Geomorphosite of nui chua national park ninh thuận, viet nam

iew ed GEOMORPHOSITES OF NUI CHUA NATIONAL PARK, NINH THUAN PROVINCE, VIETNAM Hoang Thi Phuong Chi 1,2*, Ha Quang Hai1,2, Nguyen Thi Que Nam1,2 1Faculty of Environment, University of Science, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam 2Vietnam National University, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam * Corresponding author: Hoang Thi Phuong Chi Faculty of Environment, University of Science, Vietnam National University – Hochiminh city, Email: htpchi@hcmus.edu.vn, Address: 227 Nguyen Van Cu street, Ward 4, District 5, Hochiminh city, Vietnam Pr ep rin tn ot pe er re v Abstract Nui Chua National Park, Ninh Thuan province, has a semi-arid climate while locating right next to a tropical forest climate, therefore, it has a rich biodiversity ecosystem, where the coastal dry forest ecosystem is rarely seen in Vietnam This area contains many valuable geomorphologic features in denuded - lithological - tectonic terrain, among them, three features can be considered as national treasures: 1) Nui Chua dome - block mountains; 2) Rai Cave tectonic - abrasive coastline and 3) Lang Choi Stone Park Fault-block Nui Chua Mountains is the unique geomorphosite of Vietnam which has the right conditions for the dry ecosystem to develop The tectonic - abrasive coastline of Rai Cave and Lang Choi Rock Park is home to unique and precious geoheritages such as two-stage development of boulders or balanced rocks, karren sculpturing, caves, notches on ancient coral reefs terrace or spheroidal weathering, tafoni on intrusive rocks, to name a few To archive the goal of sustainable development, it is important to link the conservation activities of the biodiversity at Nui Chua National Park to the preservation efforts of geological diversity (geology, geomorphology) in the area Providing scientific explanations at each geomorphosites together with safe sightseeing guides will help increase the quality of tourism, attract more visitors to explore and learn about this mysterious, wonderful, and diverse ecosystem Keywords: geomorphosites, denuded - lithological - tectonic terrain, Nui Chua National Park, Ninh Thuan province Introduction The term "geomorphosites", often used to refer to geomorphological heritage, is the abbreviation of "geomorphological sites" (Panizza, 2001; Pralong, 2005) Compared with geological heritages, geomorphologic heritage has three specific main characteristics: aesthetics, dynamics, and overlap in scale (Reynard, 2009) The above three characteristics mean these geoheritages are beautiful, active landforms, and vary in area from small to large These features make the geomorphologic heritage unique and attract visitors to admire and explore Over the past three decades, scientific studies have been carried out in many parts of the world, focusing on the scientific and complementary values of the geological and geomorphological heritages (Brilha, 2016; Fuertes-Gutiérrez and Fernández-Martínez, 2012; Mihai Ielenicz, 2009; Nickolas C Zouros, 2007) Like other geological heritages, geomorphologic heritages deserve to be protected and preserved to pass on to future generations Nui Chua National Park area has the driest climate in Vietnam, and has rich biodiversity both in mountainous and coastal areas Major tourist attractions within the Nui Chua National Park such as Vinh Hy Bay, Rai Cave, Chua Mountains, and so on, can be considered as geomorphosites (Figure 1) Although Nui Chua National Park has been open for visitors for a long time, these tourist attractions have not been extensively studied in terms of scientific and complementary values This preprint research paper has not been peer reviewed Electronic copy available at: https://ssrn.com/abstract=3897727 iew ed As a consequence, these geomorphosites still face problems with attracting a variety of visitors as well as long-term solutions for protection and conservation Within this work, the scientific and additional values of geomorphosites in Nui Chua National Park are investigated and presented This valuable information of these heritages would help to attract not only more visitors but also students and scientists to perform more thorough investigation about this National Park Methods ot pe er re v The research is conducted based on the inventory of geomorphosites, followed the guideline of Reynard et al., 2016, 2007 as steps below: (1)Literature review about geology and geomorphology in journals, books, and the Vietnam geological - mineral map, Da Lat - Cam Ranh, 1:200,000 scale (Vietnam Department of Geology and Minerals, 1998) (2)Potential sites