Alejandra García-Frank

Lithofacies and biostratigraphical correlation of marine Carboniferous rocks in the Tindouf Basin, NW Africa

Spatial and temporal variations of Carboniferous sediment accumulation within the northwestern part of the northern flank of the Tindouf Syncline in Saharan Morocco allowed to distinguish 16 lithofacies types. The predominant sedimentation pattern is cyclic, with the overall succession recording a major regressive trend. Outer platform siliciclastics in the lower part (Tournaisian and Viséan) pass up to middle and inner platform mixed siliciclastic and carbonate sediments (late Viséan–Serpukhovian) and finally to continental sandstones in the Bashkirian capping the marine carbonate sedimentation. The lack of similarities in a correlation with southern outcrops in the Tindouf Syncline suggests tectonically controlled sedimentation. The upper Tournaisian to lower Bashkirian succession records the incipient uplift of the Anti-Atlas Mountains, changing the paleogeography and, therefore, affecting the paleoecologic conditions, as well as the sedimentary environments in the Tindouf Basin. It is suggested that from the Serpukhovian onwards, much of the Anti-Atlas was uplifted, leading to subaerial conditions, while during the late Viséan, only a few small inliers had emerged. Although the number of Proterozoic emergent inliers of the Anti-Atlas is unknown, during the late Viséan, the Anti-Atlas Mountain belt is regarded as an emerging structure, with a distinct influence on the paleobiogeography of the region.

OSTRACODS FROM THE GLOBAL STRATOTYPE SECTION FOR THE BASE OF THE AALENIAN STAGE, JURASSIC AT FUENTELSAZ SECTION(CORDILLERA IBÉRICA, SPAIN)

The Toarcian/Aalenian Global Stratotype Section and Point (GSSP) have been recently placed in the Fuentelsaz section, northeastern Spain. This paper is part of a long-term project that attempts to describe for the first time the fossil ostracod assemblages present in the Toarcian-Aalenian boundary GSSP, and to assess their palaeobiogeographical significance. The study of the Late Toarcian-Early Aalenian Turmiel and Casinos formations at the Fuentelsaz section has produced a detailed stratigraphy and a large collection of stratigraphically constrained ostracod faunas. Twenty benthic ostracod species have been identified and for the first time described in Spain. Higher part of the Mactra Subzone, Late Toarcian, have yielded abundant ostracod faunas, including mostly species of the genera Praeschuleridea , Cytherelloidea and Kinkelinella ; fossiliferous marls of the Late Toarcian and part of the Early Aalenian and poorly fossiliferous marls at the beginning of the Opalinum Zone are dominated by Praeschuleridea and Cytherelloidea . The boundary between the Toarcian and Aalenian is not characterized by any radical change in the ostracod faunal composition. The Fuentelsaz sequence exhibits ostracod assemblages comparable to those recorded in western Europe, with many of their species having similar stratigraphical distributions.

Accessible Geoparks in Iberia: a Challenge to Promote Geotourism and Education for Sustainable Development

This work aims at providing an overview regarding accessibility conditions for people with functional diversity among the 15 UNESCO Global Geoparks (UGGs) located in the Iberian Peninsula—4 in Portugal and 11 in Spain—from the point of view of a disabled user wishing to visit a geopark. Website information and a questionnaire composed of closed and multiple choice questions directly administrated to the geopark managers were used aiming at inquiring about facilities provided to people requiring adapted access conditions, including mobility, vision, hearing and cognitive dimensions of access both under the aim of geotourism activities or in the frame of educational programmes. Results show that Iberian UGGs display several facilities for the development of geotourism and education that meet the needs of people with functional diversity. Accessibility facilities to receive people with physical impairments are common, but sensory and communication access facilities are scarce. Geoparks’ websites generally lack information concerning facilities for special groups, and the web design does not meet the needs of people that have difficulties with written word and speech. The constraints on implementation of programmes aimed at disabled visitors can be partially overcome if geoparks’ leaders seek to integrate partners that currently develop activities for persons with disabilities. Geodivulgar (an innovation project from the Complutense University) and Science without Barriers (an association; Ciencia sin Barreras in Spanish) are pioneer initiatives for the outreach of geology among people with functional diversity in Spain, which currently develops activities and resources that can be of great help to enlarge the geoparks’ offer about geotouristic tours and/or educational programmes for disabled visitors. The acquired experience at the Basque Coast UGG can be of great help for other partners of the UGG Network to fully fulfil their roles as agents of sustainable development through geotourism and education for all.