assessments of multiple MPAs are scarce. Moreover, empirical evidence on the role of MPAs in contrasting the propagation of non-indigenous-species (NIS) and thermophilic species (ThS) is missing. We simultaneously investigated here the role of MPAs in reversing the effects of overfishing and in limiting the spread of NIS and ThS. The Mediterranean Sea was selected as study area as it is a region where 1) MPAs are numerous, 2) fishing has affected species and ecosystems, and 3) the arrival of NIS and the northward expansion of ThS took place. Fish surveys were done in well-enforced no-take MPAs (HP), partiallyprotected MPAs (IP) and fished areas (F) at 30 locations across the Mediterranean. Significantly higher fish biomass was found in HP compared to IP MPAs and F. Along a recovery trajectory from F to HP MPAs, IP were similar to F, showing that just well enforced MPAs triggers an effective recovery. Within HP MPAs, trophic structure of fish assemblages resembled a top-heavy biomass pyramid. Although the functional structure of fish assemblages was consistent among HP MPAs, species driving the recovery in HP MPAs differed among locations: this suggests that the recovery trajectories in HP MPAs are likely to be functionally similar (i.e., represented by predictable changes in trophic groups, especially fish predators), but the specific composition of the resulting assemblages may depend on local conditions. Our study did not show any effect of MPAs on NIS and ThS. These results may help provide more robust expectations, at proper regional scale, about the effects of new MPAs that may be established in the Mediterranean Sea and other ecoregions worldwide.

This research case study aims to investigate and conserve an ancient mirror excavated from the Aniba archaeological site located in Aswan, Egypt, dates back to the New Kingdom (16 th -11 th c. BC). The mirror was in a poor condition and required cleaning and conservation treatments. The mirror was analysed using a multitechnique approach, including radiography, stereo microscopy, metallography, multispectral imaging, XRD, and p-XRF. The XRF results indicated that the mirror is made of a copper alloy (tin bronze). XRD indicated the presence of various corrosion products, including cuprite (Cu 2 O), malachite Cu 2 (CO 3 )(OH) 2 , atacamite Cu 2 Cl(OH) 3 , and paratacamite Cu₃(OH)₆Cl₂, in addition to Quartz (SiO 2 ), which together indicate the intensity of corrosion. The main objectives of this study are to assess the condition of the mirror, identify the corrosion and damage that have compromised the mirror and to find the most suitable method for conservation. In this contribution we review the history of the mirror, its condition, the documentation and cataloguing processes, and conservation procedures. The investigation concludes with preservation and storage recommendations.

Mikania micrantha is one of the major invasive alien plant species in tropical moist forest regions of Asia including Nepal. Recently, this weed is spreading at an alarming rate in Chitwan National Park (CNP) and threatening biodiversity. This paper aims to assess the impacts of Mikania micrantha on different land cover and to predict potential invasion sites in CNP using Maxent model. Primary data for this were presence point coordinates and perceived Mikania micrantha cover collected through systematic random sampling technique. Rapideye image, Shuttle Radar Topographic Mission data and bioclimatic variables were acquired as secondary data. Mikania micrantha distribution maps were prepared by overlaying the presence points on image classified by object based image analysis. The overall accuracy of classification was 90% with Kappa coefficient 0.848. A table depicting the number of sample points in each land cover with respective Mikania micrantha coverage was extracted from the distribution maps to show the impact. The riverine forest was found to be the most affected land cover with 85.98% presence points and sal forest was found to be very less affected with only 17.02% presence points. Maxent modeling predicted the areas near the river valley as the potential invasion sites with statistically significant Area Under the Receiver Operating Curve (AUC) value of 0.969. Maximum temperature of warmest month and annual precipitation were identified as the predictor variables that contribute the most to Mikania micrantha"s potential distribution.

An accurate prediction of the future condition of museum objects is crucial for developing appropriate proactive maintenance and preservation strategies. Despite this, there are very few such damage models that can be used in practice. The main reasons, for this lack of deterioration models, include complexity of deterioration problem and lack of understanding of the degradation mechanisms affecting various materials and objects, and lack of reliable quantitative approaches. In the article, we discuss the machine learning model, which predicts the future condition of museum objects. For this purpose, the model uses the data of MuIS (Estonian Museum Information System). To predict deterioration, we experimented primarily with various tree-based machine learning algorithms, such as the decision tree, the random forest, and XGBoost. The best results were obtained using the decision forest algorithm, which was able to identify 92% of deteriorating museum objects with 50% accuracy. The machine learning model provides a way to model ageing processes of museum objects over the course of time and thus better plan the preservation work of museums.

