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By the year 2539 almost 75% of all freshwater mollusc species within Europe will be lost. The transformation of natural ecosystems, the extension of infrastructure, as well as agriculture are the main threats. The Roman snail (Helix pomatia L. 1758) has been part of human culture for centuries and is protected by law as an endangered species in several regions, and at the same time regarded and treated as a pest, making the conservation of this species difficult.
The aim of this thesis was to create a better understanding of H. pomatia and its functional role within the ecosystem. Eight subpopulations were studied regarding its role within the food web, the use of empty shells as a mircohabitat and its influence on vegetation by showing food preferences. The latter, due to the fact, that a strong predation pressure can minimize habitats, which leads to higher pressure on the local vegetation and a limited possibility of shells being used as a microhabitat.
First, the relationships between H. pomatia individuals, subpopulations and their predators were analysed. The total number and percentage of shells that showed external attack marks by predators (32%) and internal utilization marks by Diptera pupae (45%) were analysed and correlated to morphometric traits of shells. Signs of external attack and internal utilization marks were positively correlated (R = 0.79; P = 0.020). External attacks were more regular in larger shells and internal utilization was more frequent in shells with higher body density.
The second chapter focuses on the shells of H. pomatia and their value as microhabitat for shell adopters in different vegetation forms and during two sample periods. Out of 618 collected shells, 91.4 % were inhabited and the average was 1.5 time higher in summer, than in autumn. The number of shell adopters per shell was 1.5 times higher in herbaceous vegetation, than in areas dominated by trees. Shell width (P = 0.008), but not shell height (P = 0.078) had a significant higher influence.
Finally, food preferences of H. pomatia were analysed, showing a pronounced preference for Urtica dioica (35% of all 697 feeding interactions) and plant litter (44%). Only 27 out of 143 available plant species were eaten and a literature review confirmed U. dioica as a food plant for 19 other terrestrial snail species. The width and height of the snail shells were related to the feeding height as smaller, juvenile snails fed higher in vegetation (384mm ± 327mm) compared to adult individuals (68mm ± 194mm) (P<0.001).
These results highlight the importance of H. pomatia in the studied ecosystem. H. pomatia is an important food source for predators and host for parasitoids, the shells offer habitat and refuge for soil organisms and as a relatively specialized herbivore and decomposer H. pomatia contributes to herbivory and nutrient cycling in ecosystems.
Hopefully this study may help to motivate future conservation efforts.
Due to environmental impacts from anthropomorphic climate change, countries from around the world are committed to an energy transition from fossil fuels to renewable and sustainable energy sources. The heating and cooling sector represents the largest share of total energy consumption globally, not only for domestic use but also for commercial and industrial purposes of which only 11% is covered by renewable energy. One renewable source, geothermal energy, has the potential to cover much of this demand, particularly heating demand, for the agriculture and food sector. Geothermal use in the agri-food industry continues to be positive overall, yet slow adoption and inconsistent growth have not met its potential as claimed by experts. This trend may be explained by a lack of coherent policy and initiatives from regulating government bodies. This research explores the relationship and the degree of correlation between government support, expressed in terms of policy incentives, and the growth of geothermal energy use in the agri-food sector. Two hypotheses are constructed to test this relationship. The first assumes that government support through policy leads to positive growth in geothermal argi-food, and the second assumes that no relationship exists. The research is a multiple case study of twelve countries from 2010 to 2020. Methods used in this study include Likert summative scale, a statistical and content analysis of secondary sources such as policy documents, laws, and other government acts. The results show a strong correlation between policy incentives and adoption of geothermal energy in agri-food sector. However, only 23% of growth in capacity in case countries can be explained by the levels of government support. Additionally, not all policies hold equal weight in that they are implemented on different levels of governance (global, national, and local). The study observes that between these three levels, national policies have the most correlative effect on geothermal energy adoption, while global and local policies do not seem to have significant influence. These effects vary but the overall market trends are influenced heavily by leading performers. Countries that show the most growth are – Hungary, Iceland, the Netherlands, and Türkiye. They all share strong government support on a national level, targeted policies for geothermal agri-food, and geothermal energy is economically competitive when compared to other forms of energy.