were chosen to fieldwork for the detailed descriptions of each site included: location, information on geology and geomorphology, accessibility, present uses and infrastructure, protection, condition of the outcrop (visibility), other information (ecological, cultural, historical, economic values) and photographic documentation (3)The preliminary assessment was conducted to pick out sites that have scientific and additional values following the criteria proposed by Reynard The scientific values consist of four criteria: representativeness, unique/rareness, integrity and paleogeographical value (detailed explanation and references of these criteria are shown in Table 1); the additional values include three main criteria: ecology, aesthetics (viewpoints, contrasts, vertical development, and space structuration), and culture (religious, historical, artistic, literary, geohistorical, and economic importance) In this step, we chose 12 sites that have values to be geomorphosites in this study area (4) The heritages are classified according to three levels: local (Ninh Thuan province), regional (South Central coast of Vietnam), and national (Vietnam): based on the representativeness or/and rareness of site in each scale Besides that, we consider other scientific and additional values to suggest the level of geomorphosites rin tn Table The scientific value of geomorphosite Criterion Scientific value Representativeness A selected geomorphosite should represent the most complete and expressive manifestation of a geomorphological phenomenon or a spatialgenetic pattern Pr ep Rareness/ Unique Concerns the rarity of the site with respect to a reference space This criterion of a site can depend on different indicators: on quantitative parameters, or on qualitative parameters; on spatialtemporal indicators Example in research area Da Chong inselberg is 86 m high mountain It has many large rounded granite boulders which precariously balanced on top of another This site is representative for the balanced rocks in the study area and the South-Central Coast of Vietnam also Thit Beach is quite different from other beaches in this region because of its good conditions for sea turtles spawning The rareness of the sandy beach is the highest value of this site This preprint research paper has not been peer reviewed Electronic copy available at: https://ssrn.com/abstract=3897727 State of conservation of the site Most of the sites in this area belong to national park, therefore, they are protected by management boards Palaeogeographical Importance of the site for the Hon Do Cape has an ancient coral value Earth or climate history reef terrace The – m high marine terrace represented the Quaternary tectonics and East sea level changing activities (According to Brilha, 2016; Nickolas C Zouros, 2007; Pereira and Pereira, 2010; Pralong, 2005; Reynard et al., 2016, 2007; Wimbledon W.A.P et al., 2000) iew ed Integrity Pr ep rin tn ot pe er re v Research area Nui Chua National Park locates in the Northeastern part of Ninh Thuan province The national park borders the Cam Ranh Bay - Khanh Hoa on the north, the East Sea on the east, Ninh Hai district on the south, and the highway 1A on the southeast Nui Chua National Park includes Ninh Hai district, about a quarter of Thuan Bac district in Ninh Thuan province with an area of 29.856 ha, of which 22.513 is land, 7.352 is the sea Two roads with easy access to the geomorphological features are the national highway 1A and the provincial road 702 Besides, the North-South railway, which runs parallel to the national highway 1A and the sea, is another convenient transportation method to visit the national park Figure Geological map of Nui Chua National Park (modified from Vietnam Department of Geology and Minerals, 1998) This preprint research paper has not been peer reviewed Electronic copy available at: https://ssrn.com/abstract=3897727 pe er re v iew ed Geology and geomorphology The Cretaceous Deo Ca intrusive complex occupies most of the studied area and has the Da Lat Late Mesozoic active continental margin structure (Tran Van Tri and Vu Khuc, 2009) The main intrusive rock are granite, granosyenite, and granodiorite (Nguyen Duc Thang, 1999) Nui Chua Mountain is composed of intrusive rocks with six peaks Among those, the highest is Co Tuy (1,039m), also known as Chua Anh Mountain (means older brother) The other peaks are named Chua Chong Mountain (means husband), Chua Vo Mountain (means wife), Chua Em Mountain (means younger brother), Chua Chau Mountain (means grandchild), and Chua Chat Mountain (means great-grandchild) Holocene marine sediments occupy only a small area