Morphological characterization of karst geodiversity in Municipality of Archidona (Ecuador), Napo Sumaco Aspiring UNESCO Global Geopark

Abstract

Karst morphology is a complex and highly systems and beneficial resource, it plays a fundamental role in geosystemic services and providing landscapes, water, energy and economic resources through tourism. Karst geodiversity is one of the main geomorphological components of the Napo Sumaco Aspiring UNESCO Global Geopark (NSAUGG), through which education and conservation strategies are directed locally. The present study focuses on deepening the knowledge of the morphologies of karst origin in the geopark, specifically in the municipality of Archidona (Ecuador), with the characterization of the types of structures at the micro (between 1 and 100 cm) and mesoscale (between 1 and 1000 m), in five sites located within the municipality. The abundance of microscale geoforms are related to a limited evolution of karst morphologies that can be observe in the local Amazonian karst system. Furthermore, an inverse relationship is established between the relative values ​​of intrinsic geodiversity (IG) and karst disturbance (KDI) levels, being that the sites with lower levels of impact or disturbance show a greater diversity of karst morphologies. In this socio-environmental dynamic, the role played by the Napo Sumaco Aspiring UNESCO Global Geopark is fundamental, contributing to the strengthening of local capacities and the promotion of geoeducational and informative processes focused on the conservation of the karst region and its geodiversity in the municipality of Archidona.