The role of relief geodiversity in geomorphology

Abstract

Abstract:Geodiversity is an important characteristic of Earth surface. Geodiversity is meaning the diversification of Earth surface in the scope of geology, terrain relief, soils, climate, surface and underground water, taking into consideration modifying anthropogenic activity (Kostrzewski 1986(Kostrzewski , 1993(Kostrzewski , 1997(Kostrzewski , 1998(Kostrzewski , 2001). The program of geodiversity protection and preservation include the assessment of studied spatial unit (geoecosystem) actual geodiversity state, on the base of detailed knowledge of geographical environment and the stage of its evolution. In terrain relief geodiversity, young and old -restited forms, very often exhumed, are taken into consideration, that are giving the relief of studied area special meaning and appearance. Thematic maps (e.g. of terrain relief geodiversity, soils, surface water and complex maps e.g. landscape) are the cartographic presentation of geodiversity. Geodiversity studies should be included in geomorphological research priorities, that is very important from substantive and practical point of view.

Using geoinformatics and geomorphometrics to quantify the geodiversity of Crete, Greece

“…interacting with weathering and erosion to shape its terrain and landscape structure. In the context of climate change, population pressure/urbanization and degradation of natural resources, the quantification of geodiversity -facilitated by geoinformatics -provides valuable data and maps for planners, decision-makers and policy-makers (Kostrzewski, 2011).…”

Geodiversity Assessment as a First Step in Designating Areas of Geotourism Potential. Case Study: Western Carpathians

“…The concept of geodiversity appeared in the literature in the 1990s and very quickly became popular among scientists around the world (e.g., Dixon, 1996;Kozłowski, 1997Kozłowski, , 2004Kostrzewski, 1998Kostrzewski, , 2011Zwoliński, 2004;Gray, 2004Gray, , 2005Gray, , 2018aSerrano and Ruiz-Flaño, 2007a;Gordon et al, 2012;. It is defined in several contexts: geological, as the natural diversity of features of geological structure (rocks, minerals, and fossils), relief (forms and processes), and soil cover, including the relationships between these features, their properties, and their impact on other elements of the natural and cultural environment (Gray, 2004(Gray, , 2013Zwoliński, 2004); geological and anthropogenic, as the natural variation of the Earth's surface, including geological and geomorphological forms which was formed by endo-and exogenous processes and human activity (Kozłowski et al, 2004a;2004b); geographical, in which geodiversity is defined as the diversity of geocomplexes and geocomponents in a studied area, i.e., landscape diversity (Kostrzewski, 1998;Mizgajski, 2001); and anthropocentric, in which geodiversity is defined as the diversity of abiotic nature in terms of its ecological, economic, social, and esthetic significance to humans (Guthrie, 2005).…”

Main aspects of system hierarchy in ecological landscape research

“…broadly defined value. It should be noted that these features may be identified with geo-and biodiversity treated both as general environmental characteristics and those understood as the target status of environmental changes, environmental system functioning and its functions or ecosystem services (Benito-Calvo et al 2009;Corenblit et al 2011;Kostrzewski 2011;Kozłowski 2004;Kozłowski et al 2004;Leser 1998;Lindenmayer et al 2008;Richling, Solon 2011;Turner 1989;Walz 2011).…”