Submitted by Murray Gray, Honorary Professor of Geography at the Queen Mary University of London
When we think of nature, we often picture forests, plants, and an abundance of wildlife. But beneath that biodiversity lies something just as important– geodiversity. Geodiversity, the diversity of Earth’s non-living nature, includes rocks, minerals, fossils, soils, water bodies, landforms, and the processes that create them.
Geodiversity is nature’s quiet storyteller. It reveals Earth’s 4.6-billion-year history, providing insight into how mountains form and erode, ice ages come and go, the movement of tectonic plates, and how life has evolved from single-celled organisms to the diversity of life we see today.
However, it also sets the stage for biodiversity. Landforms like wetlands, volcanoes, the ocean floor, and limestone outcrops each host unique ecosystems that contribute to our planet’s biodiversity. By protecting geodiverse sites, we not only conserve our planet’s history, but also its rich biodiversity.
Geodiversity supports our well-being in ways that are often unnoticed. From beautiful river valleys, chilling glaciers, and iconic cliffs, these diverse landforms are key parts of nature that connect us to the past and shape the way we experience nature today, by creating a space for reflection, recreation, and restoration.
Other aspects of geodiversity, like rocks and minerals, contain valuable nutrients and elements that contribute to healthy ecosystems, improve human health, and act as key resources. When rocks begin to weather and break down, they release nutrients into the soil where plants will begin to absorb them, supporting animal and human health. Nutrients like calcium, magnesium, and phosphorus are key to supporting healthy bones.
Our technology and cities also rely on geodiversity to keep them going. Smartphones contain dozens of Earth’s elements like lithium, carbon, aluminum and cobalt, and buildings, roads, and sculptures are all made from stone, steel, concrete, and glass.
To celebrate geodiversity and inspire action for nature, UNESCO marked October 6 of each year as International Geodiversity Day. This day serves as a reminder of the many roles geodiversity plays, from human and environmental well-being to sustainable development.
By understanding geodiversity, we deepen our connection to nature and begin to value the landscapes that shape our everyday lives.
Find out more at https://www.unesco.org/en/days/geodiversity
