Evaluation Of Geodiversity Research Articles

Evaluation of geodiversity in the Brazilian Amazon using different quantification methodologies

When one considers geodiversity as the variability of abiotic elements distributed on the earth's surface in an unequal and complex manner, and that the configuration of these elements plays an important role in ecosystem dynamics, it becomes necessary and important to evaluate the different forms by which its spatial organization can be quantified and mapped. A recent academic effort in different countries, scales, and territories aims to evaluate and quantify geodiversity and its spatial variation. Thus, this work aims to apply and compare the spatial distribution of the geodiversity indices derived from four methodologies in the Brazilian Amazon. From this analysis, we seek to understand the distribution of the geodiversity indices in the Brazilian Amazon and organize a cartographic base for future correlations with spatial data representative of biodiversity and human appropriation of the territory. When one considers the tendencies of spatial similarity for each methodology, regardless of the size and shape of the quantification cells, the indices generated with the second methodology have a higher correlation with the basic index. In general, since they consider the same diversity measure (richness), the tendencies of direct spatial similarity are highlighted by the basic index and the products of the second methodology. The Shannon's index in the 250 × 250 km hexagonal grids, besides the high value of positive correlation, is also equivalent to the basic index, regaining the spatial proportion of each class, above all other indices. The indices generated from Shannon's and Simpson's indices tend to differ from the other indices because, besides class richness, they also measure evenness. The comparison between the quantitative indices shows some tendencies in the spatial patterns of geodiversity of the Brazilian Amazon but also presents indications of the limitations imposed by the different measurement criteria of the abiotic variables used.

EVALUATION AND VALORIZATION OF GEOHERITAGE OF THE MOUNT ROGOZNA AREA (SERBIA)

Due to its unique geology, relief, and extensive hydrologic network, Mount Rogozna has been chosen as a case study for the quantification of geodiversity. The study consists of two interconnected parts. The first part demonstrates the application of the geodiversity evaluation method using the geodiversity index, whereas the second part deals with the evaluation of the geoheritage objects of the studied area. The methodology for calculating geodiversity index that was applied in this research was modified due to the size of the studied area. The geodiversity index is calculated based on the number of abiotic elements and the roughness of the relief within the studied area. Mount Rogozna, with an area of 818.26 km2, has been studied and processed using a network of spatial polygons of 500 × 500 m and using different maps. The second part of the research deals with the evaluation of geoheritage objects, applying the Geosite Assess-ment Model. The obtained results demonstrate that geoheritage objects are not always located in places with high values of the geodiversity index. This is proven by the fact that 5 out of 7 geoheritage sites are located in areas with low geodiversity values. The obtained qualitative and quantitative data with maps showing the distribution of geodiversity can serve as a starting point for the development of a planning and management strategy, but also as the example of good practice for possible further application in the quan-tification of geodiversity in this part of Serbia, and beyond its borders as well.

Evaluation of Geodiversity Across Noorabad Basin (Fars Province, Iran)

Evaluation of Geodiversity Across Noorabad Basin (Fars Province, Iran)

The role of geodiversity and geoheritage in tourism and local development

Abstract Geodiversity and geoheritage play an increasingly important role in the tourism industry, although visitors’ interest in natural phenomena is much older than these two, relatively modern concepts. This chapter reviews several key issues emerging at the interface of geoheritage and the needs and expectations of the tourism industry, both tourists and service providers. Specific themes discussed include evaluation of geodiversity and geoheritage resources for tourism purposes, problems of interpreting Earth heritage for the general public, accessibility issues related to conservation, and the role of geoparks and allied initiatives in fostering local development. More general overviews are supplemented by case studies, illustrating each theme. These are taken from various localities globally, from Europe, South America and Oceania. It is concluded that the coverage of thematic studies at the interface between geoheritage resources and tourism science is uneven. Inventories and assessments of geoheritage and geodiversity sites for geotourism are widely reported and new resources for geotourism development are commonly explored, whereas much less is known about the actual perception of geoheritage values among visitors and the quality and effectiveness of their interpretation. Likewise, the positive impact of geotourism on local economies seems to be more hypothesized or anticipated than actually demonstrated.

Towards Transferable Use of Terrain Ruggedness Component in the Geodiversity Index

Geodiversity, as diversity of the abiotic environment, includes terrain ruggedness (or roughness), which is one of the essential parts of geodiversity evaluation. The terrain ruggedness index (R) represents the value of one of the main geodiversity components. The purpose of the study is to discuss the characteristics of R in the scope of geodiversity, and to show how R differs within two specific study areas if we study them using a data scale that covers both areas and only site-specific data. Hence, the main methods include geodiversity element mapping, calculating R based on either the study area or broader-scale data and discussing the differences that arise. The findings show that R should not be calculated only within individual study areas if the results among different study areas are to be compared; rather, it should first be calculated on a larger scale for the whole region in which we are about to compare the specific study areas. The applied value of these results is that such data are then suitable for calculating the geodiversity index (G) according to specific methodological steps and for further analyses.