This study explores the interplay between the UNESCO status and climate governance in World Heritage cities. With climate change posing significant threats to living urban landscapes, local governments and public actors strive to implement sustainable and resilient strategies. However, complications arise when cities attain the World Heritage status, complicating climate governance practices. Qualitative research, involving interviews with key stakeholders from the Climate and Monument Protection Departments in Lübeck, Regensburg, and Bamberg, reveals a negative impact of cultural heritage on climate governance. The study contends that, when harnessed effectively, cultural heritage can contribute to the sustainability and resilience of cities in addressing climate change. It emphasises the necessity for flexibility, collaboration, and a human-centric approach, advocating for a common understanding and prioritisation of human life within climate governance. In conclusion, this research underscores the importance of viewing heritage as a dynamic component integrated into cities' climate governance strategies.
This study describes the seasonal course of denitrifying and nitrate-reducing bacteria in a dimictic mesotrophic lake (Lake Scharmützelsee, Brandenburg, Germany) within a three-year period from 2011 to 2013. The bacterial cell numbers were quantified by the fluorescence microscopy, most probable number (MPN) and PCR-dependent quantification of the chromosomal 16S rDNA and of the nirS and nirK gene copy number. The highest seasonal differences (up to three orders of magnitudes) have been measured usingMPNin the epilimnion. This variation was not reflected by PCR-dependent approaches or direct microscopical enumeration. At adverse conditions (low temperature and/or low nitrate concentrations), the differences between MPN and gene copy numbers increased by up to five orders of magnitudes and decreased to one magnitude at favourable environmental conditions. These results can be explained best by an increasing ratio of viable but not cultivable (VBNC) cells or dead cells at impairing conditions. In the hypolimnion, the courses of MPN and nir gene copy numbers were similar. This can be explained by a higher feeding pressure and therefore smaller amounts of dormant cells. In the pelagial in general, the total cell numbers enumerated by either microscopical or molecular approaches were similar. In the sediment, more than 99% of the DNA was obviously not related to viable bacteria but was rather DNA in dead cells or adsorbed to particle surfaces.
Salvaging Buildings : reclaiming a livelihood from the excesses of Istanbul's mass urbanization
(2023)
Turkey’s demolition waste management is, to a great extent, dependent on çıkmacıs (reclaimers) who salvage condemned buildings for raw materials and architectural elements. Its urbanization history is full of key moments marked by building demolitions, which became a necessary material resource for informal urbanization. As early as the 1970s, the çıkmacıs helped the gecekondus [squatter houses] by supplying second-hand building materials and construction loans. They managed to turn a lack of infrastructure into an advantage and remain very adaptable to the ever-changing conditions of neo-liberalized urbanization. They depend on solidarity networks and other informal resources. Assemblage thinking helps to redefine the concept of informality, understand the relational dynamics between various actors, and focus on the agency of materials. The empirical data gained from ‘follow the thing’ ethnographic research in Turkey and Georgia reveals the double lives of çıkmacıs who move between village and city. Additionally, by following the example of a reclaimed window frame’s journey from Istanbul to Tbilisi, we can more clearly see the second-hand trade network in the context of urbanization and incremental architecture. In the context of waste’s materiality, the empirical part of the research shows the symbiotic relationship between çıkmacıs and the discarded demolition materials.
