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Geosciences
Special Issues
Challenges and Research Trends of Geoheritage and Geoconservation
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Challenges and Research Trends of Geoheritage and Geoconservation

A special issue of Geosciences (ISSN 2076-3263). This special issue belongs to the section "Geoheritage, Geoparks and Geotourism".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 March 2026 | Viewed by 7835

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Eva Pescatore

E-Mail
Guest Editor
Department of Basic and Applied Sciences, University of Basilicata, 85100 Potenza, Italy
Interests: geoheritage; geoconservation; geodiversity; field geology; sedimentary basin analysis; geomorphology; remote sensing
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Salvatore Ivo Giano

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Basic and Applied Sciences, University of Basilicata, 85100 Potenza, Italy
Interests: geomorphology; fluvial geomorphology; geomorphometry; field geomorphology; remote sensing; geodiversity; geoheritage; geoconservation
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

In recent years, a significant acceleration in the use of advanced technologies across various fields has been witnessed. These modern tools allow us to develop and test new methods for managing different aspects of our personal and professional lives, as well as allowing for the exploration of new research opportunities. In the fields of geoheritage and geoconservation, these technologies support a wide range of theoretical and practical studies related to definition, management, protection, and dissemination.

This Special Issue aims to collect papers covering a broad range of theoretical and practical topics related to the sustainable management of geoheritage and geoconservation.

We welcome contributions that focus on leveraging advanced technologies and techniques for data analysis. We also emphasize the importance of protecting, conserving, enhancing, and promoting the educational and touristic enjoyment of geoheritage in its broadest sense. We sincerely invite you to join us in this sharing of ideas and experiences.

Dr. Eva Pescatore
Prof. Dr. Salvatore Ivo Giano
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Geosciences is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 1800 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • geoheritage
  • geoconservation
  • geodiversity
  • geoeducation
  • geotourism
  • sustainable management
  • GIS, remote sensing, AI

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Published Papers (4 papers)

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Research

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17 pages, 4360 KB  
Article
3D Gaussian Splatting in Geosciences: A Novel High-Fidelity Approach for Digitizing Geoheritage from Minerals to Immersive Virtual Tours
by Andrei Ionuţ Apopei
Geosciences 2025, 15(10), 373; https://doi.org/10.3390/geosciences15100373 - 24 Sep 2025
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 3058
Abstract
The digitization of geological heritage is essential for geoconservation, research, and education, yet traditional 3D methods like photogrammetry struggle to accurately capture specimens with complex optical properties. This paper evaluates 3D Gaussian Splatting (3DGS) as a high-fidelity alternative. This study presents a multi-scale [...] Read more.
The digitization of geological heritage is essential for geoconservation, research, and education, yet traditional 3D methods like photogrammetry struggle to accurately capture specimens with complex optical properties. This paper evaluates 3D Gaussian Splatting (3DGS) as a high-fidelity alternative. This study presents a multi-scale comparative study, digitizing landscape-scale outcrops with UAVs, architectural-scale museum interiors with smartphones, and specimen-level minerals with complex lusters and transparency. The results demonstrate that 3DGS provides unprecedented realism, successfully capturing view-dependent phenomena such as the labradorescence of feldspar and the translucency of fluorite, which are poorly represented by photogrammetric textured meshes. Furthermore, the 3DGS workflow is significantly faster and eliminates the need for manual post-processing and texture painting. By enabling the creation of authentic digital twins and immersive virtual tours, 3DGS represents a transformative technology for the field. It offers powerful new avenues for enhancing public engagement and creating accessible, high-fidelity digital archives for geoeducation and geotourism. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Challenges and Research Trends of Geoheritage and Geoconservation)
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19 pages, 5933 KB  
Article
Qualitative Map of Geodiversity as a Tool to Identify Geodiversity-Related Ecosystem Services: Application to the Costões e Lagunas Aspiring Geopark, SE Brazil
by Daniel Souza dos Santos, Kátia Leite Mansur and Neila Nunes Ferreira
Geosciences 2025, 15(9), 332; https://doi.org/10.3390/geosciences15090332 - 31 Aug 2025
Viewed by 1178
Abstract
Geodiversity mapping is a key topic in the field of geoconservation. Although most methodological proposals are based on quantitative assessments, recent studies on qualitative mapping have shown strong potential for various applications, including relationships with biodiversity, territorial management, and nature conservation. This article [...] Read more.
Geodiversity mapping is a key topic in the field of geoconservation. Although most methodological proposals are based on quantitative assessments, recent studies on qualitative mapping have shown strong potential for various applications, including relationships with biodiversity, territorial management, and nature conservation. This article presents a qualitative geodiversity map of the Costões e Lagunas Aspiring Geopark, located in the state of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The map was also used to identify geodiversity-related ecosystem services in the territory. The method for generating the map was divided into two steps: first, thematic maps representing geodiversity components were integrated to identify areas where components interact to form specific environments; second, based on these interactions, geodiversity units were defined. Ecosystem services provided by each unit were identified through the analysis of human activities occurring within them. The results show that the geodiversity units provide multiple ecosystem services across different categories and are essential to the well-being of local inhabitants. These findings reinforce the relevance of the qualitative approach and demonstrate that geodiversity mapping can support broader landscape analyses. Thus, qualitative geodiversity maps are effective tools for identifying ecosystem services across extensive areas. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Challenges and Research Trends of Geoheritage and Geoconservation)
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Review

