Popularizing Structural Geology: Exemplary Structural Geosites from the Apuan Alps UNESCO Global Geopark (Northern Apennines, Italy)

Popularizing endogenic geological processes that act deep on the Earth during geologic time producing orogenic belts requires a great effort. Consequently, geosites dealing with structural geology are surveyed with a lower frequency. Geological structures, however, may strongly control and model the...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Chiara Frassi, Alessia Amorfini, Antonio Bartelletti, Giuseppe Ottria
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2022-08-01
Series:Land
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2073-445X/11/8/1282
_version_ 1797409329300635648
author Chiara Frassi
Alessia Amorfini
Antonio Bartelletti
Giuseppe Ottria
author_facet Chiara Frassi
Alessia Amorfini
Antonio Bartelletti
Giuseppe Ottria
author_sort Chiara Frassi
collection DOAJ
description Popularizing endogenic geological processes that act deep on the Earth during geologic time producing orogenic belts requires a great effort. Consequently, geosites dealing with structural geology are surveyed with a lower frequency. Geological structures, however, may strongly control and model the territory and/or trigger the exogenous processes responsible for a specific landform/landscape. We describe here three geosites in the Apuan Alps UNESCO Global Geopark (Tuscany, Italy) to highlight their geoheritage values. We used the classical methods applied in structural geology to conceive and design three new interpretative panels of structural geosites using simple language and graphic schemes that facilitate the understanding of geological structures. The three selected structures were produced by different deformation regimes and at different structural depths. The first geosite is the boundary between the metamorphic and non-metamorphic rocks and represents the boundary of the Apuan Alps tectonic window. The second geosite is the spectacular Mt. Forato natural arch and the third represents a beautiful example of folds. Each panel is characterized by QR codes that allow the reader to access a short geological glossary, the Apuan Alps Geopark website, and a short evaluation survey on the quality of the interpretative panel.
first_indexed 2024-03-09T04:12:46Z
format Article
id doaj.art-5d5e61d7683a4c2da0e46d87c09bc4a1
institution Directory Open Access Journal
issn 2073-445X
language English
last_indexed 2024-03-09T04:12:46Z
publishDate 2022-08-01
publisher MDPI AG
record_format Article
series Land
spelling doaj.art-5d5e61d7683a4c2da0e46d87c09bc4a12023-12-03T13:57:41ZengMDPI AGLand2073-445X2022-08-01118128210.3390/land11081282Popularizing Structural Geology: Exemplary Structural Geosites from the Apuan Alps UNESCO Global Geopark (Northern Apennines, Italy)Chiara Frassi0Alessia Amorfini1Antonio Bartelletti2Giuseppe Ottria3Dipartimento di Scienze della Terra, Via Santa Maria, 53, 56126 Pisa, ItalyApuan Alps UNESCO Global Geopark, Fortezza di Mont’Alfonso, Castelnuovo di Garfagnana, 55032 Lucca, ItalyApuan Alps UNESCO Global Geopark, Fortezza di Mont’Alfonso, Castelnuovo di Garfagnana, 55032 Lucca, ItalyApuan Alps UNESCO Global Geopark, Fortezza di Mont’Alfonso, Castelnuovo di Garfagnana, 55032 Lucca, ItalyPopularizing endogenic geological processes that act deep on the Earth during geologic time producing orogenic belts requires a great effort. Consequently, geosites dealing with structural geology are surveyed with a lower frequency. Geological structures, however, may strongly control and model the territory and/or trigger the exogenous processes responsible for a specific landform/landscape. We describe here three geosites in the Apuan Alps UNESCO Global Geopark (Tuscany, Italy) to highlight their geoheritage values. We used the classical methods applied in structural geology to conceive and design three new interpretative panels of structural geosites using simple language and graphic schemes that facilitate the understanding of geological structures. The three selected structures were produced by different deformation regimes and at different structural depths. The first geosite is the boundary between the metamorphic and non-metamorphic rocks and represents the boundary of the Apuan Alps tectonic window. The second geosite is the spectacular Mt. Forato natural arch and the third represents a beautiful example of folds. Each panel is characterized by QR codes that allow the reader to access a short geological glossary, the Apuan Alps Geopark website, and a short evaluation survey on the quality of the interpretative panel.https://www.mdpi.com/2073-445X/11/8/1282geoparksgeositegeoheritagelandscape heritagestructural geologyinformative panels
spellingShingle Chiara Frassi
Alessia Amorfini
Antonio Bartelletti
Giuseppe Ottria
Popularizing Structural Geology: Exemplary Structural Geosites from the Apuan Alps UNESCO Global Geopark (Northern Apennines, Italy)
Land
geoparks
geosite
geoheritage
landscape heritage
structural geology
informative panels
title Popularizing Structural Geology: Exemplary Structural Geosites from the Apuan Alps UNESCO Global Geopark (Northern Apennines, Italy)
title_full Popularizing Structural Geology: Exemplary Structural Geosites from the Apuan Alps UNESCO Global Geopark (Northern Apennines, Italy)
title_fullStr Popularizing Structural Geology: Exemplary Structural Geosites from the Apuan Alps UNESCO Global Geopark (Northern Apennines, Italy)
title_full_unstemmed Popularizing Structural Geology: Exemplary Structural Geosites from the Apuan Alps UNESCO Global Geopark (Northern Apennines, Italy)
title_short Popularizing Structural Geology: Exemplary Structural Geosites from the Apuan Alps UNESCO Global Geopark (Northern Apennines, Italy)
title_sort popularizing structural geology exemplary structural geosites from the apuan alps unesco global geopark northern apennines italy
topic geoparks
geosite
geoheritage
landscape heritage
structural geology
informative panels
url https://www.mdpi.com/2073-445X/11/8/1282
work_keys_str_mv AT chiarafrassi popularizingstructuralgeologyexemplarystructuralgeositesfromtheapuanalpsunescoglobalgeoparknorthernapenninesitaly
AT alessiaamorfini popularizingstructuralgeologyexemplarystructuralgeositesfromtheapuanalpsunescoglobalgeoparknorthernapenninesitaly
AT antoniobartelletti popularizingstructuralgeologyexemplarystructuralgeositesfromtheapuanalpsunescoglobalgeoparknorthernapenninesitaly
AT giuseppeottria popularizingstructuralgeologyexemplarystructuralgeositesfromtheapuanalpsunescoglobalgeoparknorthernapenninesitaly