High-resolution imaging of buried metal interconnect structures in advanced microelectronic products with full-field X-ray microscopy is demonstrated in the hard X-ray regime, i.e., at photon energies > 10 keV. The combination of two multilayer optics—a side-by-side Montel (or nested Kirkpatrick–Baez) condenser optic and a high aspect-ratio multilayer Laue lens—results in an asymmetric optical path in the transmission X-ray microscope. This optics arrangement allows the imaging of 3D nanostructures in opaque objects at a photon energy of 24.2 keV (In-Kα X-ray line). Using a Siemens star test pattern with a minimal feature size of 150 nm, it was proven that features < 150 nm can be resolved. In-Kα radiation is generated from a Ga-In alloy target using a laboratory X-ray source that employs the liquid-metal-jet technology. Since the penetration depth of X-rays into the samples is significantly larger compared to 8 keV photons used in state-of-the-art laboratory X-ray microscopes (Cu-Kα radiation), 3D-nanopattered materials and structures can be imaged nondestructively in mm to cm thick samples. This means that destructive de-processing, thinning or cross-sectioning of the samples are not needed for the visualization of interconnect structures in microelectronic products manufactured using advanced packaging technologies. The application of laboratory transmission X-ray microscopy in the hard X-ray regime is demonstrated for Cu/Cu6Sn5/Cu microbump interconnects fabricated using solid–liquid interdiffusion (SLID) bonding.
Comparing hybrid urbanisms in the global south : water delivery configurations in Peru and Ghana
(2023)
Urban development processes in the Global South (and North) are often described as characterized by formal and informal practices of different actors and their respective material realities. In critical urban studies, the disposition for this binary conception of formal and informal urbanisms has been discussed for many years. To a certain extent, these sometimes align rather problematically with contrasting notions of the “structural” versus the “everyday.” In this article, we explore an understanding of formal and informal urban practices (and respectively “structure” and “everyday”) as always interrelated, and we develop a methodology for a comparative examination of such hybrid urbanisms. In doing so, we address a missing link in the surging theoretical debate on comparative/southern urbanisms, which has rarely been substantiated by methodological explorations. The adapted concept of “delivery configurations” combines analyses of actor networks, material realities, rules and regulations, discourses, and heterogenous arrays of urban practices of negotiating these. However, bringing together local particularities and structural commonalities and exploring their interrelation only provides a basis for understanding case‐specific complexities. We argue that embedding the analysis in a multi‐scalar comparative framework can further its analytical rather than descriptive attributes and provide deeper insights into issues such as social inequality. To illustrate our methodological contribution, we provide first insights from a comparative research
project of water delivery in different neighbourhoods in the secondary cities of Sunyani (Ghana) and Arequipa (Peru). We highlight the practical challenges of comparing diverse urban contexts and examining the rather complex relationships between infrastructure delivery, urban development, and social inequality.
Biomass and bioenergy perspectives of a coal region : status quo, potential and scenarios in Lusatia
(2023)
Coal has been one of the main fuels used in Europe. Its decreasing role due to the ongoing transformation of the energy system will create significant socio-economic challenges. The switch into renewable energy systems could be an alternative to maintain jobs and economic activities within the affected regions. Biomass use and bioenergy can play an important role in the energy transition. Instead of energy crops, forest and agricultural residues should be used as biogenic energy sources in the future to avoid impacts on land use and food security. The main objective of this article is to investigate the biomass potential of a coal region and to provide scenarios for the future development of bioenergy production. Due to the changing framework conditions and, as a result, the different biomass focuses, previous bioenergy potential estimates must be reviewed. The methods for determining the potential of biomass for energy production was used for Lusatia (in German: Lausitz), the second largest coal region in Germany. These methods can also be applied in other regions. As a first step, the regional status quo assessment of cultivated areas and yields had decisive relevance for calculating biomass potential ranges. In a second step, the current bioenergy facilities in the region were identified, with a focus on power and heat production. The third step was the estimation of future regional bioenergy use. Therefore, the regional potential was gathered with the generally supra-regional framework conditions. For this purpose, national scenario studies were used, which contain the relevant target values and framework conditions. Two scenarios were developed for future bioenergy estimations: a conservative path based on the current policies and a progressive path, derived from the goal of climate neutrality by 2045. The results show a qualitative comparison among both scenarios and the previously determined potential ranges. Bioenergy can probably contribute to achieving climate neutrality with an increase in wood-fired systems, while agricultural bioenergy potential is likely to decline. In the discussion section, however, the uncertainty of these results is pointed out, as future use of bioenergy will be heavily influenced by the regulatory framework, competition with material use and the influences of climate change.
