THEMATIC DIMENSION OF GEOLOGICAL HERITAGE: AN EVIDENCE FROM THE WESTERN CAUCASUS

Ekaterina E. Plyusnina; Dmitry A. Ruban; Pavel P. Zayats

doi:10.2298/IJGI1501059P

Authors

Ekaterina E. Plyusnina Geology Program, Institute of Earth Sciences, Southern Federal University, Rostov-na-Donu, Russia
Dmitry A. Ruban Department of Tourism, Higher School of Business, Southern Federal University, Rostov-naDonu, Russia
Pavel P. Zayats Camp for Practice and Educational Tourism 'Belaja Retchka', Southern Federal University, Nikel' (Dakhovskaja Post Office), Majkop District, Republic of Adygeja, Russia

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.2298/IJGI1501059P

Keywords:

geological heritage; tourism; geological history; Phanerozoic; Western Caucasus

Abstract

The geodiversity hotspot comprising 14 geological heritage sites is located on the territory of Mountainous Adygeja in the Western Caucasus (southwestern Russia). The geosites represent some lengthy intervals of the geological history from the Precambrian to the Quaternary, as well as changes in the palaeotectonical affinity of the Greater Caucasus. Visitors of this territory can observe rocks, fossils, and facies, which are typical for the geological periods, especially the Permian, the Triassic, and Jurassic, and the Cretaceous. The same geosites permit to trace shift of the Greater Caucasus Terrane from the Gondwanan margin, where it was before the Devonian, to Laurussia and then Laurasia. Therefore, the geosites can be grouped thematically to facilitate arrangement of geoconservation and geotourism activities. This approach permits to increase the scientific and educational values of the geological heritage in Mountainous Adygeja and to make it more attractive for geotourists. However, such a thematic treatment of the regional geological heritage should not lead to underestimation of the other geological features.

Article metrics

References

Adamia, Sh., Zakariadze, G., Chkhotua, T., Sadradze, N., Tsereteli, N., Chabukiani, A., & Gventsadze, A. (2011a). Geology of the Caucasus: A Review. Turkish Journal of Earth Sciences, 20, 489-544.

Adamia, Sh., Alania, V., Chabukiani, A., Kutelia, Z., & Sadradze, N. (2011b). Great Caucasus (Cavcasioni): A Long-lived North-Tethyan Back-Arc Basin. Turkish Journal of Earth Sciences, 20, 611-628.

Carlson, D. H., Plummer, C. C., & Hammersley, L. (2011). Physical Geology: Earth Revealed. New York: McGraw-Hill.

Chen, X., Boucot, A. J., Scotese, C. R., & Fan, J. (2012). Pangaean aggregation and disaggregation with evidence from global climate belts. Journal of Palaeogeography, 1, 5-13.

Dagis, A. S., & Robinson, V. N. (1973). North-Western Caucasus (Severo-Zapadnyj Kavkaz). In L. D. Kiparisova, G. P. Radtchenko, & V. P. Gorskij (Eds.), Stratigrafija SSSR. Triasovaja sistema (pp. 357-366). Moskva: Nedra. (in Russian)

Dowling, R., & Newsome, D. (2010). Geotourism: a Global Activity. In R. Dowling, & D. Newsome (Eds.), Global Geotourism Perspectives (pp. 1-17). Woodeaton: Goodfellow Publishers.

Efendiyeva, M. A., & Ruban, D. A. (2009). Caucasus during Mesozoic and Cenozoic - geodynamic analogs and new challenges (Kavkaz v mezozoe i kajnozoe – geodynamitcheskie analogi i novye voprosy). Azerbaijan Oil Industry, 2, 9-13. (in Russian)

Ershov, A. V., Brunet, M.-F., Nikishin, A. M., Bolotov, S. N., Nazarevich, B. P., & Korotaev, M. V. (2003). Northern Caucasus basin: thermal history and synthesis of subsidence models. Sedimentary Geology, 156, 95-118.