Geodiversity evaluation and geoconservation using grid analysis: case study, north of Ilam Province

The north of Ilam Province in Iran has a great variety of geodiversity features, and the presence of geodiversity resources, along with other geological and geomorphological values, has enriched the area. The purpose of the present study is to evaluate the geodiversity in the north of Ilam Province. The main indices for assessing geodiversity in the present study include geology, geomorphology, geomorphosites, paleontology, pedology, hydrology, mineral resources, and fossil species. In addition to assessing geodiversity, the hazard maps of the area were also prepared and overlapped with the geodiversity attraction maps, to identify areas with high geodiversity attraction as well as areas with high vulnerability. The results showed that 71% of the region had moderate and high attraction in terms of geodiversity indices. The most attractive areas are located in the north, center, and southeast of the region, which include the entire protected area of Manesht, Bankul, and Ghalarang; the Gachan and Arghavan area; and to the south the Sivan Arch and the Kabir Kuh area. The hazard map analysis also showed that the areas with the highest score in terms of geodiversity indices had many hazards indicating high sensitivity, unsustainable exploitation, and a growing trend of their destruction. All areas with high geodiversity attraction are exposed to severe human hazards. Most of these hazards are concentrated in the center and southeast of the region, which corresponds to areas with high geodiversity attraction. Due to their specific sensitivities, these areas can maintain their existence if they are exploited in a sustainable manner; otherwise, we will see these resources degraded and destroyed in the future.

Geodiversity Evaluation and Water Resources in the Sesia Val Grande UNESCO Geopark (Italy)

This paper aims at systemizing knowledge related to geodiversity assessment for water resources and its evaluation. The novel aspect connected to geodiversity of this paper is the analysis of the components of hydrological system, both at the superficial and underground level, in the territory of the Sesia Val Grande United Nations educational, scientific, and cultural organization (UNESCO) Global Geopark (Northwest Italy). More specifically, the research establishes a conceptual model and a specific procedure for the evaluation of geodiversity connected to water resources on a regional scale, by means of a qualitative-quantitative geographic information system (GIS) process, renamed here as hydro-geodiversity assessment. For these purposes, a targeted ecosystem approach is applied to consider the assets of the Geopark territory that has been derived from the interaction between water and other components of geodiversity, i.e., the hydro-geosystemic services. The element selection and processing operations led to the identification of areas characterized by greater values of hydrological geodiversity, in which the link between surface and underground hydrodynamics became closer and intense. The single geodiversity factor maps that were obtained from partial data aggregations were added together in map algebra operations, then subjected to weighing to formulate the hydro-geodiversity map of the Sesia Val Grande UNESCO Global Geopark. The results of the present study strengthen the strategic management of geological, geomorphological, and hydrological heritages of the study area by identifying different landscapes and local peculiarities determined by mutual influences between geology and hydrological dynamics.

Tectonics-Related Geosites: Towards Accurate Nomenclature

Accurate nomenclature of geological heritage sites (geosites) is necessary to facilitate their description and territorial geodiversity evaluation (both important for sustainable development and efficient land-use planning). As suggested by previous geological heritage studies, tectonics-related geosites are termed differently and, chiefly, provisionally (e.g., as tectonic geosites or structural geosites). Moreover, the nomenclature should take into account modern advances in the understanding of some basic tectonic phenomena. We propose abandoning the separation of structural, neotectonic, and seismic types of geosites and replacing with a single tectonic type. This can be further subdivided into subtypes, although one should consider the complexities in the links between tectonic and other geological phenomena (e.g., unique seismic features are essentially tectonic, but these can be expressed via geomorphological or sedimentary features—a geosite retains tectonic and geomorphological/sedimentary types in this case). The development of accurate nomenclature of tectonics-related geosites requires debates by experts in geological heritage.

Quantitative Assessments of Geodiversity in the Area of the Seridó Geopark Project, Northeast Brazil: Grid and Centroid Analysis

The evaluation of geodiversity is one of the initial and main steps in the development of geoconservation actions. It is fundamental to establish parameters that quantify elements and places of abiotic nature in order to draw attention to those that are richer than the average. In doing so, it is possible to manage areas for the protection of notable geoheritage and to develop sustainable activities such as geotourism. The literature comprises several methodologies for the quantitative assessment of geodiversity, but the use of geoprocessing tools appears to be the least subjective type of analysis. From this standpoint, this work aimed to analyze the geodiversity in an area of geological interest in the northeast of Brazil by using two methodologies. The first is widely used and involved the definition of a grid to overlay the cartographic datasets that are used to define the geodiversity index. The second method is based on a centroid analysis of intersected datasets. These investigations showed that the two methodologies have similar aspects and produce a high geodiversity index for the area. This outcome supports the reliability of these methods when the results converge, with respect to the delimitation of the valuable places where geodiversity should be protected. These methods may be used as basis for the sustainable management of natural resources.

