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Some methodologies used to evaluate geoheritage sites_
| Publication | Scientific | Additional | Use | Use and management | Use and protection | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cultural | Economic | Aesthetic | Educational | |||||
| Grandgirard (1999) | * | |||||||
| Bruschi and Cendréro (2005) | * | * | * | |||||
| Serrano and González-Trueba (2005) | * | * | * | |||||
| Coratza and Giusti (2005) | * | * | ||||||
| Pralong (2006) | * | * | * | * | * | |||
| Zouros (2005, 2007) | * | * | ||||||
| Reynard et al. (2017) | * | * | * | * | * | * | ||
| Pereira et al. (2007) | * | * | * | * | * | * | ||
| Comanescu et al. (2011) | * | * | * | * | ||||
| Pereira and Pereira (2010) | * | * | * | * | * | |||
| Bosson and Reynard (2012) | * | * | * | |||||
| Comanescu et al. (2012) | * | * | * | * | * | |||
| Del Monte et al. (2013) | * | * | * | * | * | * | ||
| Grangier (2013) | * | * | * | * | * | |||
| Stevanovic (2015) | * | * | * | * | * | |||
| Reynard et al. (2016) | * | * | * | * | * | |||
| Kubalíková and Kirchner (2016) | * | * | * | |||||
| Pica et al. (2017) | * | * | * | * | ||||
| Niculiţă and Mărgărint (2017) | * | * | * | * | * | |||
Assessment criteria used to evaluate geosites and geodiversity sites (Brilha 2016)_
| Scientific value (SV) | Potential value | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Educational (PEU) | Touristic (PTU) | |||||
| Criteria | Weights [%] | Weights [%] | Criteria | Weights [%] | ||
| Representativeness (Rp) | 30 | 10 | Vulnerability (V) | 10 | ||
| Key locality (Kl) | 20 | 10 | Accessibility (A) | 10 | ||
| Scientific knowledge (Sn) | 5 | 5 | Use limit (Ul) | 5 | ||
| Integrity (I) | 15 | 10 | Security (S) | 10 | ||
| Geological diversity (Gd) | 5 | 5 | Logistics (L) | 5 | ||
| Rarity (R) | 15 | 5 | Density of populations (Dp) | 5 | ||
| Use limit (Ul) | 10 | 5 | Association with other values (Av) | 5 | ||
| 5 | Scenery (Se) | 15 | ||||
| Degradation risks (DR) | 5 | Uniqueness (U) | 10 | |||
| Criteria | Weights [%] | 10 | Observation conditions (Oc) | 5 | ||
| Deterioration of geological elements (Dg) | 35 | 20 | Didactic potential (Dp) | Interpretive potential (Ip) | 10 | |
| Proximity activities cause degradation (Pa) | 20 | 10 | Geological diversity (Gd) | Economic level (El) | 5 | |
| Legal protection (Lp) | 20 | Proximity to recreational areas (Pa) | 5 | |||
| Accessibility (Ac) | 15 | |||||
| Density of populations (Dp) | 10 | |||||
Quantitative assessment of the scientific value (SV) of the selected geosites and geodiversity sites in the Ait Attab syncline_
| Code | Name | Criteria of scientific value | Total | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Representa-tiveness | Key locality | Scientific knowledge | Integrity | Geological diversity | Rarity | Use limit | |||
| Stra01 | Panoramic view of overturned bar of Iferghas | 4 | 2 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 4 | 320 |
| Kar02 | Karst cliff of Ighir-n-Oumejjad | 2 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 4 | 220 |
| Stra03 | Panoramic view of the Ait Attab syncline | 4 | 2 | 4 | 4 | 2 | 4 | 4 | 350 |
| Stru04 | The tectonic deformations of Jbel Hassan | 4 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 4 | 2 | 4 | 295 |
| Pal05 | The ruiniform limestones with ammonite of the Ben Cherrou Formation | 4 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 4 | 2 | 4 | 320 |
| Geom06 | Panoramic view of the Cretaceous cuestas | 4 | 1 | 2 | 4 | 4 | 2 | 4 | 300 |
| Flu07 | The bad land of Ait Ouabit | 2 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 4 | 195 |
| Geom08 | Gorges of Ait Ouabit | 4 | 1 | 2 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 4 | 285 |
| Stra9 | Conglomerate terraces of Oued El Abid | 4 | 1 | 2 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 290 |
| Pal10 | The footprints of sauropod dinosaurs of Ayt Bouiqban | 4 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 325 |