Frisch, W., Meschede, M., & Blakey, R. (2011). Plate Tectonics. Continental Drift and Mountain Building. Heidelberg: Springer.

Gaetani, M., Garzanti, E., Poline, R., Kiricko, Yu., Korsakhov, S., Cirilli, S., Nicora, A., Rettori, R., Larghi, C., & Bucefalo Palliani, R. (2005). Stratigraphic evidence for Cimmerian events in NW Caucasus (Russia). Bulletin de la Société géologique de France, 176, 283-299.

Gamkrelidze, I. P. (1986). Geodynamic evolution of the Caucasus and adjacent areas in Alpine time. Tectonophysics, 127, 261-277.

Gordon, J. E. (2012). Rediscovering a Sense of Wonder: Geoheritage, Geotourism and Cultural Landscape Experiences. Geoheritage, 4, 65-77.

Gray, M. (2004). Geodiversity: Valuing and Conserving Abiotic Nature. Chichester: J. Wiley. Gray, M. (2008). Geodiversity: developing the paradigm. Proceedings of the Geologists' Association, 119, 287-298.

Henriques, M. H., Pena dos Reis, R., Brilha, J., & Mota, T. (2011). Geoconservation as an Emerging Geoscience. Geoheritage, 3, 117-128.

Hose, T. A. (1996). Geotourism, or can tourists become casual rock hounds? In M. R. Bennett, P. Doyle, J. Larwood, & C.P. Prosser (Eds.), Geology on your Doorstep: The role of urban geology in earth heritage conservation (pp. 207-228). London: Geological Society.

Hose, T. A. (2000). European 'geotourism' - geological interpretation and conservation promotion for tourists. In D. Barettino, W. A. P. Wimbledon, & E. Gallego (Eds.), Geological Heritage: Its Conservation and Management (pp. 127-146). Madrid: ITGE.

Hose, T. A., & Wickens, E. (2004). Typologies, tourism locations and images: Meeting the real needs of real tourists. In S. Weber, & R. Tomljenović (Eds.), Reinventing a Tourism Destination: Facing the Challenge (pp. 103-114). Zagreb: Institute for Tourism.

Hose, T. A., & Vasiljević, D. A. (2012). Defining the Nature and Purpose of Modern Geotourism with Particular Reference to the United Kingdom and South-East Europe. Geoheritage, 4, 25-43.

Kazmin, V. G., & Tikhonova, N. F. (2006). Evolution of Early Mesozoic back-arc basins in the Black Sea-Caucasus segment of a Tethyan active margin. In A. H. F. Robertson, & D. Mountrakis (Eds.), Tectonic Development of the Eastern Mediterranean Region. Geological Society of London Special Publication, 260, 179-200.

Kotlyar, G. V., Zakharov, Y. D., & Polubotko, I. V. (2004). Late Changhsingian fauna of the Northwestern Caucasus Mountains, Russia. Journal of Paleontology, 78, 513-527.

Kuznetsov, V. G. (1993). Late Jurassic - Early Cretaceous carbonate platform in the northern Caucasus and Precaucasus. In J. A. T. Simo, R. W. Scott, & J.-P. Masse (Eds.), Cretaceous Carbonate Platforms. American Association of Petroleum Geologists Memoirs, 56, 455-463.

Laz'ko, E. M. (1975). Regional geology of the USSR (Regional'naja geologija SSSR). Vol. 1. Moskva: Nedra. (in Russian)

Levin, H. (2006). The Earth Through Time. Hoboken: John Wiley & Sons.

