Saudi Arabia hosts at least six major volcanic fields located on the western margin of the Arabian Peninsula. The volcanic surface covered is comparable to about a fifth of the land surface of the country and the distinct appearance of the volcanic landscape of the region is deeply engraved in the geo-cultural perspective of the territory. Volcanic fields, especially their extensive lava fields form one of the largest if not the largest volcanic region on Earth, which are occupied by the most common volcanic landforms not only on Earth but the known Solar System. Volcanic fields are a vital part of the geoheritage and geodiversity elements of the Arabian Peninsula and beyond in the Middle East. Here we provide the most up-to-date overview of the geoheritage and geoheritage elements of these huge volcanic provinces both qualitative and quantitative outlines of their geodiversity and link to biodiversity. The volcanic province will be treated from the ecosystem, and geosystem services perspective and explore the challenges of such a concept in a region that is primarily industry and resource-based economy driven. This book will look beyond the traditional approach of describing geoheritage of volcanic regions as it will provide a conceptual framework for dispersed volcanic fields where scale and scope to define and estimate the value of geoheritage requires different approaches than those applied for long-lived polygenetic volcanoes. This book aims to provide a succinct overview of geoheritage and geodiversity aspects of monogenetic volcanic fields tested in an area globally outstanding and volcanically active. The book intends to be a good specialist handbook for a broad range of audiences from geologists, volcanologists, natural hazard experts, geoconservation experts, social geology experts, geotourism operators, and heritage researchers. The book will be a valuable resource for anyone directly or indirectly involved or wish to be involved in local development projects or experts looking for external information to apply to volcanic fields elsewhere.

This book records the geoheritage values of globally significant, yet little-known, volcanic geosites in Saudi Arabia. It is the first of its kind to focus on the Middle East, clearly showing the hidden geoheritage value of the volcanic Arabian Peninsula’s harrats and demonstrating why the Saudi Arabian volcanic fields are unique. Along with the systematic geosite description, the book introduces scientifically founded geoeducational programs that can be used to develop our understanding of volcanic geoheritage values of volcanic fields. It offers a detailed and comprehensive research-based description of four of the most accessible volcanic harratts in Saudi Arabia and an additional summary of other more remote fields. Additionally, it discusses geoeducational programs that could be used to link these volcanic areas and use them in volcanic hazard education.

Essays on aspects of the natural world, its heritage, and how best to preserve it. Europe's engagement from the late sixteenth century onwards in scientific Earth science inquiry has generated numerous and varied collections of minerals, rocks, and fossils, together with their associated archives, artworks and publications, forming a rich cultural geoheritage held in major private and especially royal and aristocratic collections, museums, universities, archives and libraries. The mines, quarries, geological structures, landforms, minerals, rocks and fossils - or geodiversity - that underpin these collections populate past and present-day Earth science literature. However, for too long their scientific, historic and cultural significance was not universally recognised and generally they were not accorded adequate resources and protection - or geoconservation. Hence, geotourism was developed in the 1990s to raise public awareness of Europe's geoheritage and geodiversity and to promote itsgeoconservation; the volume's theoretical essays and case studies examine these four core geoelements and provide a timely introduction for anyone interested in natural history museums, countryside management, and landscape-basedtourism. Dr Thomas A. Hose is an Honorary Research Associate in the School of Earth Sciences, University of Bristol. He has pioneered the recognition of and research into geotourism, and is the author of the world's first doctoral thesis on the subject. Contributors: Kevin Crawford, Peter Davis, John E. Gordon. Thomas A. Hose, Jonathan G. Larwood, Slobodan B. Markovic, Martin Munt, Emmanuel Reynard, Nemanja Tomic, Djordjije A. Vasiljevic, Margaret Wood, Volker Wrede

A comprehensive overview of Saudi Arabia‘s environment, this volume is a unique and authoritative text on the geological and environmental aspects of Saudi Arabia, a country about which little is known by the outside world. Saudi Arabia is a fascinating country with a long tradition of environmental awareness and sensitivity, pitted again

Our aim in writing this book is to try to show how igneous rocks can be persuaded to reveal some ofthe secrets of their origins. The data of igneous rocks consist of field relations, texture, mineralogy, and geochemistry. Additionally, experimental petrology tells us how igneous systems might be expected to behave. Working on this material we attempt to show how hypotheses concerning the origins and evolution of magmas are proposed and tested, and thus illuminate the interesting and fundamental problems of petrogenesis. The book assumes a modest knowledge of basic petro graphy, mineralogy, classification, and regional igneous geology. It has a role complementary to various established texts, several of which are descriptively good and give wide coverage and evaluation of petrogenetic ideas in various degrees of detail. Existing texts do not on the whole, however, deal with methodology, though this is one of the more important aspects of the subject. At first sight it may appear that the current work is a guidebook for the prospective research worker and thus has little relevance for the non-specialist student of geology. We hope this will prove to be far from the case. The methodological approach has an inherent interest because it can provide the reader with problems he can solve for himself, and as an almost incidental consequence he will acquire a satisfying understanding.

For the last 20 years there has been a growing interest in the geosciences for topics related to geoheritage: geoconservation, geotourism and geoparks. Geoheritage: Assessment, Protection, and Management is the first and only reference book to cover these main topics as well as the relationship of geoheritage to other subjects such as landscapes, conservation, and tourism. The book also includes methodologies for assessment, mapping, and visualisation, along with case studies and colour images of some of the most important global geosites. This book is an essential resource for geoscientists, park and geopark managers, tourism and regional planning managers, as well as university students interested in geoheritage, geosites, geomorphosites, geoconservation, and geotourism. It also includes critical information on UNESCO's Global Geoparks, World Heritage and Biosphere Reserve sites, national parks and protected areas in general, land-use planning and nature conservation policies, and in the general contribution of geodiversity for sustainable development. - Winner of the 2019 AESE Award for Outstanding Publication - Written by a panel of 46 authors from 14 countries in all continents - Based on conceptual, methodological, and applied research carried out by academics and practitioners - Includes 160 colour images and maps of geoheritage sites - Features six case studies from sites in Africa, Asia, Australia, Europe, North America and South America

This volume comprises a selection of papers describing the main features of the Lanzarote and Chinijo Islands Geopark (Canary Archipelago, Spain). Of all the Global Geoparks worldwide, it is the only one that has officially evaluated and characterized specific areas as analogues for the geological and astrobiological exploration of Mars. The identification and characterization of terrestrial sites that can be used as planetary analogues are currently considered vital study areas of planetary geology and astrobiology. Written by experts in the various fields, this multidisciplinary book is a unique resource for graduate students and professionals alike.

A counterpoint to biodiversity, geodiversity describes the rocks, sediments, soils, fossils, landforms, and the physical processes that underlie our environment. The first book to focus exclusively on the subject, Geodiversity describes the interrelationships between geodiversity and biodiversity, the value of geodiversity to society, as well as current threats to its existence. Illustrated with global case studies throughout, the book examines traditional approaches to protecting biodiversity and the new management agenda which is starting to be used instead.