The fluviatile limans in the south-west of Dobrogea are the most characteristic forms of this type, with an exclusive development on the territory of Romania. In time, they were interpreted as fluvio-maritime limans or even as fluvio-lacustrine limans. As a result of the fact that they are situated close to the Danube, bordering one of the driest regions of Romania, they have had diverse usage since ancient times. Because the fluviatile limans in Dobrogea are mostly used in pisciculture, the water qualitative parameters have to be monitored permanently. They also have a role in attenuating floods, acting as a tampon against flash floods. Consequently, they have a special local importance even today, feeding as much of the population as possible (directly or indirectly). From a geomorphological point of view the fluviatile limans in Dobogea were formed as a result of the withdrawal of the Romanian (Levantine). The decrease in depth may cause the flood waves to pass over the dams. In ...

is the largest continuous freshwater wetland in the world . Located in central South America and encompassing 179,300 km 2 , it includes parts of Brazil, Paraguay, and Bolivia. The Paraguay River-for which the Pantanal serves as a floodplain-stretches for 2695 km, connecting Brazil with Bolivia, Paraguay, and Argentina . The scale and magnitude of the Pantanal influence large parts of South America's hydrology, biodiversity, history, and culture . The Pantanal has also always been a refuge for endangered and threatened species and for lowintensive use of natural resources . Recently, however, wildfires, deforestation, and infrastructure projects have increased conservation concerns (Tortato et al., 2022) (Figure ). But with government, NGOs -Non-Governmental Organizations, local people, and scientists' support, the Pantanal can still be a place of conservation hope. Permanent human occupation in the Pantanal dates back more than 8000 years , with the first signs of settlements in the northern Pantanal occurring approximately 27,000 years ago . Although the first European colonizers arrived there in the early 16th century, it was not until the late 18th century that the Portuguese began to establish a structured colonizing agenda in the region . During this time, most indigenous groups were replaced with (Peixoto, 2017), cattle ranches (de Abreu et al., 2010) and riverine fishing communities . Today, cattle ranches occupy over 90% of the Pantanal , with cattle stocks totaling approximately 3.8 million heads . There are also around 8000 people registered as professional fishers in the region , generating an estimated US$84 million per year , and probably 10 times that number are unreported "sporadic" fishermen . Despite long-standing, widespread human occupation and a violent history of colonization, the Pantanal continues to be well conserved, with >80% of its native

This study aims to describe the characteristics of the Bajo tribe's habitation in Lagasa village, which is a fishing community located in the suburbs of the capital of Muna County. The settlement has received the assistance of the local government through a reclamation policy intervention. It also gives an overview of the policy's impact on the local community's social condition and settlement. Inductive data analysis techniques are used with descriptive qualitative approaches, such as naturalistic and phenomenological methods, to make sense of things that happen in the field through interviews, questionnaires, and observations. According to the results, houses are categorized into three categories based on their location: (1) houses on land; (2) houses on water; and (3) houses situated partially on land and partially in water. The dominant settlement pattern is the grid pattern, next to the cluster pattern and the linear pattern. In general, the spatial configuration, roofing shape, construction system, and material composition of the dwelling have all contributed to its physical condition. Internal factors, such as the level of education and economic capacity of households, influence the characteristics of settlements, while external factors are the policies of the local government. Policy intervention has led to changes in most of the physical conditions of the settlement environment and has caused the majority of the Bajo tribes in Lagasa Village to adapt to land dwellings. The proximity of the settlements to the downtown has also influenced the Bajo tribe's perception of houses.

Research on the importance of flora in the perception of the attractiveness as a tourism destination of Ojców National Park was conducted in the second half of July 2021 with a direct diagnostic survey method using a questionnaire. A total of 205 people w

This paper aims to analyze and evaluate the function of two types of ancient mortars in the bathhouse at al-Muwaqqar archaeological site in Jordan to promote the awareness level of cultural heritage conservation of ancient buildings and mortars in Jordan. The conservation of archaeological structures requires a thorough characterization and identification of the mortar components before carrying out the restoration, after the preserved results, and during the restoration process to decide how it responds. This work creates an experimental contribution through FTIR to study the influence of organic components on the mechanical performance of the mortar. The application of new techniques in terms of sustainability and compatibility is nowadays more and more important to preserve historical monuments, especially in the context of the increasing damage to the mortar joints in the al-Muwaqqar site. The paper presents new results concerning the identification of the binding materials of mortars, especially the organic parts as egg white or other organic components used in the bathhouse to connect the mosaics, and the collection of further information for compatibility challenges. The results will provide a new pioneering approach application in Jordan in the field of ancient restoration using mortar. The study concludes that it is easy to identify all the organic components of the mortar using Fourier Transform Infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) in the different bands of the organic material supported by thermogravimetric analysis TGA/SEM-EDX. The investigations of both methods have provided accurate information about the technology of mortar production and have indicated a proteinaceous additive in the mortar.