Lordkipanidze, M. B., Adamia, Sh. A., & Asanidze, B. Z. (1984). Evolution of the active margins of the Tethys Ocean (Evoljutsija aktivnykh okrain okeana Tetis). In A. P. Lisitzin (Ed.), Paleookeanologija. Doklady 27 Mezhdunarodnogo geologitcheskogo kongressa (pp. 72-83). Moskva: Nauka. (in Russian)

Lozovoj, S. P. (1984). Lagonaki highlands (Lagonakskoe nagor'e). Krasnodar: Krasnodarskoe knizhnoe izdatel'stvo. (in Russian)

Lubova, K. A., Zayats, P. P., & Ruban, D. A. (2013). Megaclasts in geoconservation: sedimentological questions, anthropogenic influence, and geotourism potential. Geologos, 19, 321-335.

Lutgens, F. K., Tarbuck, E. J., & Tasa, D. (2011). Foundations of Earth Science. Upper Saddle River: Pearson - Prentice Hall.

Marinin, A. V., & Saintot, A. (2012). Comparison of methods to reconstruct paleostress regimes in the NW-Greater Caucasus fold-and-thrust belt. Comptes Rendus Geoscience, 344, 181-190

Miklukho-Maklaj, A. D., & Miklukho-Maklaj, K. V. (1966). The Crimean-Caucasian Fold Belt (Krymo-Kavkazskaja al'pijskaja skladtchataja oblast'). In B. P. Likharev (Ed.), Stratigrafija SSSR. Permskaja sistema (pp. 391-402). Moskva: Nedra. (in Russian)

Moskvin, M. M. (Ed.) (1986). Stratigraphy of the USSR. Cretaceous System (Stratigrafija SSSR. Melovaja sistema). Vol. 1. Moskva: Nedra. (in Russian)

Nikishin, A. M., Ziegler, P. A., Bolotov, S. N., & Fokin, P. A. (2012). Late Palaeozoic to Cenozoic Evolution of the Black Sea-Southern Eastern Europe Region: A View from the Russian Platform. Turkish Journal of Earth Sciences, 21, 571-634.

Parker, S. (2009). Fossil hunting. London: Southwater.

Popov, Ju. V. (2005). Position of the magmatic complexes of the Dakh horst-anticline in the evolution of magmatism in the zone of the Frontal Range of the Greater Caucasus (Polozhenie magmatitcheskikh kompleksov Dakhovskoj gorst-antiklinali v evoljutsii magmatizma zony eredovogo khrebta Bol'shogo Kavkaza). In N. I. Boiko, & R. G. Matukhin (Eds.), Aktual'nye problemy regional'noj geologii, litologii i mineragenii (pp. 131-141). Rostov-na-Donu: TsVVR. (in Russian)

Prosser, C. D. (2013). Our rich and varied geoconservation portfolio: the foundation for the future. Proceedings of the Geologists' Association, 124, 568-580.

Prosser, C., Murphy, M., & Larwood, J. (2006). Geological conservation: A guide to good practice. Peterborough: English Nature.

Prosser, C. D., Bridgland, D. R., Brown, E. J.. & Larwood, J. G. (2011). Geoconservation for science and society: challenges and opportunities. Proceedings of the Geologists' Association, 122, 337-342.

Rostovtsev, K. O., Agajev, V. B., Azarjan, N. R., Babajev, R. G., Beznosov, N. V., Gasanov, N. A., Zasaschvili, V. I., Lomize, M. G., Paitchadze, T. A., Panov, D. I., Prosorovskaya, E. L., Sakharov, A. S., Todria, V. A., Toptchischvili, M. V., Abdulkasunzade, M. R., Avanesjan, A. S., Belenkova, V. S., Bendukidze, N. S., Vuks, V. Ja., Doludenko, M. P., Kiritchkova, A. I., Klikuschin, V. G., Krymholz, G. Ja., Romanov, G. M., & Schevtchenko, T. V. (1992). Jurassic of the Caucasus (Jura Kavkaza). Sankt-Peterburg: Nauka. (in Russian)

Ruban, D. A. (2007a). Major Paleozoic-Mesozoic Unconformities in the Greater Caucasus and Their Tectonic Re-Interpretation: A Synthesis. GeoActa, 6, 91-102.

