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Complex Geosites as a Unique Resource and Challenge for Management: Evidence from an Exposed Salt Diapir

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Abstract

The Zagros Mountains is a geologically rich domain, but the knowledge of its geoheritage resource remains restricted. Investigations in its southern part reveal uniqueness of the Jashak Mountain, which is a huge landform representing head of a salt diapir. Effective management of such localities requires their proper description and interpretation in the terms of geoheritage resources. Geomorphological, stratigraphical, sedimentary, tectonic, mineralogical, and paleogeographical features are found there. This locality represents a typical diapir of the Hormuz Series. This piece of geoheritage is proposed as the Jashak salt diapir geosite, which is classified as a global, complex, and areal geosite. This is simultaneously geomorphosite, and availability of panoramic views makes it also viewpoint geosite. The information from this locality is useful for further geoscience research, educational excursions for university students, and (geo)tourists. Managing such geoheritage resources can be linked to regional economical initiatives, which is important to attract tourist flows and to obtain some administrative and financial support.

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Acknowledgements

The authors gratefully thank the journal editor and the reviewers for their thorough examination of this paper and helpful recommendations.

Funding

The Shiraz University (Iran) provided financial support to T.H. during fieldwork. The research contributions of D.A.R. and N.N.Y. were not funded.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Earth Sciences, College of Sciences, Shiraz University, 71454, Shiraz, Iran

    Tahereh Habibi

  2. K.G. Razumovsky Moscow State University of Technologies and Management (the First Cossack University), Zemlyanoy Val Street 73, Moscow, 109004, Russia

    Dmitry A. Ruban

  3. Department of Organization and Technologies of Service Activities, Higher School of Business, Southern Federal University, 23-ja Linija Street 43, Rostov-on-Don, 344019, Russia

    Dmitry A. Ruban

  4. Department of Economics and Management, Business School, Cherepovets State University, Vologda Region, Sovetskiy Avenue 10, Cherepovets, 162600, Russia

    Natalia N. Yashalova

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  1. Tahereh Habibi
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Correspondence to Dmitry A. Ruban.

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Habibi, T., Ruban, D.A. & Yashalova, N.N. Complex Geosites as a Unique Resource and Challenge for Management: Evidence from an Exposed Salt Diapir. Geoheritage 14, 11 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12371-022-00647-2

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