The Iberian Peninsula comprises one of the largest boundaries between Mediterranean and Eurosiberian vegetation, known as sub-Mediterranean zone. This ecotone hosts many unique plant species and communities and constitutes the low-latitude (warm) margin of numerous central European species which co-occur with Mediterranean vegetation. Two of the main species found in this region are the Eurosiberian European beech (Fagus sylvatica L.) and the Mediterranean Pyrenean oak (Quercus pyrenaica Willd.). It remains unclear how the different physiological and adaptive strategies of these two species reflect their niche partitioning within a sub-Mediterranean community and to what extent phenotypic variation (intraspecific variability) is driving niche partitioning across Eurosiberian and Mediterranean species. We quantified functional niche partitioning, based on the n-dimensional hypervolume to nine traits related to resource acquisition strategies (leaf, stem and root) plus relative growth rate as an additional whole-plant trait, and the environmental niche similarity between Pyrenean oak and European beech. Further, we analyzed the degree of phenotypic variation of both target species and its relationship with relative growth rates (RGR) and environmental conditions. Plant recruitment was measured for both target species as a proxy for the average fitness. Species’ functional space was highly segregated (13.09% overlap), mainly due to differences in niche breadth (59.7%) rather than niche replacement (25.6%), and beech showed higher trait variability, i.e., had larger functional space. However, both species shared the environmental space, i.e., environmental niches were overlapped. Most plant traits were not related to abiotic variables or RGR, neither did RGR to plant traits. Both target species share similar environmental space, however, show notably different functional resource-use strategies, promoting a high complementarity that contributes to maintaining a high functionality in sub-Mediterranean ecosystems. Therefore, we propose that conservation efforts be oriented to preserve both species in these habitats to maximize ecosystem functionality and resilience.
Linking functional composition moments of the sub-mediterranean ecotone with environmental drivers
(2023)
Functional trait-based approaches are extensively applied to the study of mechanisms governing community assembly along environmental gradients. These approaches have been classically based on studying differences in mean values among species, but there is increasing recognition that alternative metrics of trait distributions should be considered to decipher the mechanisms determining community assembly and species coexistence. Under this framework, the main aim of this study is to unravel the effects of environmental conditions as drivers of plant community assembly in sub-Mediterranean ecotones.
We set 60 plots in six plant communities of a sub-Mediterranean forest in Central Spain, and measured key above- and belowground functional traits in 411 individuals belonging to 19 species, along with abiotic variables. We calculated community-weighted mean (CWM), skewness (CWS) and kurtosis (CWK) of three plant dimensions, and used maximum likelihood techniques to analyze how variation in these functional community traits was driven by abiotic factors. Additionally, we estimated the relative contribution of intraspecific trait variability and species turnover to variation in CWM. The first three axes of variation of the principal component analyses were related to three main plant ecological dimensions: Leaf Economics Spectrum, Root Economics Spectrum and plant hydraulic architecture, respectively. Type of community was the most important factor determining differences in the functional structure among communities, as compared to the role of abiotic variables. We found strong differences among communities in their CWMs in line with their biogeographic origin (Eurosiberian vs Mediterranean), while differences in CWS and CWK indicate different trends in the functional structure among communities and the coexistence of different functional strategies, respectively. Moreover, changes in functional composition were primarily due to intraspecific variability. We observed a high number of strategies in the forest with the different communities spreading along the acquisitive-conservative axis of resource-use, partly matching their Eurosiberian-Mediterranean nature, respectively. Intraspecific trait variability, rather than species turnover, stood as the most relevant factor when analyzing functional changes and assembly patterns among communities. Altogether, our data support the notion that ecotones are ecosystems where relatively minor environmental shifts may result in changes in plant and functional composition.
