Geoheritage of the Middle Atlas (Morocco)

This book is a condensed summary of a broad spectrum of the geological heritage of the Middle Atlas. It has the particularity of proposing an in-depth synthesis and a critical review of the geoheritage of the region. The book addresses the issues related to geoheritage and methodologies for the selection, inventory, assessment and preservation of geosites. It reviews the state of the art of geoheritage in Morocco, particularly in the Middle Atlas, in order to identify geosites with rare and unique geological features. The book presents a detailed study of lithostratigraphic and sedimentological heritage as geosites witnessing at different spatial and temporal scales the evolution and the stratigraphic, sedimentological and paleogeographic history of the Middle Atlas range. It also presents the paleontological heritage of vertebrates by reviewing the discoveries of paleontological sites and their risks in order to present its conservation plans. It also addresses the hydricand fluvial heritage by presenting the potential of water resources and the impact of climate change on the latter. Furthermore, it highlights the karst heritage by exposing an inventory of exo- and endokarst geosites in order to emphasize some unique sites on a national and African scale as well as revealing the underground biodiversity related to this heritage. Finally, it proposes a presentation of the volcanic heritage in order to assess the volcanic geosites that testify to the strombolian, phreatomagmatic and Hawaiian dynamism of the region.

The book is mainly intended for researchers, geologists and specialists of the Moroccan Middle Atlas region wishing to acquire a broad multidisciplinary or even transdisciplinary knowledge. It will also be accessible to a non-initiated public, interested in the richness of the Moroccan geoheritage, as well as to Moroccan territorial authorities (High Commission for Water and Forests, Ministry of Tourism, National Institute of Archaeology and Heritage Sciences, etc.) who can benefit from it in the perspective of their strategies of preservation of the national geological heritage. This work will be an example for geoscientists, on an African scale, of a valorization of territorial geological heritage.

Part1. Introduction.- Chapter1. Geoheritage: A growing research topic in morocco and the middle atlas.- Part2. lithostratigraphic and sedimentological heritage.- Chapter2. Paleozoic-lower and middle lias lithostratigraphic and sedimentological geosites of the middle atlas (morocco): inventory and valorization.- Chapter3. The brown and ammonitic-rosso levels: geoheritage reflecting the toarcian lithostratigraphy of the middle atlas (morocco).- Chapter4. Jbel serhla: A particular geosite of lithostratigraphic, paleogeographic and paleontological amplitude.- Chapter5. Cenozoic sites of the middle atlas (morocco): an alpine heritage to be preserved.- Part3. Palaeontological heritage.- Chapter6. The palaeontological heritage of vertebrates in the middle atlas (morocco): initiatives of inventory and assessment for a rare heritage threatened with degradation.- Chapter7. 3D virtual visit of the paleontological site of anchrif (middle atlas, morocco): a new perspective for the enhancementof geoheritage.- Part4. Hydric heritage.- Chapter8. Hydric geosites of middle atlas: a natural heritage under threat.- Chapter9. Fluvial heritage of the middle atlas (morocco): an essential element for regional sustainable development.- Part5. Karst heritage.- Chapter10. Exo- and endokarst of the middle atlas (morocco): from inventory to promotion.- Chapter11. Geomorphological study of the endo-karst of the middle atlas as a geological heritage to be preserved, case of the chaara cave, province of taza.- Chapter12. Biodiversity endokarstic of the middle atlas: an underground richness to inventory.- Part6. Volcanic heritage.- Chapter13. Volcanic landscape of the middle atlas: a representative heritage of moroccan geological history.- Chapter14. The volcanism of the plio-quaternary of azrou-timahdite plateau (central middle atlas, morocco): potential for geotourism development.- Part7. Conclusion.- Chapter15. Geoheritage: between geological heritage protection initiatives.