IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/vrs/quageo/v31y2012i1p25-35n5.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Recognition and assessment of sinkholes as geosites: lessons from the Island of Gozo (Malta)

Author

Listed:
  • Coratza Paola
  • Galve Jorge
  • Soldati Mauro
  • Tonelli Chiara

    (Department of Earth Sciences, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Modena, Italy)

Abstract

There is a wide literature on sinkhole or doline classification, formation and evolution. However, despite the fact that they are often characterised by spectacular morphological features, sinkholes are not normally described as geological resources which might be valuable for the society and worth of being promoted for their geomorphological importance. A series of sinkholes have been investigated in the Island of Gozo (Malta), some of which of notable size and high aesthetic interest. These sinkholes have been assessed applying a methodology which has been specifically set up with the aim of verifying whether any of them could be considered as geosites according to their scientific, additional (ecological, aesthetic, cultural) and use values. The paper shows the geosite assessment procedure and discusses its outputs, according to which 6 out of the 17 investigated sinkholes can be considered as geosites of geomorphological interest (geomorphosites). Finally, issues related to their enhancement and fruition are taken into account in the frame of potential geotourism strategies.

Suggested Citation

  • Coratza Paola & Galve Jorge & Soldati Mauro & Tonelli Chiara, 2012. "Recognition and assessment of sinkholes as geosites: lessons from the Island of Gozo (Malta)," Quaestiones Geographicae, Sciendo, vol. 31(1), pages 25-35, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:vrs:quageo:v:31:y:2012:i:1:p:25-35:n:5
    DOI: 10.2478/v10117-012-0006-8
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://doi.org/10.2478/v10117-012-0006-8
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.2478/v10117-012-0006-8?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:vrs:quageo:v:31:y:2012:i:1:p:25-35:n:5. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    We have no bibliographic references for this item. You can help adding them by using this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Peter Golla (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.sciendo.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.