The material authenticity of cultural heritage has been questioned by societies in which the modern paradigm of conservation has not developed from within the native culture. This paper examines the philosophical and practical traditions in Iran regarding the materiality and authenticity of past structures. By reviewing the emergence of the Western conservation paradigm in Iran, this paper highlights two key factors: the rapidness of this paradigm shift and the remarkable contradiction between the new and old paradigms. By borrowing the Deleuzo-Guattarian concept of a ‘body without organs’ (BwO), this paper problematises the rapidness and radicality of the paradigm shift in Iran. It suggests exploring the under-investigated possibilities between the pre-modern and modern paradigms to address the gap between native circumstances and Western standards.
Urban heritage planning in Tehran and beyond : sequences of disrupted spatial-discursive assemblages
(2023)
Despite the impact of ideological rigidity, the primary challenge of heritage planning in Tehran and beyond lies not in the dominance of an inflexible Authorized Heritage Discourse, but rather in the absence of stable spatial-discursive and administrative structures. Solmaz Yadollahi maps the historical trajectory of conservation and urban heritage planning in Iran, depicting a discursive-spatial assemblage that tends to knock down its accumulated resources. This is in line with Katouzian's portrayal of Iran as a pick-axe society. Residing within this society, the studied assemblage strives to deconstruct the prevailing structures and usher in a fresh one, paradoxically perpetuating the very cycle it seeks to escape.
Morphological and optical properties of a multilayer film (CAZO/CZAO/ZACO) prepared by spin-coating method and deposited on a glass substrate were evaluated. The study was initially carried out for each layer, individually and then as a multilayer subsequently. Structural properties using X-ray diffraction (XRD), energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS), infrared spectra (IR) and X-ray photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS) showed the presence of three phases of zinc, copper and silver oxides at different levels. The CZAO sample observed with scanning electron microscope (SEM) showed an excellent porous surface with a large deformation in the multilayer configuration. Doping with zinc and copper in the silver crystal lattice improved the crystal structure and reduced the optical energy gap, thus increasing the optical absorbance and refractive index. The dielectric constants and showed an increase in the optical polarization values for lower photonic energies. The maximum degradation rate for photocatalysts of methylene blue was 89 % for a 5-h exposure period with CAZO/CZAO/ZACO while it reached 71 % for the CZAO sample during the same time period. The sensitivity of samples to light proved that the presence of ultraviolet radiation increases the number of holes trapped by oxygen ions and causes more free electrons and contribute to a better production of photocurrent than in darkness.
A contribution to the online monitoring of partial discharges in high-voltage grid components
(2024)
Increasing utilization of HV power cable lines, and particularly the advent of long HVDC underground links, results in the need to sensitively monitor their condition, such as by tracking the emergence and development of partial discharges. This study demonstrates that existing solutions are poorly suited to the case of HVDC lines, and that a new, more sophisticated monitoring system needs to address a wide array of diverse problems. First of all, the overview of the task and main functional blocks of the monitoring system is given. Following this, selected blocks are subject to detailed examination in subsequent chapters.
The first of these blocks, a high-frequency current transformer (HFCT), is responsible for capturing the signal in the power line and transferring it to the electronics. This component receives in-depth coverage: general design considerations, computation of leakage inductance, operation in presence of a power current, resonant behavior, balanced design. Particular attention is given to the application of Finite Element Analysis (FEA) in relation to the HFCT, however, the demonstrated techniques can also be applied to other magnetic devices. Last section of the chapter presents various stages of development, experimental setups, prototypes, and the final device which has been put into series production.
The next block addresses extraction of signals from noise. A literature analysis is conducted concerning noise suppression in partial discharge recordings, and the application of the signal separation approach based on Linear Predictive Coding is shown.