| Stra11 | Lower limit of the basaltic flow B2 | 4 | 2 | 4 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 320 |
| Stra12 | Jurassic-Cretaceous unconformity and volcanic activities | 4 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 325 |
| Pal13 | Bioclastic limestone with ammonite of the Bine El Ouidane BIII Formation | 4 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 4 | 280 |
| Flu14 | Panoramic view of Oued El Abid from the old Caida of Taounza | 2 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 195 |
| Spel15 | Caves of cats and the spring of Tisqui | 4 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 275 |
| Pal16 | Bioclastic marly limestone of Ait Tafelt Formation | 2 | 2 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 2 | 4 | 270 |
| Geom17 | Eroded sandstone of Jbel Ilaghmane | 2 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 265 |
| Stra18 | Panoramic view of the red formations separated by the BI and BII magmatic events | 4 | 2 | 4 | 2 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 315 |
| Kar19 | Ruiniform reliefs of Jbel Al Maqçoura | 2 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 200 |
Brief characterisation of geotours, geosites (GS) and geodiversity (GD) sites of the Ait Attab syncline_
| Geotrail | No | Name | Code | Coordinates | GS | Scientific interests |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Beni Ayyat – Ayt Bouyqben | 1 | Panoramic view of overturned bar of Iferghas | Stra01 | X = 387858 | GS | Stratigraphic, structural |
| 2 | Karst cliff of Ighir-n-Oumejjad | Kar02 | X = 384756 | GD | Karstic, geomorphological | |
| 3 | Panoramic view of the Ait Attab syncline | Stra03 | X = 382007 | GS | Stratigraphic, structural, scenic | |
| 4 | The tectonic deformations of Jbel Hassan | Stru04 | X = 382025 | GD | Structural | |
| 5 | The ruiniform limestones with ammonite of the Ben Cherrou Formation | Pal05 | X = 377397 | GS | Palaeontological, karstic | |
| 6 | Panoramic view of the Cretaceous cuestas | Geom06 | X = 778875 | GS | Geomorphological | |
| 7 | The bad land of Ait Ouabit | Flu07 | X = 379108 | GD | Fluvial | |
| 8 | Gorges of Ait Ouabit | Geom08 | X = 379104 | GD | Geomorphological | |
| 9 | Conglomerate terraces of Oued El Abid | Stra9 | X = 381055 | GD | Stratigraphic, fluvial | |
| 10 | The footprints of sauropod dinosaurs of Ayt Bouiqban | Pal10 | X = 382226 | GS | Palaeontological, scenic | |
| 11 | Lower limit of the basaltic flow B2 | Stra11 | X = 377188 | GS | Stratigraphic, magmatic | |
| Afourer – Taounza | 12 | Jurassic-Cretaceous unconformity and volcanic activities | Stra12 | X = 391673 | GS | Stratigraphic, magmatic |
| 13 | Bioclastic limestone with ammonite of the Bine El Ouidane BIII Formation | Pal13 | X = 391105 | GD | Palaeontological | |
| 14 | Panoramic view of Oued El Abid from the old Caida of Taounza | Flu14 | X = 387128 | GD | Fluvial, scenic | |
| Tisqi – Ouled Ayyad | 15 | Caves of cats and the spring of Tisqui | Spel15 | X = 371295 | GD | Speleological |
| 16 | Bioclastic marly limestone of Ait Tafelt Formation | Pal16 | X = 375908 | GD | Palaeontological | |
| 17 | Eroded sandstone of Jbel Ilaghmane | Geom17 | X = 374969 | GD | Geomorphological, scenic | |
| 18 | Panoramic view of the red formations separated by the BI and BII magmatic events | Stra18 | X =374470 | GS | Stratigraphic | |
| 19 | Ruiniform reliefs of Jbel Al Maqçoura | Kar19 | X = 369907 | GD | Karstic |
Quantitative assessment of potential educational uses of selected geosites and geodiversity sites in the Ait Attab syncline_
| Code | Name | Criteria for potential educational use | Total | |||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vulnerability | Accessibility | Use limit | Security | Logistics | Density of populations | Association with other values | Scenery | Uniqueness | Observation conditions | Didactic potential | Geological diversity | |||
| Stra01 | Panoramic view of overturned bar of Iferghas | 2 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 4 | 2 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 330 |