Background and Objective: The spiritual and cultural inclination of sacred groves has endowed them with the potential to protect biodiversity and sustain the ecological processes within. Hence, sacred groves could be highly valuable in preventing various threats that put plant communities at risk of being phased out. To assess the protective influence of the sacred grove towards its adjoining areas, the present study reports the floristic composition and the plant diversities along the northern end of Okhemu Shrine in Ekhor-Nogoghuan, Uhunwhode, Edo State, Nigeria. Materials and Methods: Floral composition of the vegetation was investigated using a nested quadrat sampling strategy. Floristic data were obtained from visual inspection and documented following herbarium-assisted identification. The phytogeographic profile of the plants was determined using Internet-based data, while the conservation status was determined based on the IUCN Red List of threatened species records. Results: A total of 90 plant species belonging to 82 genera and distributed among 41 families were enumerated. Among the most prevalent plant families were Euphorbiaceae, Asteraceae, Fabaceae, Malvaceae and Poaceae. The growth forms of the plants were distributed as follows: Trees (28.9%), herbs (25.6%), shrubs (20.0%), vines (8.9%) and lianas (5.6%), respectively. The systematic groups were distributed as grasses (6.7%), sedges 2.2%, ferns (1.1%) and moss (1.1%), respectively. Native plants were most prevalent with (78.9%), while exotics, cosmopolitan and pantropical plants accounted for (17.8, 2.2 and 1.1%), respectively. According to the IUCN Red List record, 91.1% of the species are yet to be evaluated for a threat status with few species such as Brillantaisia lamium, Brillantaisia owariensis, Commelina africana, Vitex doniana and Urena lobata indicating least concern. Conclusion: This study suggested that adjoining areas of sacred groves could be a refuge for native plant species of uncertain conservation status.

Within restoration practices, the biodeterioration is a common and hard problem, in particular on historic stonework conservation, where, together with weathering actions, enlarge porosity and increase the decay. The chemical action with biocides is the more used method to remove biological patina on monumental stone but, during the time, that approach reveal hazardous environmental and health impacts. In recent time, innovative biotechnology methods have been developed but used only to a minor extent; that is due to the less information about the interaction of the new products with stone material. The aim of the research is to propose innovative and safe bio cleaning products for historic stonework conservation and define the level of security in the interaction with stone material. The two biological biocides, that has not been investigated previously, are Natria, a Bayer products based on pelargonic acid, and New FloorCleaner, based on Bacillus species. The specimens for our research are made up from an historical stone material (earlier twenty century handmade bricks) and we used the Normal UNI 11551-1:2014, the European protocol for the evaluation of a cleaning method in the Cultural Heritage. Our results show that biocleaning products are harmless: overall, the research demonstrates the opportunity to use these products in the conservation field, for the treatment of biological patina of historical brick, because do not highlight problems and damages and are environmentally sustainable.

L’Accusa censurava un Ingegnere incaricato nel 2010 di riparare alcuni danni dovuti al sisma aquilano del 2009, che non si sarebbe accorto di evidenti vulnerabilità sismiche
dell’ala poi crollata nel 2016. L’analisi della scarna documentazione disponibile permetteva di accertare come la costruzione risalisse agli anni venti del Novecento, ad opera degli Architetti Foschini e Spaccarelli, a cui veniva dedicato un ampio studio bibliografico, che evidenziava come essi fossero fra i massimi protagonisti del cemento armato a Roma. A confutare così la prospettazione d’Accusa Tecnica, secondo cui la struttura sarebbe stata in muratura, con “esili” innesti di elementi in cemento armato, così pervenendo ad un giudizio esplicativo del crollo del tutto inappropriato (ribaltamento di pareti). Le indagini difensive partivano da un accurato rilievo del poco rimasto (dopo la devastante rimozione macerie), accompagnandolo con l’analisi delle foto della struttura, sempre tenendo a mente l’interpretazione pluridisciplinare. Ne risultava un palinsesto in telai di calcestruzzo armato, con solette nervate ai piani, del tutto aderente ai canoni del tempo. Le indagini e gli accertamenti
svolti consentivano al Difensore dapprima un incisivo controesame del Consulente
della Pubblica Accusa e poi un efficace esame del proprio Consulente, con acquisizione al materiale istruttorio dei complessi accertamenti, con esito assolutorio finale, non appellato.

Qualitative methods are important in gaining a deep understanding of complex problems and poorly researched areas. They can be particularly useful to help explain underlying conservation problems, as in . However, the significance in choosing and justifying appropriate methodological frameworks in conservation studies should be given more attention to ensure data are collected and analysed appropriately. We thank for their critical analysis of Rust et al. ( ), but they appear unaware of when, why and how such methods should be used. We clarify the methods described in Rust et al. ( ) and explain sampling strategies in qualitative studies. To improve familiarity with qualitative methods among natural scientists we recommend expanded training in social sciences and collaborating with social scientists. Given the scale of human impacts on the environment, this type of nuanced analytical skill is critical for moving conservation forward.

