A new
Geodiversity Index
as a quantitative indicator of abiotic parameters to improve
landscape conservation: an Italian case study
Melelli Laura* & Floris Mario***[email protected]
Department of Earth Sciences, University of Perugia*[email protected]
Department of Earth Sciences, University of Padova
European Geosciences Union
General Assembly 2011
Natural diversity GEODIVERSITYGEODIVERSITY
Geodiversity Index ConclusionData analysisStudy areaGeodiversity:definitionGeodiversity: definition
Biodiversity
“the natural range (diversity) of geological (rocks, minerals, fossils), geomorphological (landform, physical processes) and soil features” (Gray, 2004)
“… and also topography and elements of hydrosphere…” (Serrano & Ruiz-Flano, 2007)
- Intrinsic value: “refers to the ethical belief that some things (in this case geodiversity) are of values simply for what they are rather than what they can be used for by humans (utilitarian value)” (Gray, 2004).
- Cultural and aesthetic values: assigned by a community for which a particular site plays an important role in terms of cultural and historical heritage.
- Scientific and educational value: the importance of geodiversity as a topic of scientific research, teaching and dissemination.
- Economic value: the geo-diversity can be an economic resource, sometimes of prime importance for the areas in which it is recognized.
Geodiversity Index ConclusionData analysisStudy areaGeodiversity:definitionGeodiversity: definition
GEODIVERSITY
Landscape Management
Geotourism… a tourism that sustains the
geographical character of a place …
Geosites… any place where you can define a
geological and geomorphological interest for conservation …
Geoparks… A territory which includes a
particular geological heritage and a sustainable territorial development strategy supported by a national program to promote development
Geological f.
GEODIVERSITY INDEX
Maps, field survey
Geomorphological f. Land cover f.
Maps, field survey Maps, Remote Sensed data
GEOLOGICAL FORMATIONS
- Geological complex
- Bedding
- Soil type
LANDFORMS
- Landforms activity
- Morphogenetic processes
LANDUSE
- Hierarchical classification of
land use
Geodiversity Index ConclusionData analysisStudy areaGeodiversity:definitionGeodiversity: definition
Topographic f.
Digital Elevation Model
TOPOGRAPHIC PARAMETERS
- Roughness
- Slope
- Aspect
- Curvature
Geodiversity Index ConclusionData analysisStudy areaGeodiversity:definition Study area
Regional and National Parks
Geosites in the Umbria Region
Altitude (m a.s.l.)
High : 2484.489990
Low : 40.330002
Geodiversity Index ConclusionData analysisStudy areaGeodiversity:definition Study area
Fluvial Lacustrine Deposits (Olocene-Pliocene)
Low slope values
Terrigenous Complex (Miocene)
Medium slope values
Calcareous Complex (Trias up. – Oligocene)
High slope values
Geology
Subasio Regional Park
Subasio Mt. 1287m
Geodiversity Index ConclusionData analysisStudy areaGeodiversity:definition Study area
Subasio Mt.
The Subasio Mountain Regional Park
GI = Eg IR/lnSSerrano & Ruiz-Flano, 2007
GI = Geodiversity Index
Eg = number of different elements in the study square (total diversity).
IR = roughness parameter
ln = natural logarithm
S = area of the square (ha)
Geodiversity Index ConclusionData analysisStudy areaGeodiversity:definition Data analysis
G.I.S.GRID format
GEODIVERSITY INDEX
Vi = each abiotic factor that contributes to GI with mapping characteristics of spatial CONTINUITY (geological substrate, soil cover, land use).
Gmi = each abiotic factor contributing to the geodiversity definition with mapping characteristics of spatial DISCONTINUITY (morphogenetic processes).
Sa = "surface area”: a grid in which the cell values reflect the topographic surface area within that cell.
Pa = "planimetric area”, the square of the resolution of the elevation model.
ln Sa = natural logarithm of Sa
Input layer
ArcGIS 9.3 Spatial Analyst tools – Neighboorhood - Focal statistics - Variety
Geodiversity Index ConclusionData analysisStudy areaGeodiversity:definition Data analysis
Cell size – 25m
Focal FunctionsNeighborhood Statics
Variety
Output layerLow
Medium
High
ArcGIS 9.3 Spatial Analyst tools – Merge - Raster Calculator –- Sum(ingrid1, ingrid2, ingrid3…)
Geodiversity Index ConclusionData analysisStudy areaGeodiversity:definition Data analysis
1
Mass wastingMERGE
Local functionsSUM
Input layer
Fluvial processMERGE
Overlaylayer
Outputlayer
AnthropicKarstMass wastingFluvialStructural
ArcGIS 9.x Spatial Analyst tools – Raster Calculator - Arithmetic operators “+”
Geodiversity Index ConclusionData analysisStudy areaGeodiversity:definition Data analysis
Geological variety
Arithmetic operators “+”
Geomorphological variety
Landcover variety
Model 1 IR = 1.1
Model 2 IR = 2
Model 3 IR = 3
Planimetric area
Surface areaSa1 < Sa2 < Sa3
Geodiversity Index ConclusionData analysisStudy areaGeodiversity:definition Data analysis
Terrain roughness is a term used to describe how “irregular” an area is
ROUGHNESS INDEX
Landscape model where the geomorphological processes are more active and with much variability …
Terrain roughness is a term used to describe how “irregular” an area is
ROUGHNESS INDEX
Sa Pa
Surface area / Planimetric Area
Jenness, J. 2009. Surface Area and Ratio for ArcGIS (surface area.exe).
http://www.jennessent.com/arcgis/surfacearea.htm.
ArcGIS 9.x - Surface-area.ext
Geodiversity Index ConclusionData analysisStudy areaGeodiversity: definition Data analysis
-Roughness is dipendent only on DEM, not on fields data.
- Roughness can become an important indicator for GI identification
44%
37% 19%
Medium GI
LowGI
High GI
Geodiversity Index ConclusionData analysisStudy areaGeodiversity:definition Geodiversity Index
1) High values corresponding to geosites
Geodiversity Index ConclusionData analysisStudy areaGeodiversity:definition Geodiversity Index
2) High values corresponding to high topographic index (roughness)
Geodiversity Index ConclusionData analysisStudy areaGeodiversity:definition Geodiversity Index
3) High values corresponding to active geomorphological processes
Geodiversità: definizione Indice quantitativoArea di studio Elementi di geodiversità Analisi dei dati ConclusioniGeodiversity Index ConclusionData analysisStudy areaGeodiversity:definition Conclusion
PRELIMINARY RESULTS
The advancement of knowledge on the identification of geodiversity for the development of the natural heritage,
A quantitative approach to the geodiversity assessment comparable in different areas,
A upgradable digital database,
A tool to identify areas with potential value of the abiotic component, An instrument for economic development and conservation management “in order to predict future evolution, changes and impacts of different land uses, management and planning actions and climatic inputs”…
Thanks for your attention!
FUTURE PLANS
Repeate the process in several areas with different morphogenetic and geological context
The improvement of the topographic data role in the GI assessment
Repeate the process with different cell size resolution to observe the differences in GI behaviour