Inventory and Assessment of the Geomorphosites in Central Cyclades, Greece: The Case of Paros and Naxos Islands

Niki Evelpidou,Evangelos Spyrou,Lida Lakidi,Alexandros Petropoulos,Maria Tzouxanioti,Anna Karkani

doi:10.3390/geosciences11120512

Niki Evelpidou, Evangelos Spyrou + Show 4 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.3390/geosciences11120512

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Journal: Geosciences	Publication Date: Dec 14, 2021
Citations: 5	License type: CC BY 4.0

Affiliation: National and Kapodistrian University of Athens

Abstract

The Cycladic landscape is characterized by landforms of natural beauty and rarity. Landforms resulting from differential erosion, weathering, tectonics, drainage network, sea level changes, and depositional processes can contribute to the development of geotourism in the area. This can be achieved by supporting conservation, protection and promotion of the geo-environment and nature, educating students, residents, and visitors. The aim of this work is to develop an inventory of the main geomorphosites of Paros and Naxos islands by assessing their scientific and additional values, using qualitative and quantitative criteria. Our results show that, besides the high scientific interest of the 75 geomorphosites, most are also characterized by a high ecological value and can potentially lead to a significant increase in the islands’ tourism. The results of this work aim at raise awareness on the geomorphological heritage of central Cyclades and provide a basis for their promotion, protection, and management.

Highlights

IntroductionGeomorphological heritage refers to the total of geomorphosites of an area [5] and can be a witness of climate change, tectonic evolution and the related changes in the history of life at the surface of the Earth
During the last decades, there have been several attempts for the promotion and preservation of the geomorphological and geological heritage in several regions [1,2,3].Interest in geoconservation and geomorphological heritage dates back to the 1990s [4].Geomorphological heritage refers to the total of geomorphosites of an area [5] and can be a witness of climate change, tectonic evolution and the related changes in the history of life at the surface of the Earth
Based on field work and the consequent assessment of the visited areas as potential geomorphosites, we have concluded that the islands of Naxos and Paros are of vast geomorphological heritage that is worth conserving and promoting and can lead to the further economic development of the two regions

Summary

Introduction

Geomorphological heritage refers to the total of geomorphosites of an area [5] and can be a witness of climate change, tectonic evolution and the related changes in the history of life at the surface of the Earth. Geomorphosites are areas of particular geomorphological interest, and several authors state that they can reveal part of the Earth’s history regarding, for instance, the palaeoclimate, the palaeogeography, the palaeoecology, etc. Geomorphosites usually include landforms, but several authors [7,8] state that any part of the surface of Earth can be considered as a geomorphosite, as long as it contributes to the knowledge and/or comprehension of the Earth’s history. The conditions under which the geomorphosites have formed, i.e., geological, geomorphological, tectonic, climatic etc., can aid in the knowledge and comprehension of geology and Earth history

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