Geodiversity evaluation of the Słupsk Bank boulder area

The Słupsk Bank is a seascape area of high nature value, that consists of boulders related to glacial and post-glacial formation and a variety of underwater landforms, that form the habitat for numerous plants and animals. The aim of this paper was to evaluate geodiversity using geoinformation analysis consecutive steps, such as preparation of factor maps, map algebra etc. The resulting geodiversity map was based on a bathymetric relief energy map, a geomorphological map based on expert classification using the Bathymetric Position Index (BPI), and a lithological map showing average texture classes of sediments). Maps of geodiversity support the identification and delimitation of the geodiversity hotspots for nature protection, as well as the directions for management of valuable natural areas.

Caves Geodiversity Evaluation as an Instrument to the Management of the Campos Gerais National Park, Southern Brazil

This paper aims to evaluate the geodiversity of sandstone caves in the Campos Gerais National Park, Southern Brazil. The subject of the research was the inventory, quantification, and classification (ranking) of geodiversity features and biological elements, in order to identify which caves are fragile, vulnerable, and demand priority management action. The inventory proposes a data plan template with 11 characteristics for evaluation of 33 caves and generated a set of speleological information for the Campos Gerais National Park. The quantification and classification of the caves were based on five factors: (a) underground geodiversity features, (b) vulnerability, (c) expropriation priority, (d) sensibility, and (e) potential to scientific use. A case study shows topics that may influence the relevance of the sandstone caves, such as (a) karstification process in non-carbonate siliciclastic rocks, (b) geological function of the caves, (c) interactions between geodiversity and biodiversity, and (d) recent changes in Brazilian laws about cave protection and speleological relevance. The results showed that cave geodiversity evaluation through inventory, quantification, and classification (ranking) is an effective instrument to identify which caves must be prioritized in conservation actions. The evaluation can directly contribute to the management plan and other conservation actions in the Campos Gerais National Park. It can be applied in other areas for the analysis of eventual enlargement or creation of new protected areas.

Vrednotenje izobraževalnega potenciala geodiverzitete na primeru Cerkniškega polja

Koncept geodiverzitete obstaja že več kot 20 let. Večina metod vrednotenja geodiverzitete se uporablja za ugotavljanje geokonzervatorskega ali geoturističnega potenciala. Metode, s katerimi bi lahko vrednotili izobraževalni potencial geodiverzitete, so zelo redke. Glavni cilj našega članka je podati novo metodo vrednotenja geodiverzitete za določanje izobraževalnega potenciala proučevanega območja. Metoda je uporabna za učne namene, ko učitelji načrtujejo organizacijo strokovnih ekskurzij ali terenskega dela.

A comparison of results from geomorphological diversity evaluation methods in the Polish Lowland (Toruń Basin and Chełmno Lakeland)

Geomorphological diversity is part of geodiversity. Study and evaluation of geodiversity, including geomorphological diversity, is often conducted in uplands and mountains, despite the fact that lowland areas are of equal importance. This paper evaluates geomorphological diversity in a small area of the Polish Lowland, using a variety of methods that have been applied in recent times for evaluating geodiversity, and presents the results on maps. By comparing these maps and analyzing the correlation coefficients of the results obtained, it was possible to identify the two methods that were best suited to indicating areas with the greatest geomorphological diversity in the lowlands. These two methods are least affected by the choice of elementary fields and data classification methods applied. The study identified the two areas with the greatest relief diversity and showed that they distinctly differ from one another. They demonstrate the major influence of processes, not only on the topographic parameters and landform types, but above all on identifying and defining total geomorphological diversity. These methods, which can be used to identify the areas with the greatest total geomorphological diversity, could readily be used in applied studies relating to abiotic ecosystem services and landscape management.

A New Quantitative Model for Comprehensive Geodiversity Evaluation: the Škocjan Caves Regional Park, Slovenia

The article presents a simple quantitative model for geodiversity evaluation, which merges spatial relationship of geodiversity elements with terrain data. The model is partially automated in geographic information system tools to eliminate the majority of subjectivity in evaluation. As a result, it can be used for different environment types and is applicable for comparative studies. The method was applied to the Skocjan Caves Regional Park, which is one of the most diverse karst areas in the world. The geodiversity element types were identified through remote sensing data and basic field mapping. Their diversity was subsequently defined through block statistic tools in a geographic information system programme. The geodiversity index was calculated from a number of different geodiversity element types within defined spatial units and from the terrain ruggedness index. Areas of high geodiversity index or geodiversity hotspots are in strong correlation with the most diverse areas of the regional park, which are also currently promoted for geotouristic and educational purposes.