In the section on localization, examples illustrating problems encountered during the development of a partial discharge localization algorithm are presented.
In the chapter devoted to laboratory tests, various auxiliary experiments conducted during the system's development are compiled, where some of them are: Time Domain Reflectometry (TDR) TDR-based line characterization, estimation of monitoring sensitivity, measurement of the cable attenuation and reflection coefficients of the accessories.
In the final chapter – field tests – the installation of the system on a 110 kV line and the measured transfer function are demonstrated.
Plenty of semiconductor devices are developed to operate with private data. To guarantee data privacy cryptographic algorithms are used, where the secrecy is based on the used keys. Theoretically, the cryptographic algorithms using keys with recommended lengths are secure. The issue is that a potential attacker can steal the devices and attack in a lab. Physical attacks are usually aimed to perturb normal operation of a device and to extract cryptographic keys, e.g. by means of fault injection (FI). One class of FI attacks exploits the sensitivity of semiconductor devices to light and are performed using a laser as the light source.
This work investigates the sensitivity of different logic and memory cells to optical Fault Injection attacks. Front-side attacks against cells manufactured in different IHP technologies were performed using two different red lasers controlled by Riscure software. To reach the repeatability of the experimental results and to increase the comparability of the results with attack results published in literature the setup parameters as well as setting parameters of the Riscure software were experimentally evaluated. Attacks were performed against inverter, NAND, NOR, flip-flop cells from standard libraries, radiation-hard flip-flops based on Junction Isolated Common Gate technique, radiation-tolerant Triple Modular Redundancy registers as well as non-volatile Resistive Random Access Memory (RRAM) cells. The results of attacks against volatile circuits were successful transient bit-set and bit-reset as well permanent stuck-at faults. The results of attacks against RRAM cells were successful in the sense that manipulation of all RRAM logic states was feasible. The faults injected during the performed experiments were repeatable and reproducible.
The goal of this work was not only to achieve successful FI but also to determine cell area(s) sensitive to laser illumination. Knowledge about areas sensitive to laser illumination can be used by designers to implement corresponding countermeasure(s) at the initial stage of chip development and is the necessary step to design appropriate countermeasures. For example, metal fillers can be applied as optical obstacles reducing the success of front-side FI attacks, i.e. as a possible low-cost countermeasure. Based on the knowledge of the sensitive cell areas, the placement of the metal fillers can be automated in the future, i.e. the findings given in the work can serve as a basis for a methodology development for improving resistance against optical FI attacks at the initial stage of chip development. Such methodology can be adapted for each chip manufacturing technology.
The 'cultural appropriation' of traditional textiles from Mexico : an analysis of 3 case studies
(2023)
This doctoral thesis intended to examine the phenomenon of ‘cultural appropriation’ of traditional textiles from Mexico through an analysis of 3 case studies. This research had the objective of understanding the phenomenon through the relationships, perspectives, and discourses of the social actors involved, by following the development of controversies involving different objects of material culture from different communities: the xaam nïxuy Ayuujk (Mixe) blouse from Santa Maria Tlahuitoltepec, Oaxaca; the Hñuhú and Hñahñ (Otomi) “Tenango” embroideries from the communities of Tenago de Doria and San Nicolas in Hidalgo; and the mestizo gabanes from Santa Clara del Cobre and Nahuatzen in the State of Michoacán.
This doctoral examination was sustained through theoretical approximations that located the occurrences within transnational/ transcultural processes, engaging with qualitative methodologies and multi-sited ethnographies in order to obtain data that elucidated on the diversity of objects, actors, relationships, understandings, perceptions, values, and discourses involved in the ‘cultural appropriation’ of traditional textiles controversies in the country.