Καὶ ἠγάπησαν οἱ ἄνθρωποι µᾶλλον τὸ σκότος ἢ τὸ φῶς "E gli uomini vollero piuttosto le tenebre che la luce". (Vangelo di Giovanni, 3:19) 1 Nei confronti del paese di Recanati nelle Marche sembrerebbe essersi coagulata un'idea di perenne r i c e r c a , d i m a l i n c o n i a e d i sofferenza, ciò perchè attorno a questo luogo si è espressa l'opera di due autori, che più di tutti hanno avvertito la fragilità dell'uomo, ed i primi a descriver la in modo estremamente sensibile: il pittore Lorenzo Lotto, e lo scrittore G i a c o m o L e o p a r d i. A f f i n i t à territoriale quella dei due artisti, oltre che spirituale e dunque psicologica. Entrambi hanno testimoniato di una condizione di sofferenza e di malinconia, espressa con accenti diversi, nella propria produzione artistica. Le loro opere testimoniano di d i s p e r a z i o n e , a n g o s c i a , pessimismo, di un rapporto difficile con il mondo e con la natura, e di un incessante confr onto con l'azione provvidenziale di Dio. Il punto di approdo di Leopardi, sarà confessarsi apertamente ateo, mentre il Lotto chiuderà la propria parabola esistenziale divenendo un oblato nel convento della Santa casa di Loreto nelle Marche, ultima t e s t i m o n i a n z a d i u n a f e d e controversa, difficile e tormentata, spesso accostata probabilmente a ragione, al sentire religioso del mondo protestante. La poesia "Infinito" di Leopardi, la cui stesura definitiva risale agli anni 1818-1819, e la tela della "Trasfigurazione" di Lorenzo Lotto, del periodo 1510-1512, conservata al Museo Civico di Recanati, ruotano entrambe attorno alla collina recanatese del Monte Tabor, luogo reale e metafisico assieme, che in qualche modo unisce i due personaggi sul piano psicologico. La modernità straordinaria di Lotto non ha impedito che fosse un autore dimenticato per molti secoli, probabilmente perchè la sua sensibilità artistica richiedeva tempi che fossero lontani da Il brano tratto dal Vangelo di Giovanni è citato ad apertura della "Ginestra" di Giacomo Leopardi

For more than a century, biogeographers have sought to explain the large number of species found in Amazonian forests. The role of rivers as barriers to dispersal was recognized early on and this was the first evolutionary hypothesis to explain Amazonian diversity. Most of the recent debate on speciation in the Amazon has focused on the role of Pleistocene refugia. The methods of refuge biogeography helped shape early conservation priorities in Amazonia, although actual plans did not directly depend on the conceptual strengths or weaknesses of refugia biogeography. These approaches viewed people mostly as threats, though not always explicitly. Based on his work on primate distribution Marcio Ayres formulated a synthetic speciation theory, the river-refuge hypothesis. The river-refuge model successfully resolved some of the historical and technical challenges of the earlier hypotheses. His work in varzea conservation, informed by this conceptual brealthrough, recognized that the main...

The topic of this study is the mineralogical and petrographic characterization of lime-based mortars of Hellenistic-Roman age (3rd century BCE), collected from a residential area located in the present historical centre of Palermo, near the remains of the Punic-Roman walls. The collected mortars have been analyzed by optical microscopy, X-ray powder diffraction analysis and scanning electron microscopy, coupled with energy-dispersive spectrometry. The aim of the study was the characterization of the mortars as pertaining to their aggregate and binder composition, aggregate size distribution and aggregate/binder ratio, so as to establish the provenance of raw materials and acquire information useful in terms of formulating suitable restoration mortars. The mineralogical and petrographic investigations allowed to recognize four different recipes used for the formulation of the studied mortars. The aggregate is made up of different proportions of alluvial calcareous and siliceous sands or, in some cases, by 'cocciopesto' -opus signinum. Aerial lime-based mortars have been attested for the majority of the wall coatings and decorations subject to analysis. Furthermore, an unusual mosaic flooring, manufactured with tesserae obtained from overfired, locally produced limestone scraps, was attested. The sandy aggregate was quarried from the coastal alluvial deposits of the river Oreto, whose estuary is situated in the vicinity of the ancient city walls. The binder was primarily produced by the calcination of locally available limestones, lacking in magnesium carbonate. It presents a satisfactory technological similarity with two roughly coeval manufactures, located in western Sicily and relating to the aggregate, as well as the mortars manufactured for the purpose of decorating the historical palaces of Palermo. This in turn indicates a remarkable continuity regarding the selection of locally available raw materials, an aspect mainly dictated by their qualitative characteristics.