Geodiversity: valuing and conserving abiotic nature

Geodiversity......Page 4
Contents......Page 8
Preface......Page 14
1.1 A Diverse World......Page 18
1.2 Biodiversity......Page 19
1.3 Geodiversity......Page 21
1.4 Geodiversity as a Resource......Page 25
1.5 Aims and Structure of the Book......Page 26
2.2 Origin of the Earth......Page 30
2.3 Early History of the Earth......Page 31
2.4 Plate Tectonics......Page 35
2.5 Landscapes of Plate Interiors......Page 39
2.6.1 Minerals......Page 40
2.6.2 Rocks and sediments......Page 44
2.6.3 Fossils......Page 52
2.7.1 Igneous processes and forms......Page 55
2.7.2 Slope processes and forms......Page 57
2.7.3 River environments......Page 62
2.7.4 Coastal environments......Page 65
2.7.5 Glacial environments......Page 68
2.7.6 Periglacial environments......Page 71
2.7.8 Weathering environments......Page 74
2.7.9 Soils......Page 76
2.8 Conclusions......Page 80
3.2 Intrinsic or Existence Value......Page 82
3.3.1 Folklore (geomythology)......Page 87
3.3.2 Archaeological and historical value......Page 89
3.3.3 Spiritual value......Page 94
3.3.4 Sense of place......Page 96
3.4 Aesthetic Value......Page 98
3.4.1 Local landscapes......Page 99
3.4.2 Geotourism and leisure activities......Page 100
3.4.3 Artistic inspiration......Page 101
3.5 Economic Value......Page 102
3.5.1 Mineral fuels......Page 103
3.5.2 Industrial, metallic and precious minerals......Page 107
3.5.3 Construction minerals......Page 114
3.5.4 Fossils......Page 129
3.6.1 Utilitarian functions......Page 131
3.6.3 Ecosystem functions......Page 138
3.7 Research and Educational Value......Page 143
3.7.2 Earth history......Page 144
3.7.3 History of research......Page 145
3.7.4 Environmental monitoring......Page 146
3.8 Conclusions......Page 148
4.1 Introduction......Page 150
4.2 Mineral Extraction......Page 152
4.3 Landfill and Quarry Restoration......Page 160
4.4 Land Development and Urban Expansion......Page 162
4.5 Coastal Erosion and Protection......Page 163
4.6 River Management, Hydrology and Engineering......Page 165
4.7.1 Afforestation......Page 168
4.8 Agriculture......Page 170
4.9 Other Land Management Changes (e.g. Cutting, Filling, Dumping, Spreading or Discharging Materials)......Page 174
4.10 Recreation/Tourism Pressures......Page 176
4.11 Removal of Geological Specimens......Page 180
4.12 Climate and Sea-level Change......Page 182
4.14 Military Activity......Page 184
4.15 Lack of Information/Education......Page 185
4.16 Cumulative Impacts and Sensitivity to Change......Page 186
4.17 Conclusions......Page 189
5.2 Beginnings of the Conservation Movement in North America......Page 192
5.3 Early British Experience......Page 197
5.5.1 The IUCN......Page 199
5.5.2 The United Nations......Page 200
5.5.3 Other international agreements......Page 213
5.7 National Conservation Systems......Page 214
5.8 United States of America......Page 215
5.8.1 The National Park System......Page 216
5.8.2 National Natural Landmarks (NNLs)......Page 223
5.8.4 State Parks......Page 225
5.8.5 State Scientific and Natural Areas......Page 226
5.8.6 Other legislation and protected areas......Page 227
5.9.1 National Parks......Page 228
5.9.3 Provincial designations......Page 231
5.10 United Kingdom......Page 238
5.10.1 National Parks......Page 239
5.10.2 Nature Reserves......Page 240
5.10.3 Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSIs)......Page 242
5.10.4 Regionally Important Geological Sites (RIGS)......Page 250
5.10.5 Limestone Pavement Orders......Page 253
5.10.6 Other legislations and protected areas......Page 254
5.11 Ireland......Page 255
5.12 Northern Europe......Page 257
5.14 West Central Europe......Page 259
5.15 Southern Europe......Page 260
5.16.2 Conservation reserves and sites......Page 266
5.16.3 State activity......Page 268
5.17 New Zealand......Page 271
5.18 The Rest of the World......Page 272
5.19 International Geoconservation Revisited......Page 274
5.20 Conclusions......Page 279
6.1 Sustainable Management of the Georesource......Page 280
6.2.1 Introduction......Page 281
6.2.2 European initiatives......Page 282
6.2.3 Natural Areas and Landscape Character Assessment in the United Kingdom......Page 283
6.2.4 Mapping and inventory approaches in Australia......Page 295
6.2.5 Natural Regions and Sub-regions in Canada......Page 300
6.3 Georestoration......Page 303
6.3.1 Quarry and pit restoration......Page 305
6.3.2 River restoration......Page 308
6.3.3 Coastal restoration and managed realignment......Page 312
6.3.5 Other land restoration projects......Page 316
6.4 Landform Design......Page 318
6.4.1 Golf courses......Page 319
6.4.3 Bunding......Page 321
6.4.5 Urban landform......Page 323
6.5 Geomaterials......Page 324
6.5.1 Sustainable mining......Page 325
6.5.2 Overexploitation of minerals......Page 326
6.5.3 Sustainable use of geomaterials......Page 329
6.5.4 Natural and indigenous geomaterials and methods......Page 333
6.6 Land-use Planning Systems......Page 334
6.7 Environmental Impact Assessment......Page 339
6.8.1 Agricultural policy......Page 346
6.8.2 Soil conservation......Page 347
6.8.3 Geology audits and Geodiversity Action Plans......Page 350
6.8.4 Geoconservation strategies......Page 353
6.8.5 Natural heritage charters......Page 354
6.9 Communication, Interpretation and Education......Page 356
6.10 Conclusions......Page 362
7.2 Criticisms of “Geodiversity”......Page 364
7.3.1 Spatial diversity......Page 366
7.3.2 Geoindicators......Page 367
7.3.3 Geological extinction?......Page 369
7.4 Integrating Geodiversity and Biodiversity......Page 370
7.5 Integrated Land Management......Page 374
7.6 Potential Geodiversity/Biodiversity Conflicts......Page 380
7.7 Conclusions......Page 382
8.1 Valuing and Conserving Geodiversity......Page 384
8.2 A Vision for Geodiversity Conservation......Page 385
References......Page 390
Index......Page 428