Geological heritage of the Northwestern Caucasus and its importance for promoting a better understanding of the Earth's structure and evolution

Z.A. Tolokonnikova

Kuban State University, Krasnodar, 350040 Russia

E-mail: zzalatoi@yandex.ru

Received August 9, 2021

ORIGINAL ARTICLE

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DOI: 10.26907/2542-064X.2022.1.94-108

For citation: Tolokonnikova Z.A. Geological heritage of the Northwestern Caucasus and its importance for promoting a better understanding of the Earth’s structure and evolution. Uchenye Zapiski Kazanskogo Universiteta. Seriya Estestvennye Nauki, 2022, vol. 164, no. 1, pp. 94–108. doi: 10.26907/2542-064X.2022.1.94-108. (In Russian)

Abstract

In this article, 13 sites of geological heritage were identified in the Seversk district of the Krasnodar region (Russia), which rests on the northern slope of the Northwestern Caucasus. Their geomorphological, tectonic, stratigraphic, paleogeographic, and paleontological subtypes in the basins of the Ubin and Afips Rivers were described. It was found that the Seversk district can be a potentially attractive geotourism destination because it hosts many unique natural sites, attracts a large tourist flow annually, and has a well-developed infrastructure. Measures were proposed to increase the geoconservation potential of the Seversk district and make it more appealing for geotourists. The results obtained and presented here are essential for enhancing and promoting our understanding of the structure and evolution of the Earth during the Late Mesozoic–Cenozoic events.

Keywords: geological natural sites, trace fossils, Cretaceous, Caucasus Mountains

Acknowledgements. The assistance of T.N. Pinchuk (Kuban State University, Krasnodar) who  offered his expert consultations on the stratigraphy of the Northwestern Caucasus is highly appreciated. My sincere thanks are also extended to D.A. Ruban (Southern Federal University, Rostov-on-Don) and V.N. Komarov (Sergo Ordzhonikidze Russian State University for Geological Prospecting, Moscow) for their help with the identification of fossil specimens.

Figure Captions

Fig. 1. Schematic map showing the location of the studied area and potential sites of geological heritage: 1 – Papai Mountain, 2 – Zaporozhye mineral springs and stratotype of the Zaporozhian Horizon, 3 – gallery (cinnabar and dickite deposit), 4 – tectonic dislocations and fossil deposits, 5 – dolmen, 6 – Sober-Bash Mountain, 7 – Utaennyi and Muzhskie Slezy Waterfalls (travertine deposit), 8 – stratotype of the Ubinsky Horizon, 9 – ammonites deposit, 10 – Krasnye Rocks, 11 – Plancheskie Rocks, 12 – Serebryanyi Spring of mineral water, 13 – Early Cretaceous locality of fauna and tectonic dislocations.

Fig. 2. Sites of geological heritage in the upper reaches of the Ubin River: a – view of Central Papai Mountain; b – view of Sober-Bash Mountain; c – fragment of the southwestern slope of Sober-Bash Mountain with the result of the tectonic deformation of the beds; d – micro-overfault on the left side of the Ubin River; e – fragment of a brachiopod bank in the Ubin riverbed; f – trace fossils at the base of Sober-Bash Mountain; g – core of the ammonite from clays in the Ubin riverbed, Ubinskaya stanitsa.

Fig. 3. Composite sections of the Lower Cretaceous deposits for the territory under consideration (compiled according to [6, 19] and own observations).

Fig. 4. Sites of geological heritage in the basin of the Bezeps River: a – view of the marlstones in the Bezeps riverbed; b – fossilized stalk; c – trace fossils of Cosmorhaphe sp.; d – anticlinal fold: e – aptychi of ?Punctaptychus sp.; f – ?Spiticeras sp. ammonite and belemnite rostrum.

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