Ruban, D. A. (2007b). Paleozoic palaeogeographic frameworks of the Greater Caucasus, a large Gondwana-derived terrane: consequences from the new tectonic model. Natura Nascosta, 34, 16-27.

Ruban, D. A. (2007c). Jurassic transgressions and regressions in the Caucasus (northern Neotethys Ocean) and their influences on the marine biodiversity. Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology, 251, 422-436.

Ruban, D. A. (2007d). Geodynamic setting of the Paleozoic serpentinites of the Dakh crystalline massif (Northwestern Caucasus) (Geodinamitcheskaja obstanovka formirovanija paleozojskikh serpentinitov Dakhovskogo kristallitcheskogo massiva (Severo-Zapandyj Kavkaz)). In T. B. Kolotilina (Ed.), Ul'trabazit-bazitovye kompleksy skladtchatykh oblastej (pp. 67-71). Irkutsk: Izdatel'stvo Irkutskogo gosudarstvennogo tekhnitcheskogo universiteta. (in Russian)

Ruban, D. A. (2008a). Geodynamical settings of gratinoid formation of the Dakh crystalline massif (Northwestern Caucasus) (Geodinamitcheskie obstanovki formirovanija granitoidov Dakhovskogo kristallitcheskogo massiva (Severo-Zapadnyj Kavkaz)). Problemy mineralogii, petrografii i metallogenii, 11, 176-181. (in Russian)

Ruban, D. A. (2008b). Cretaceous batholiths from North America as paleogeodynamical analogues of the Late Paleozoic granitoids from the Northern Caucasus. In M. I. Kuz'min (Ed.), Granites and Earth's Evolution: Geodynamic setting, Petrogenesis and Ore Content of Granitoid Batholiths (pp. 327-328). Ulan-Ude: Publishing House BSC SB RAS.

Ruban, D. A., 2009: Stratigraphy of the Paleozoic magmatic formations of the northern part of Mountainous Adygeja (Western Caucasus) (Stratigrafija paleozojskikh magmatitcheskikh obrazovanij severnoj tchasti Gornoj Adygei (Zapadnyj Kavkaz)). Problemy mineralogii, petrografii i metallogenii, 12, 156-162. (in Russian)

Ruban, D. A. (2010a). Quantification of geodiversity and its loss. Proceedings of the Geologists' Association, 121, 326-333.

Ruban, D. A. (2010b). Outstanding centers of geodiversity - a basis for foundation of national geoparks (Unikal'nye tsentry georaznoobrazija - osnova dlja sozdanija natsional'nykh geoparkov). Otetchestvennaja geologija, 4, 77-80. (in Russian)

Ruban, D. A. (2011). Palaeontological herigate of the unique center of geodiversity in the mountainous part of the Republic of Adygeya (Paleontologitcheskoe nasledie unikal'nogo tsentra georaznoobrazija v gornoj tchasti Respubliki Adygei). Vestnik Tomskogo gosudarstvennogo universiteta, 345, 207-211. (in Russian)

Ruban, D. A. (2013). The Greater Caucasus — A Galatian or Hanseatic terrane? Comment on “The formation of Pangea” by G.M. Stampfli, C. Hochard, C. Vérard, C. Wilhem and J. von Raumer [Tectonophysics 593 (2013) 1-19]. Tectonophysics, 608, 1442-1444.

Ruban, D. A., Zerfass, H., & Yang, W. (2007a). A new hypothesis on the position of the Greater Caucasus Terrane in the Late Palaeozoic-Early Mesozoic based on palaeontologic and lithologic data. Trabajos de Geología, 27, 19-27.

Ruban, D. A., Al-Husseini, M. I., & Iwasaki, Y. (2007b). Review of Middle East Paleozoic Plate Tectonics. GeoArabia, 12, 35-56.

