Assessing the scientific value and vulnerability of paleontological sites: a new analytic operational procedure
Introduction: Paleontological heritage rarely receives the same legislative attention as archeological heritage. Part of the problem seems to be, at least in some contexts (e.g., Italy), the difficulty of acknowledging fossils as distinct assets from other cultural heritage objects and the lack of e...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2023-05-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Earth Science |
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| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/feart.2023.1163280/full |
| _version_ | 1797821988528455680 |
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| author | Andrea Faggi Saverio Bartolini-Lucenti Saverio Bartolini-Lucenti Lorenzo Rook Lorenzo Rook |
| author_facet | Andrea Faggi Saverio Bartolini-Lucenti Saverio Bartolini-Lucenti Lorenzo Rook Lorenzo Rook |
| author_sort | Andrea Faggi |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Introduction: Paleontological heritage rarely receives the same legislative attention as archeological heritage. Part of the problem seems to be, at least in some contexts (e.g., Italy), the difficulty of acknowledging fossils as distinct assets from other cultural heritage objects and the lack of expertise among the administrative functionaries. This study aims to describe and test an objective analytic operational procedure that could allow for the assessment of the relevance of any fossiliferous site and its potential vulnerability in its present state.Methods: The estimations were obtained using several quantitative and qualitative parameters that could describe the probability of fossil recovery for each site (Pr) and the scientific and cultural interest of the locality (In). Each parameter has subcategories for better defining. The product of probability and interest results in the scientific value (S), generally expressed as a percentage (S*). The vulnerability index (V) of productive and active sites considers the use of the land (U) and the natural erosion (E). The parameters were thought to apply to any type of fossil locality. We tested the indexes on 22 localities (7 of which were with paleoichnological records and 15 with direct body-fossil evidence), all different from one another.Results: The results show that the proposed indexes well describe and characterize each locality. Most of the sites are moderately vulnerable (V between 1 and 3) except for large quarry sites (e.g., Pirro Nord, Italy and Solnhofen, Germany) whose vulnerability indexes fell in the maximum degree of risk.Discussion: The operational procedure presented here is a simple, objective, and remotely applicable method allowing paleontologists and non-expert personnel to categorize localities and, therefore, act as a base to plan actions in paleontological heritage management relative to territorial development and land use. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-13T10:02:09Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-5e50699a9be143379d74a1b256b78a9e |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2296-6463 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-13T10:02:09Z |
| publishDate | 2023-05-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Earth Science |
| spelling | doaj.art-5e50699a9be143379d74a1b256b78a9e2023-05-23T04:48:53ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Earth Science2296-64632023-05-011110.3389/feart.2023.11632801163280Assessing the scientific value and vulnerability of paleontological sites: a new analytic operational procedureAndrea Faggi0Saverio Bartolini-Lucenti1Saverio Bartolini-Lucenti2Lorenzo Rook3Lorenzo Rook4Paleo[Fab]Lab, Earth Science Department, Dipartimento di Scienze della Terra, Università degli Studi di Firenze, Firenze, ItalyPaleo[Fab]Lab, Earth Science Department, Dipartimento di Scienze della Terra, Università degli Studi di Firenze, Firenze, ItalyInstitut Català de Paleontologia Miquel Crusafont, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Cerdanyola del Vallès, SpainPaleo[Fab]Lab, Earth Science Department, Dipartimento di Scienze della Terra, Università degli Studi di Firenze, Firenze, ItalyNBFC, National Biodiversity Future Center, Palermo, ItalyIntroduction: Paleontological heritage rarely receives the same legislative attention as archeological heritage. Part of the problem seems to be, at least in some contexts (e.g., Italy), the difficulty of acknowledging fossils as distinct assets from other cultural heritage objects and the lack of expertise among the administrative functionaries. This study aims to describe and test an objective analytic operational procedure that could allow for the assessment of the relevance of any fossiliferous site and its potential vulnerability in its present state.Methods: The estimations were obtained using several quantitative and qualitative parameters that could describe the probability of fossil recovery for each site (Pr) and the scientific and cultural interest of the locality (In). Each parameter has subcategories for better defining. The product of probability and interest results in the scientific value (S), generally expressed as a percentage (S*). The vulnerability index (V) of productive and active sites considers the use of the land (U) and the natural erosion (E). The parameters were thought to apply to any type of fossil locality. We tested the indexes on 22 localities (7 of which were with paleoichnological records and 15 with direct body-fossil evidence), all different from one another.Results: The results show that the proposed indexes well describe and characterize each locality. Most of the sites are moderately vulnerable (V between 1 and 3) except for large quarry sites (e.g., Pirro Nord, Italy and Solnhofen, Germany) whose vulnerability indexes fell in the maximum degree of risk.Discussion: The operational procedure presented here is a simple, objective, and remotely applicable method allowing paleontologists and non-expert personnel to categorize localities and, therefore, act as a base to plan actions in paleontological heritage management relative to territorial development and land use.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/feart.2023.1163280/fullgeopaleontological heritage protectionvulnerability assessmentsite ranking indexesfossil sitespreventive paleontologygeodiversity |
| spellingShingle | Andrea Faggi Saverio Bartolini-Lucenti Saverio Bartolini-Lucenti Lorenzo Rook Lorenzo Rook Assessing the scientific value and vulnerability of paleontological sites: a new analytic operational procedure Frontiers in Earth Science geopaleontological heritage protection vulnerability assessment site ranking indexes fossil sites preventive paleontology geodiversity |
| title | Assessing the scientific value and vulnerability of paleontological sites: a new analytic operational procedure |
| title_full | Assessing the scientific value and vulnerability of paleontological sites: a new analytic operational procedure |
| title_fullStr | Assessing the scientific value and vulnerability of paleontological sites: a new analytic operational procedure |
| title_full_unstemmed | Assessing the scientific value and vulnerability of paleontological sites: a new analytic operational procedure |
| title_short | Assessing the scientific value and vulnerability of paleontological sites: a new analytic operational procedure |
| title_sort | assessing the scientific value and vulnerability of paleontological sites a new analytic operational procedure |
| topic | geopaleontological heritage protection vulnerability assessment site ranking indexes fossil sites preventive paleontology geodiversity |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/feart.2023.1163280/full |
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