A Proposal of Quantitative Geodiversity Evaluation Model on the Example of Upper Pivka Karst, Slovenia

V članku je predstavljena nova metoda vrednotenja geodiverzitete, ki je bila preizkušena na kraškem območju Zgornje Pivke. Metoda temelji na vrednotenju celotnega območja na osnovi prostorske razporejenosti elementov geodiverzitete in razčlenjenosti površja. Razvili smo jo z namenom čimbolj objektivnega in sistematičnega vrednotenja geodiverzitete na nekem območju. V članku smo metodo uporabili na območju Zgornje Pivke, kjer se je izkazala za zelo uporabno.

A Proposal of Quantitative Geodiversity Evaluation Model on the Example of Upper Pivka Karst, Slovenia

The article presents a new method for geodiversity evaluation, which was evaluated in the Upper Pivka karst area. The method is based on entire area evaluation on the basis of spatial distribution of geodiversity elements and terrain ruggedness. The method was developed for the purpose of objective and systematic geodiversity evaluation on various sites. In this article, we applied the method in the Upper Pivka area, where it demonstrated to be very useful.

Application of the geodiversity index for the assessment of geodiversity in urban areas: an example of the Belgrade city area, Serbia

Considering the fact that urbanization is one of the most serious threats to geodiversity, it is important that this issue is taken into account in spatial development plans and georesource management strategies in urban areas. This paper presents the application of a geodiversity evaluation method by using the geodiversity index, based on the quantity of abiotic elements and relief roughness within a spatial unit. Geodiversity assessment, usually used for remote, protected and sparsely populated natural areas, is now carried out in an urban environment – the city of Belgrade, capital of Serbia, with a population of about 1.7 million inhabitants and very strong urbanization in the last few decades. The area of 3227 km2 is processed with the spatial resolution of 1 x 1 km. The acquired results from the geodiversity index are analyzed in the context of sustainable use of georesources and the threats to which geodiversity is exposed due to the territorial expansion of the city. The mapping of specific categories of geodiversity on the basis of quantitative assessment with the use of Geographic Information Systems can help decision makers and managers to take further steps that would reduce threats and protect the natural value of Belgrade.

Identifikacija vročih točk geodiverzitete na primeru krajinskega parka Rakov Škocjan

Regardless of numerous methods of geodiversity evaluation, subjective criteria-based methods prevail what reflects in the quality and comparability of data. The purpose of this article is to present the application of geodiversity evaluation method, which is largely stripped of subjective factors. The method we used to calculate the geodiversity index is based solely on surface ruggedness and spatial distribution of geosites was applied in the area of Rakov Skocjan Landscape Park.

Calculation of Geodiversity from Landscape Units of the Cadeado Range Region in Paraná, Brazil

This work aims to carry out a quantitative evaluation of geodiversity in a unit of Cadeado Range, Parana state, Brazil, on the eastern edge of the Parana sedimentary basin. We identified and defined eight compartments or landscape units using an integrated analysis of the set of elements of their geoecological structure: geomorphological, geological, pedological, hydrologic, and socioeconomic features. We made a quantitative evaluation of the abiotic elements of the landscape, aiming to understand the spatial distribution of geodiversity. To this, we applied the calculation of geodiversity index proposed by Serrano and Ruiz-flano ((62):1–8, 2007), in order to determine the geodiversity richness index for each compartment, as well as the distribution or relative frequency of the elements. It was possible to demonstrate that compartments with a wider territorial area do not necessarily hold a greater richness index and that compartments with greater richness area do not necessarily shelter a better equability or relative frequency among elements. Therefore, areas with a higher geodiversity index are associated with a balance between element distribution in a given area and its richness. We believe that this method can inform future studies to compare rates of geodiversity and biodiversity in the territory with a nature conservation aim.

The point bonitation method for evaluating geodiversity: a guide with examples (polish lowland)

This paper presents the evaluation of geodiversity by the point bonitation method. Geodiversity is understood here in the broadest sense, i.e. as a variability of all abiotic components: geology, geomorphology, soils, waters and climate. The point bonitation method is described in the form of a coherent instruction along with a discussion of the included examples. Factors that may influence the obtained results are indicated. The geodiversity evaluation method is illustrated in the three test fields situated in the Polish Lowland. The work was performed on detailed scales of 1:25 000 and 1:10 000. This guide should serve as a tool ready to use in environmental management, landscape planning and nature conservation.