Ruban, D. A., Zerfass, H., & Pugatchev, V .I. (2009). Triassic synthems of southern South America (southwestern Gondwana) and the Western Caucasus (the northern Neotethys), and global tracing of their boundaries. Journal of South American Earth Sciences, 28, 155-167.

Saintot, A., Brunet, M.-F., Yakovlev, F., Sebrier, M., Stephenson, R., Ershov, A., Chalot-Prat, F., & McCann, T. (2006). The Mesozoic-Cenozoic tectonic evolution of the Greater Caucasus. In D. G. Gee, & R. A. Stephenson (Eds.), European Lithosphere Dynamics. Geological Society, London, Memoirs, 32, 277-289.

Smith, G. A., & Pun, A. (2010). How Does Earth Work? Physical Geology and the Process of Science. Upper Saddle River: Prentice Hall.

Sobolev, N. D. (1952). Ultrabasites of the Greater Caucasus (Ul'trabazity Bol'shogo Kavkaza). Moskva: Gosgeolizdat. (in Russian)

Stampfli, G. M. (2013). Response to the comments on “The formation of Pangea” by D.A. Ruban. Tectonophysics, 608, 1445-1447.

Stampfli, G. M., & Borel, G. D. (2002). A plate tectonic model for the Paleozoic and Mesozoic constrained by dynamic plate boundaries and restored synthetic oceanic isochrons. Earth and Planetary Science Letters, 196, 17-33.

Stampfli, G. M., Hochard, C., Vérard, C., Wilhem, C., & von Raumer, J. 2013. The formation of Pangea. Tectonophysics, 593, 1-19.

Tawadros, E., Ruban, D., & Efendiyeva, M. (2006). Evolution of NE Africa and the Greater Caucasus: Common Patterns and Petroleum Potential. The Canadian Society of Petroleum Geologists, the Canadian Society of Exploration Geophysicists, the Canadian Well Logging Society Joint Convention (pp. 531-538). Calgary.

Trepet, S. A. (2011). Adygeja (Adygeja). Majkop: Kubanskoe knizhnoe izdatel'stvo. (in Russian) Trepet, S. A. (2012). Big Azish Cave (Bol'shaja Azishskaja petschera). Krasnodar: Kubanskoe knizhnoe izdatel'stvo. (in Russian)

Trepet, S. A. (2013). Rufabgo Waterfalls (Vodopady Rufabgo). Krasnodar: Kubanskoe knizhnoe izdatel'stvo. (in Russian)

Valentseva, D. R., Skljarov, V. V., Ruban, D. A., & Pugatchev, V.I. (2006). The Permian Molasse of the Caucasus in the valley of the Belaja River (Permskaja molassa Kavkaza v doline r. Beloj). Nautchnaja mysl' Kavkaza. Prilozhenije, 13, 343-345. (in Russian)

Volkodav, A. I., & Volkodav, Ja.I. (2009). The Shushuk Gypsum Quarry - a place of unique geological and archaeological discoveries (Shushukskij gipsovyj kar'er - mesto unikal'nykh geologitcheskih i arkheologitcheskikh nakhodok). In E. K. Markhinin, & I. G. Volkodav (Eds.), V Mezhdunarodnaja nautchnaja konferentsija "vulkanizm, biosfera i ekologitcheskie problemy". Sbornik materialov (pp. 196-197). Majkop: AGU. (in Russian)

Volpe, R. (2007). The Age of Reptiles. The Art and Science of Rudolph Zalliger's Great Dinosaur Mural at Yale. New Haven: Peabody Museum of Natural History, Yale University.

Wimbledon, W. A. P. (1999). GEOSITES - an International Union of Geological Sciences initiative to conserve our geological heritage. Polish Geological Institute Special Papers, 2, 5-8.

Wimbledon, W. A. P., & Smith-Meyer, S. (Eds.) (2012). Geoheritage in Europe and its conservation. Oslo: ProGEO.