Geology Reference
In-Depth Information
Fig. 6
The A
t-Mansour Gorges,
on the southeast border of the
Kerdous inlier.
a
Unconformity
between the deformed
metamorphic rocks and
migmatites of the Eburnian
basement (PI) and the horizontal
cambrian limestones (PIII).
b
Panoramic view of the A
ï
t-
Mansour gorges carved by the
sidi mansour river (view is down
valley, towards the east). Note the
contrasting landscape between the
rock walls made of PIII
limestones and the palm oasis at
the bottom of the valley
ï
Fig. 7 a
View to the north of the
Izerbi plain. The
dark
rocks that
stand out in the landscape are
dolerite dykes (likely Panafrican
in age) intruded into the brownish
Eburnian phyllites that dominate
the plain. The cliffs are made of
PII quartzites.
b
Fine crenulation
cleavage developed in phyllites
from the Izerbi plain
events responsible of these ma
c dykes, and about their ages
4
Current State of the Kerdous
Geoheritage: Positive Developments
Versus Negative Impacts and Threats
and geotectonic signi
cance (Carreras et al.
2006
), evi-
dencing that further investigation is required on this subject.
In the four geozones described above, geoheritage is
associated to archaeological and architectural heritages,
particularly in the Tafraoute granite landforms and Ameln
Valley zones. Moreover, geological heritage also coexists
with biodiversity in the Kerdous inlier, where several unique
animal and vegetal species and ecosystems are present, some
of which are under threat. This is the case of the endemic
argan tree, the wild boar and the gazelle and other ungulates.
Thus, the Kerdous inlier consists of a typical example of
convergence of the three main groups of heritage values:
geological, historical/archeological, and ecological/biotic.
A complete assessment of natural and/or cultural heritages
requires an evaluation of the nature and quality of the sites (i.
e. throughout inventories) but also an estimation of their
conservation and vulnerability. This is therefore something
to be performed for the case of the Kerdous geoheritage. In
what follows we present an outline of the main aspects
behind these issues. The present condition of the Kerdous
geoheritage is an outcome of the con
uence of several socio-
economic and cultural circumstances, some of which are
