Miss Anne Boothroyd1
1University Of Tasmania, Hobart, Australia
The understanding that some areas of the earth are richer (more diverse) in biotic and/or abiotic natural features than others is now widely recognised in the concepts of biodiversity and geodiversity. At the same time that biodiversity was defined in the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) 1992, geoscience disciplines recognised the ecological and social values of geodiversity as an inseparable component of natural diversity, and intrinsically valuable in its own right. The increased understanding that geodiversity values were at risk from anthropogenic threat prompted geodiversity conservation, termed ‘geoconservation’ to be established as a discipline. Since its inception, however, the concept of geodiversity has been subject to a variety of applied and theoretical interpretations in the scientific literature.
This presentation explores the varied use of the concept of geodiversity which has been observed to have both preventative and facilitative implications for the discipline. This presentation will discuss how inconsistency between interpretations is widely considered as preventative to a fully operationalised concept of geodiversity. Conversely, flexible use of the term and application of the concept may lead to positive progress in the field, such as ensuring relevance across different areas of the geosciences, ecological terrains, and jurisdictions.
Biography:
Anne Boothroyd is currently undertaking a Masters of Protected Area Governance and Management at the University of Tasmania, conducting her research in the area of geoconservation.
