title: Geodiversity assessment of Paraná State (Brazil): an innovative approach.
abstract: Geodiversity is considered as the natural range of geological, geomorphological, and soil features, including their assemblages, relationships, properties, interpretations, and systems. A method developed for the quantitative assessment of geodiversity was applied to Paraná, a Brazilian state with an area of about 200,000 km(2). The method is based on the overlay of a grid over different maps at scales ranging from 1/500,000 to 1/650,000, with the final Geodiversity Index the sum of five partial indexes calculated on a 25 × 25 km grid. The partial indexes represent the main components of geodiversity, including geology (stratigraphy and lithology), geomorphology, paleontology, and soils. The fifth partial index covers mineral occurrences of geodiversity, such precious stones and metals, energy and industrial minerals, mineral waters, and springs. The Geodiversity Index takes the form of an isoline map that can be used as a tool in land-use planning, particularly in identifying priority areas for conservation, management, and use of natural resources at the state level.
authors.affiliation: Geology Centre of University of Porto, Earth Sciences Department of University of Minho, Campus de Gualtar, Braga, 4710-057, Portugal. insuad@dct.uminho.pt
authors.forename: Diamantino Insua
authors.initials: DI
authors.lastname: Pereira
authors.forename: Paulo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Pereira
authors.forename: José
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Brilha
authors.forename: Leonardo
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Santos
mesh_terms: D001938:Brazil; D017753:Ecosystem; D055593:Geological Phenomena; D005844:Geology / Q000379:methods*