| Kar02 | Karst cliff of Ighir-n-Oumejjad | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 2 | 330 |
| Stra03 | Panoramic view of the Ait Attab syncline | 4 | 4 | 4 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 345 |
| Stru04 | The tectonic deformations of Jbel Hassan | 2 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 4 | 4 | 2 | 305 |
| Pal05 | The ruiniform limestones with ammonite of the Ben Cherrou Formation | 3 | 3 | 4 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 2 | 310 |
| GeomO6 | Panoramic view of the Cretaceous cuestas | 4 | 3 | 4 | 2 | 4 | 1 | 4 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 2 | 320 |
| Flu07 | The bad land of Ait Ouabit | 3 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 305 |
| Geom08 | Gorges of Ait Ouabit | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 4 | 4 | 2 | 325 |
| Stra9 | Conglomerate terraces of Oued El Abid | 4 | 2 | 4 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 310 |
| Pal10 | The footprints of sauropod dinosaurs of Ayt Bouiqban | 4 | 2 | 4 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 305 |
| Stra11 | Lower limit of the basaltic flow B2 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 335 |
| Stra12 | Jurassic-Cretaceous unconformity and volcanic activities | 4 | 4 | 4 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 330 |
| Pal13 | Bioclastic limestone with ammonite of the Bine El Ouidane BIII Formation | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 300 |
| Flu14 | Panoramic view of Oued El Abid from the old Caida of Taounza | 4 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 2 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 290 |
| Spel15 | Caves of cats and the spring of Tisqui | 3 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 285 |
| Pal16 | Bioclastic marly limestone of Ait Tafelt Formation | 2 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 4 | 4 | 2 | 310 |
| Geom17 | Eroded sandstone of Jbel Ilaghmane | 4 | 3 | 4 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 320 |
| Stra18 | Panoramic view of the red formations separated by the BI and BII magmatic events | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 345 |
| Kar19 | Ruiniform reliefs of Jbel Al Maqçoura | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 1 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 290 |
Quantitative assessment of potential tourist use of selected geosites and geodiversity sites in the Ait Attab syncline_
| Code | Name | Criteria for tourism potential use | Total | ||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vulnerability | Accessibility | Use limit | Security | Logistics | Density of populations | Association with other values | Scenery | Uniqueness | Observation conditions | Interpretive potential | Economic level | Proximity to recreational areas | |||
| Stra01 | Panoramic view of overturned bar of Iferghas | 2 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 4 | 2 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 4 | 305 |
| Kar02 | Karst cliff of Ighir-n-Oumejjad | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 305 |
| Stra03 | Panoramic view of the Ait Attab syncline | 4 | 4 | 4 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 305 |
| Stru04 | The tectonic deformations of Jbel Hassan | 2 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 250 |
| Pal05 | The ruiniform limestones with ammonite of the Ben Cherrou Formation | 3 | 3 | 4 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 290 |
| Geom06 | Panoramic view of the Cretaceous cuestas | 4 | 3 | 4 | 2 | 4 | 1 | 4 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 280 |
| Flu07 | The bad land of Ait Ouabit | 3 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 250 |
| Geom08 | Gorges of Ait Ouabit | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 4 | 4 | 1 | 3 | 305 |
| Stra9 | Conglomerate terraces of Oued El Abid | 4 | 2 | 4 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 255 |