in the south and include sand, gravel, coral debris, and coral reefs These sedimentsform a – m high marine terrace, which is equivalent to the Ca Na terrace that was formed in the Flandrian transgression stage (Le Duc An, 2012) Orthogonal joint systems included two vertical systems dominantly in the direction 1) NE-SW, NW-SE and 2) sublongitude, sub-latitude and horizontal system The processes of denudation were developed according to the joint systems that cut into the intrusive rock bed, which were the basis for forming the typical boulder of the area Pr ep rin tn ot Climate and hydrography According to “Köppen-Geiger Climate Classification” the study area belongs to the tropical savanna climate entirely (Kottek et al., 2006) Ninh Thuan province has two distinct seasons: the rainy season from September to December and the dry season from January to August The average temperature ranges from 24.6 to 27.2 C There is a distinct dry season, where there will be no rain for months Then a short rainy season brings heavy rains mostly in the afternoons, with hot, humid conditions throughout the rest of the day Even with the rainy season, the annual rainfall is the lowest rainfall in South-Central Vietnam (430-940 mm), while the evaporation is quite high (1295.8-2210.1 mm), twice as much as the rainfall (Tu Thi Nam et al., 2018) The streams and springs in the national park are narrow, seasonal flow from the Nui Chua Mountain into the sea Most of the streams dry up during the dry season The tidal patterns that occur along the Ninh Hai district coastline are irregular diurnal tides The average amplitude of tides is about 0.8-1.2 m, with the highest is over 1.5 m (Pham Ngoc Quy et al., 2011) From January to April, the prevailing winds blow southwest, the average wave height is 1.0-1.1 m with the maximum is about 2.0 m From October to December, winds prevail from the Northeast, the average wave height is about 1.2 m and the maximum is about 2.5 m The studied area is located in Ninh Thuan - Bac Binh Thuan upwelling zone, which occurs from June to September Upwelling brings nutrients into the surface water of the ocean, results in some of the most productive marine ecosystems (Nguyen Kim Vinh, 2007) Ecology: Nui Chua National Park is located in the driest part of Vietnam therefore it has the typical and unique dry forest ecosystems rarely seen in Vietnam and Southeast Asia According to Duc et al., 2009, the only primary forest that remains is evergreen forest at elevations > 700 m above sea level in the north of the park Below 700 m above sea level, on the east side of the mountains there are large areas of four types of secondary forest such as sclerophyll evergreen forests, dry deciduous forest and tropical savanna woodland, dry thorny scrub and thorny woodland; thorny scrubland (Duc et al., 2009) Nui Chua National Park has 1,504 vascular plant species In terms of fauna, it currently has 306 species of animal, of which 64 are rare and conserved species (Tran Van Tiep and Dang Thi Thanh Thuy, 2014) There are several species such as Red-shanked Douc Langur (Pygathrix nemaeus) was listed in the Red List of IUCN as Endangered Asian colobine monkey (Craig Hilton-Taylor (Compiler), 2000) The coastal reefs are in relatively good condition, including 310 species (Si Tuan Vo et al., 2014) In addition, Nui Chua National Park is one of This preprint research paper has not been peer reviewed Electronic copy available at: https://ssrn.com/abstract=3897727 Pr ep rin tn ot pe er re v iew ed the rare inland spawning beaches for sea turtles ((Tran Van Tiep and Dang Thi Thanh Thuy, 2014) Results and discussion Geomorphosites Conducting inventories and field surveys, we identified 12 geomorphosites which can be classified into five types: (1) mountains, (2) bays and lagoons, (3) marine terraces, (4) rocky coastline, and (5) beaches The scientific and additional values are shown in Figure and summarized in Table The common geomorphosites are balanced rocks (which are composed of two or more boulders, perched one on the other (Twidale and Vidal Romaní, 2005)) in denuded products of which dominant factors are orthogonal joints system and homogeneous material of intrusive rock bodies These can be called denuded - lithological – tectonic terrain in mountainous areas and abrasive – lithological – tectonic terrain in lower coastal areas In addition, the system of fractures is oriented to extend the coastline, currents, bays, and lagoons This preprint research paper has not been peer reviewed Electronic copy available at: https://ssrn.com/abstract=3897727 d e t o r e e p w e i v e r n t r P p e ir n Figure Geomorphosites