Abstract
The rapidly expanding literature on the related subjects of geodiversity, geosites and their place in understanding and conserving our geoheritage has produced several proposed protocols for defining and valuing key sites and landscapes. Distinctions between geosites as well-defined features of our geological heritage and geodiversity sites as landscapes or geomorphosites have been proposed, while many subdivisions of the criteria for geosite recognition are also recognised. This paper uses two areas in central Africa to illustrate the realities of many landscapes, termed geosystems in this study. Largely Quaternary and present-day dynamic geosystems are considered as essential components of geodiversity and equally aspects of our geoheritage. To understand these geosystems requires detailed fieldwork including their relationships to ecology, rural land use and sensitivity to environmental change.
Highlights
RESUMO A literatura em rápida expansão sobre os assuntos relacionados com geodiversidade, geossítios e seu lugar na compreensão e conservação de nosso geopatrimônio produziu vários protocolos propostos para definir e valorizar locais e paisagens importantes
A Regolith Glossary was published by CSIRO, LEME (Eggleton Ed, 2001), who co- authored a major text on Regolith Geology and geomorphology (Taylor and Eggleton, 2001)
The examples of descriptive geomorphology discussed offer two series of linked geosites comprising contrasting geosystems, and they illustrate the methodological comments about the importance of scale in the study of geosites and geosystems by Santos et al, (2019; 2020)
Summary
The separated continental-scale fragments of former Gondwanaland contain both Archean cratons and accreted belts of Neo-Proterozoic, metamorphosed crystalline rocks. Residual materials constitute the weathering profile that has developed in situ, potentially over very long timescales and indicates landsurface stability This should not be equated with inactivity since the profile evolves both chemically and physically without traction by water, wind, or ice. This should not be equated with inactivity since the profile evolves both chemically and physically without traction by water, wind, or ice Sediments transported by these agencies often record episodes of instability and usually correlate with erosion in source locations at higher levels. A Regolith Glossary was published by CSIRO, LEME (Eggleton Ed, 2001), who co- authored a major text on Regolith Geology and geomorphology (Taylor and Eggleton, 2001) This emphasis can be traced to the highly seasonal and semi-arid climates of Australia, which favour the immobilisation of minerals released by weathering processes within the weathering profile, often close to its surface where crusts of iron oxides (ferricrete)and calcium carbonate (calcrete) become exposed. Scarp retreat from passive margins, combined with deep incision of the drainage is characteristic which applies to each fragmented part of Gondwanaland, even if the individual geographies at first appear strikingly different
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