Qualitative Map of Geodiversity as a Tool to Identify Geodiversity-Related Ecosystem Services: Application to the Costões e Lagunas Aspiring Geopark, SE Brazil

Geodiversity mapping is a key topic in the field of geoconservation. Although most methodological proposals are based on quantitative assessments, recent studies on qualitative mapping have shown strong potential for various applications, including relationships with biodiversity, territorial management, and nature conservation. This article presents a qualitative geodiversity map of the Costões e Lagunas Aspiring Geopark, located in the state of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The map was also used to identify geodiversity-related ecosystem services in the territory. The method for generating the map was divided into two steps: first, thematic maps representing geodiversity components were integrated to identify areas where components interact to form specific environments; second, based on these interactions, geodiversity units were defined. Ecosystem services provided by each unit were identified through the analysis of human activities occurring within them. The results show that the geodiversity units provide multiple ecosystem services across different categories and are essential to the well-being of local inhabitants. These findings reinforce the relevance of the qualitative approach and demonstrate that geodiversity mapping can support broader landscape analyses. Thus, qualitative geodiversity maps are effective tools for identifying ecosystem services across extensive areas.