Patrimonio geológico de la Reserva Natural Comunitaria de Dindefelo (Senegal): investigación geológica para un desarrollo socioeconómico sostenible

Resumen

Within ecotourism, geotourism is currently a less developed but increasingly demanded sector. Geoheritage takes more weight in the enhancement of protected natural areas, such as the Dindefelo Nature Reserve (Senegal). This reserve has a geological history that spans more than 2,300 My linked to the evolution of the West African Craton and the opening of the Madina Kouta basin. This work aims to assess the geological heritage of the reserve. The final objective is to promote economic growth in the area through the development of geotourism. To do so, a sedimentological and petrological field investigation has been conducted. With the information obtained, tourist sites have been considered from a geological perspective and developed for public outreach. As a result, a petrological and sedimentological characterization of geological formations of the reserve has been accomplished. This work describes the geology of the reserve, which is mainly composed of the sedimentary filling of the Meso- and Neoproterozoic Madina Kouta basin over a Paleoproterozoic metamorphic and igneous substratum. The nature of the sedimentary formations varies from tidal flats to the record of a global glacial period. There is also evidence for subvolcanic activity and horizons of alterites developed on the sedimentary units. From these data, 4 geo-zones and 5 geosites are proposed as geoheritage representative of the reserve, but geosite inventories must be further developed with future investigations.