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29 pages, 12327 KB  
Review
Paleontology Geoheritage of the Kaliningrad Region, South-East Baltic
by Eduard Mychko and Jiri Chlachula
Geosciences 2026, 16(1), 13; https://doi.org/10.3390/geosciences16010013 - 23 Dec 2025
Viewed by 363
Abstract
The SE Baltic area, the former Eastern Prussia, is renowned for complex natural history. Over the past millions of years, the area experienced major geological events and geomorphic landscape transformations, resulting in the present relief configuration. Past climates and environments gave rise to [...] Read more.
The SE Baltic area, the former Eastern Prussia, is renowned for complex natural history. Over the past millions of years, the area experienced major geological events and geomorphic landscape transformations, resulting in the present relief configuration. Past climates and environments gave rise to the specific life-forms that proliferated in the Paleozoic and Mesozoic–Early Cenozoic shallow sea/lacustrine basins, and the Late Cenozoic riverine and continental settings. During the Paleogene, forested sub-tropical lands and deltaic settings of coastal sea lagoons gave rise to the famed amber formations (Blue Ground) hosting inclusions of resin-sealed insect and other small invertebrates that offer an unprecedented look into the 35–34 million-year habitats. Ferruginous sandstones, formed in shallow waters incorporating remains of thermophilous fauna—bivalves and gastropods, bryozoans, and sea urchins, among others—lie above the amber-bearing deposits. Oligocene–Miocene continental (riverine, lacustrine, and palustrine) conditions relate to the “Brown Coal Formation”, embedding a variety of fossil plants. Finally, the Quaternary Period brought dramatic geo-environmental shifts, with cyclic interstadial sea transgressions and massive glacial erosion events delivering fossiliferous erratics with an array of primitive Paleozoic and later Mesozoic life-forms. Overall, the extraordinary paleontology of the SE Baltic area adds, within its geological context, to the European geoheritage and the world natural heritage. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Challenges and Research Trends of Geoheritage and Geoconservation)
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37 pages, 9057 KB  
Review
Palaeoclimatic Geoheritage in the Age of Climate Change: Educational Use of the Pleistocene Glacial and Periglacial Geodiversity
by Paweł Wolniewicz and Maria Górska-Zabielska
Geosciences 2025, 15(8), 294; https://doi.org/10.3390/geosciences15080294 - 2 Aug 2025
Viewed by 2616
Abstract
The lithological record of past climates and climate changes reveals significant potential in enhancing education and understanding of global climate changes and their impacts on contemporary societies. A relatively young geological record of Pleistocene cooling and glaciations serves as one of the most [...] Read more.
The lithological record of past climates and climate changes reveals significant potential in enhancing education and understanding of global climate changes and their impacts on contemporary societies. A relatively young geological record of Pleistocene cooling and glaciations serves as one of the most useful geo-educational tools. The present study encompasses a comprehensive review of ongoing efforts to assess and communicate the glacial geoheritage of the Pleistocene, with a detailed case study of Poland. A literature review is conducted to evaluate the extent of scientific work on inventorying and communicating the geodiversity of Pleistocene glacial and periglacial environments globally. The study demonstrates a steady increase in the number of scientific contributions focused on the evaluation and promotion of Pleistocene geoheritage, with a notable transition from the description of geosites to the establishment of geoconservation practices and educational strategies. The relative complexity of the palaeoclimatic record and the presence of glacial geodiversity features across extensive areas indicate that effective scientific communication of climate changes requires careful selection of a limited number of geodiversity elements and sediment types. In this context, the use of glacial erratic boulders and rock gardens for promotion of Pleistocene glacial geoheritage is advocated, and the significance of educational initiatives for local communities and the preservation of geocultural heritage is outlined in detail. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Challenges and Research Trends of Geoheritage and Geoconservation)
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