| Pal10 | The footprints of sauropod dinosaurs of Ayt Bouiqban | 4 | 2 | 4 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 250 |
| Stra11 | Lower limit of the basaltic flow B2 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 285 |
| Stra12 | Jurassic-Cretaceous unconformity and volcanic activities | 4 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 285 |
| Pal13 | Bioclastic limestone with ammonite of the Bine El Ouidane BIII Formation | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 275 |
| Flu14 | Panoramic view of Oued El Abid from the old Caida of Taounza | 4 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 2 | 4 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 315 |
| Spel15 | Caves of cats and the spring of Tisqui | 3 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 305 |
| Pal16 | Bioclastic marly limestone of Ait Tafelt Formation | 2 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 250 |
| Geom17 | Eroded sandstone of Jbel Ilaghmane | 4 | 3 | 4 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 240 |
| Stra18 | Panoramic view of the red formations separated by the BI and BII magmatic events | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 305 |
| Kar19 | Ruiniform reliefs of Jbel Al Maqçoura | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 1 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 305 |
Quantitative assessment of degradation risks (DR) of selected geosites and geodiversity sites in the Ait Attab syncline and required protections_
| Code | Name | Degradation risks | Total | Required protection | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Deterioration of geological elements | Proximity activities cause degradation | Legal protection | Accessibility | Density of populations | ||||
| Stra01 | Panoramic view of overturned bar of Iferghas | 2 | 1 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 235 | Medium |
| Kar02 | Karst cliff of Ighir-n-Oumejjad | 2 | 1 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 225 | Medium |
| Stra03 | Panoramic view of the Ait Attab syncline | 2 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 1 | 260 | Medium |
| Stru04 | The tectonic deformations of Jbel Hassan | 2 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 1 | 280 | Medium |
| Pal05 | The ruiniform limestones with ammonite of the Ben Cherrou Formation | 3 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 300 | High |
| Geom06 | Panoramic view of the Cretaceous cuestas | 2 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 265 | Medium |
| Flu07 | The bad land of Ait Ouabit | 3 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 1 | 315 | High |
| Geom08 | Gorges of Ait Ouabit | 2 | 2 | 4 | 4 | 1 | 260 | Medium |
| Stra9 | Conglomerate terraces of Oued El Abid | 2 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 265 | Medium |
| Pal10 | The footprints of sauropod dinosaurs of Ayt Bouiqban | 3 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 300 | High |
| Stra11 | Lower limit of the basaltic flow B2 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 1 | 315 | High |
| Stra12 | Jurassic-Cretaceous unconformity and volcanic activities | 4 | 2 | 4 | 4 | 1 | 330 | High |
| Pal13 | Bioclastic limestone with ammonite of the Bine El Ouidane BIII Formation | 3 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 1 | 315 | High |
| Flu14 | Panoramic view of Oued El Abid from the old Caida of Taounza | 3 | 3 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 285 | Medium |
| Spel15 | Caves of cats and the spring of Tisqui | 4 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 335 | High |
| Pal16 | Bioclastic marly limestone of Ait Tafelt Formation | 3 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 1 | 335 | High |
| Geom17 | Eroded sandstone of Jbel Ilaghmane | 3 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 300 | High |
| Stra18 | Panoramic view of the red formations separated by the BI and BII magmatic events | 3 | 2 | 4 | 4 | 1 | 295 | Medium |
| Kar19 | Ruiniform reliefs of Jbel Al Maqçoura | 2 | 2 | 4 | 4 | 1 | 260 | Medium |