The content analysis of this doctoral research dissected a number of different processes, effects, and consequences of the phenomenon as it developed in dissimilar locations and periods of time. The examination revealed a complex intersection of meanings, productions, circulations, and consumptions of culture, that simultaneously affected cultural meanings, relationships, and processes, raising concerns over the management of traditional textiles as objects of cultural heritage, and the unviability of protecting communal creative domains through national legal mechanisms.
The development of computer technologies allows using numerical simulations in the early stages of aircraft design more and more often. The role of both wind tunnels and initial test flights used to validate of solutions seems to be diminishing. Big systems for three-dimensional simulations of Fluid-Structure Interactions (FSI) constitute highly specialized and costly software. Most of the codes are based on many simplifications. One of them is the assumption of linearity of the structural model being in contradiction with real-life situations. The postdoctoral dissertation presents the results of simulations for complex, multi-scale objects and non-linear structure models and extended structure testing in relation to damage in macroscale analysis. What is crucial for carrying out the assumed analyses is to extend a numerical tool comprising a flow and a structural program and a space grid deformation model for a system allowing to take into consideration the non-linearity of the structure. The point of reference for testing the suggested approaches are the existing solutions of the aeroelastic linear problems. Results of the recent research might be applied for the construction of increasingly common unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV). Modern structure is a key element that affects the basic parameters as mass or range of these vehicles. Until now the research and development of the aeroelastic calculation algorithm for commonly used materials in the framework of linear geometry and linear-elastic material behavior was used. The current developments of materials for light-weight design common use of 3D printing technology causes the increasingly widespread use of new alternative materials in the aviation industry. This is particularly true for the design and construction of UAV, where the basic requirements are the lightness of the structure and the maximum range. Unfortunately, the fulfillment of the above criteria means that the materials used are often loaded not only in a elastic range but also more often above this limit. In case of analyzing aeroelastic phenomena for a loaded structure we should take a closer look at the behavior of the material outside the elastic range in which the damage occurs. The process of destroying in the face of such dangerous phenomena as flutter in aircraft constructions requires a deeper analysis of the mechanics of materials, in particular for new materials and their manufacturing techniques. As part of joint experiments and numerical simulations, detailed research was carried out to describe the behavior of printed materials, which will be increasingly used in the design of aircraft structures. Extending the postdoctoral dissertation with the research carried out at BTU will allow further development of the existing FSI algorithm, taking into account the structural behavior more accurately and the possibility of predicting damage processes.
The contribution of community involvement in heritage management : a cultural mapping project
(2023)
Heritage has been lately the matter of debate regarding its definition, conservation and management approaches. In the last few years, there has been an increasing demand for the involvement of the local community in heritage management. Too often, the involvement perspectives of key stakeholders in general and the community members, in particular, are entirely different. While the theoretical ground of community involvement is somehow well set, heritage management has been slow in applying the involvement approach. Practically, it is not easy to find the balance to achieve all the goals of key stakeholders in any involvement project. Subsequently, there are a few numbers of empirical works on the practical implications of understanding heritage management effective tools and limited indication to convince recent ‘power-holders’ such as governmental organizations to distribute their power with local community members.
This doctoral research project explores community involvement in heritage management as an effective solution to building a strong management system. The study aims to examine the level and the quality of involvement in the management of heritage sites in general through a cultural mapping-based approach. This is applied to a case study which is the Religious Complex in Historic Cairo World Heritage Site. The research outcomes indicate the importance of involving the local community in heritage management and planning processes. Ultimately, the study provides critical empirical evidence and draws valuable theoretical and practical assumptions that spread knowledge of cultural mapping in critical issues, such as the drivers of involvement and cooperative decision-making.
Brain-computer interfacing (BCI) is a relatively new field of study that involves engineering, neuroscience, psychology, and physiology. A BCI is a system that allows direct communication between the brain and the environment, using signals from electroencephalography (EEG) to identify a user's intentions and mental states. This can be used for human-machine interaction (HMI) to adapt software or control a device. Particularly passive BCIs are the most promising for the general population, as they can detect and interpret a user's mental state without requiring their attention. This can enable neuroadaptive technology (NAT), which allows a machine to learn over time how the user perceives and interprets the world. However, there are still obstacles to be overcome before BCI technology can be applied in real-world situations for NAT.
