Geodiversity is all around us, and it consists of the diversity of rocks, minerals, fossils, landforms, underground objects, sediments, and soils, along with the natural processes that have created them throughout geological history and are still creating them today. To raise awareness of its importance, UNESCO declared October 6th as International Geodiversity Day in 2021.
Tufa barriers and the tufa deposition process, by which they are formed and grow, are ideal examples of geodiversity and this year’s theme for International Geodiversity Day: “Conserving The Past – Sustaining The Future.”
Cascade system of lakes and waterfalls was built by tufa barriers, and formed approximately 7,000 years ago. However, the tufa formation process at Plitvice Lakes dates back even further into the geological past. Fossil tufa (paleobarriers) was found at higher altitudes and have been estimated to be up to 300,000 years old. These paleobarriers provide us a record of the past conditions and processes, making their preservation just as important as sustaining today’s active (living) tufa.
The tufa barriers in today’s watercourses remain active, constantly changing the appearance of the lakes and waterfalls through their biodynamic processes. Tufa is a living rock that grows and serves as a habitat for numerous plant and animal species.
For more information about International Geodiversity Day, visit www.geodiversityday.org.
