Author(s):
Silva, Juliana 
; Pereira, D. I. ; Aguiar, Alexandre ; Rodrigues, Cleide
Date: 2013
Persistent ID: http://hdl.handle.net/1822/23616
Origin: RepositóriUM - Universidade do Minho
Subject(s): Geodiversity; Assessment; Amazonia; Xingu
Description
Artigo com mapa em anexo Geodiversity is a recent concept that refers to the abiotic variety of nature. It is defined as the
range of geological (rocks, minerals, fossils), geomorphological (landforms, processes) and
soil features, including their assemblages, relationships, properties, interpretation and
systems. In this work, a method of quantitative assessment of geodiversity was applied to
the Xingu drainage basin (Amazoˆnia – Brazil). The method is based on the quantification
and integration of abiotic features represented on thematic maps at scales ranging from
1:250,000 to 1:2,500,000, overlaid by a 1:25,000 systematic grid. In order to calculate the
final geodiversity index, five partial numerical indices representing the main components of
geodiversity were drawn compiled: geology, geomorphology, soil, palaeontology and
mineral occurrences. The resulting Geodiversity Index map is presented in the form of five
isoline classes. The objective of this method is to present such a mapping technique as a
tool for environmental planning, particularly for the identification and definition of priority
areas for conservation.