In this work I firstly address the issue of subject dependence in training data collection for classifier calibration, which can be time-consuming and impractical. I investigated the training of a subject-independent predictive model that is trained on a group of other users' data and applied to online-testing data of a new person. This was done in the context of training an automatic classifier for error detection and correction. Results showed that a classifier model can be trained without user-specific calibration and with high accuracy. The number of electrodes used in training the model was also reduced. Further it was validated that the trained classifier models were based on cortical sources and not other modalities.
In a second study I address the issue of task-dependence. To that end I tested the application of a potentially task-independent calibration paradigm for mental workload assessment in a new task. This new task was a speed reading context, where subjects read texts of varying difficulty and speed. The study found that the mental workload prediction model was accurate in classifying mental workload in different reading tasks, indicating that it can be used as a task-independent classifier for mental workload.
In a third study I examine if it is possible to measure neural correlates of human moral assessment using a passive BCI on a single-trial basis. A calibration paradigm was developed using pictures that were ranked as morally unacceptable and morally neutral. However, the results showed low classification accuracies and it was not possible to reliably distinguish between a user's subjective moral evaluations on a single-trial basis using current classification approaches.
The results presented in this thesis provide solutions towards real-world applicability of NAT enabled by passive BCIs, as examples of a subject-independent and a task-independent classifier are demonstrated and discussed. Further, approaches for increased versatility of passive BCI technology are presented, that could make passive BCIs more feasible for use in future real-world human-machine interaction settings.
Cities are major contributors to climate change and biodiversity loss, and at the same time particularly affected by some of their consequences. Urban green can help address these challenges and provide numerous other benefits to people. Economic valuation can estimate the value that people assign to these diverse urban ecosystem services. The environmental economics literature uses several valuation methods. This work examines the valuation of urban ecosystem services with choice experiments. It includes five articles that use empirical analysis to address three overarching research goals: First, to improve understanding of the value of urban ecosystem services to urban residents. Second, to contribute to improving the validity of choice experiments. Third, to develop modeling of spatial patterns in the value of urban ecosystem services.
Chapter 1 describes the background and motivation of the valuation of urban ecosystem services with choice experiments, gives an overview over the relevant literature, and sets out the research objectives and methods of this dissertation.
Chapter 2 presents a choice experiment on green spaces, street trees and green roofs in Bremen. It analyzes the effect of additional information that these measures are part of a climate adaptation strategy. The results show greater willingness to pay among informed respondents. Part of the effect can be explained by a higher credibility of the survey.
Chapter 3 describes a choice experiment on urban gardens in Berlin and Stuttgart. It explores how respondents process the information provided in the questionnaire. It finds that questions about the information do not significantly affect either recall or the responses in the choice experiment.
Chapter 4 is based on choice experiments on street trees, green spaces, and greenways in four German cities. It examines how choice experiment surveys should elicit perceived consequentiality. The results show advantages of elicitation before the choice experiment over the usual elicitation afterwards.
Chapter 5 explores how valid policy makers perceive the results of choice experiments on urban green in several German cities, and what consequences this has for their use of the results. Interviews show that most policy makers use the results in their city to raise awareness or justify positions. Perceptions of validity are mixed, but do not play a major role in this type of use.
Chapter 6 examines the spatial distribution of the value of urban ecosystem services using choice experiments on green spaces, urban trees, green roofs, and green facades in Berlin and Leipzig. It develops and tests new choice models that may better represent than the common approach how the value of urban green space decreases with distance.
Based on the findings of the articles, Chapter 7 derives recommendations for practitioners of choice experiments and for urban green policy makers. Finally, it identifies research gaps that would be promising for future studies.