of Nui Chua National Park - Ninh Thuan provinceTable Summary of scientific value and additional value of geomorphosites in Nui Chua National Park - Ninh Thuan This preprint research paper has not been peer reviewed Electronic copy available at: https://ssrn.com/abstract=3897727 Geomorphosites name Nui Chua dome block mountain Ca Du inselberg Sym bol G.3 G.8 Scientific Values + Geomorphology: - Five blocks of different altitudes: central block 8001039 m high, two adjacent blocks: 800-400 m, two outmost blocks: 400-100 m - Erosive-denudate terrain on intrusive rocks: the twostage development of boulders, rock water stream, hanging lake, waterfall, bay etc - Quaternary tectonic + The most important criteria: Integrity, Rareness and Representativeness: All the landforms are in good conservation in national park + Geomorphology: - Inselberg on Phan Rang plain, 318 m high - Large rounded granite boulders precariously balanced on top of another + The most important criterion:Integrity: good conservation t o n t Da Chong inselberg r P Additional Value ir n p e + Ecological value: three distinct ecosystems with National rich biodiversity, including: marine, dry forest and evergreen forest + Aesthetic value: spectacular landscape spanning from hill to mountain to ocean r e e p + Geomorphology: - Inselberg on Phan Rang plain, 86 m high - Large rounded granite boulders which precariously balanced on top of another G.10 + The most important criterion: This site is representative for the balanced rocks in the South-Central Coast of Vietnam w e i v d e Heritage Level e r + Aesthetic value: Local - Ca Du - a turtle shaped mountain (in Cham language is Chơk Du ') - Panoramic viewpoint: Phan Rang - Thap Cham town, Ninh Chu coast, Phuong Cuu salt field, Dam Vua lagoon, Ninh Hai rice field and Da Chong mountain + Cultural value: the Revolutionary war historical memorial of Ninh Thuan province (1999) + Aesthetic value: viewpoint of Ninh Chu beach, Regional Ninh Hai rice field + Cultural value: - the historical monument of Ninh Thuan province - the system of pagodas has unique architecture such as Trung Son pagoda, Trung Quang pagoda, Temple of Confucius, Truc Lam Vien Ngo monastery This preprint research paper has not been peer reviewed Electronic copy available at: https://ssrn.com/abstract=3897727 Vinh Hy erosion tectonic bay Nai lagoon G.4 G.9 Lang Choi abrasion marine terrace, abrasive effect of sediments r P + Geomorphology: - Vinh Hy Bay was formed by the wave-destruction on the northwest-southeast joinsystem This happened before the Flandrian transgression - The bay deeply penetrates in the mainland, and is a connection point for the mountainous and marine ecosystem + The most important criterion: This site is representative for the erosion tectonic bay in the South-Central Coast of Vietnam + Geomorphology: - Nai bay is shallow bodies of water separated from the ocean by sandbars - Function of regulating flood flow, balancing groundwater and cleaning the environment + The most important criterion: This site is representative for the lagoon in Ninh Thuan province + Geomorphology: - Cliffs are oriented in sub-longitude fault - The two-stage development of boulders or balanced rocks are common The height is 80-100 m - The largest granite boulders precariously balanced on top of another is the symbol of Nui Chua National Park - Tafoni on granite + The most important criteria: Unique, Rareness, Representativeness: This site is the only occurrence of 80 -100 m high marine terrace in the the South-Central Coast of Vietnam t o G.7 p e n t + Aesthetic value: proincial level landscapes + Ecological value: coral is diverse and well preserved + Cultural value: tourism; lobster farming r e e p w e i v d e e r Regional + Aesthetic value: impressive sunset landscape + Ecological value: rich diversity, 300 of mangrove forest + Cultural value: aquaculture, potential for tourism development Local + Aesthetic value: the dry forest landscape together with balanced boulders + Ecological value: typical xeric plants: thick leaves, rough, and spiky stems National ir n This preprint research paper has not been peer reviewed Electronic copy available at: https://ssrn.com/abstract=3897727 Ninh Hai marine terrace, sediment accumulation Da Vach tectonic cliff Rai Cave abrasion tectonic cliff p e Hon Do cape, ancient coral reef r P d e + Geomorphology: + Cultural value: - Marine accumulation terrace in Flandrian - sea salt farms, rice fields, specialty crops: transgression, 4-5 m high grapes, garlics, chilies, spring onions - Urban infrastructure foundations, residential areas, - the Nam Hai Mausoleum Festival which prays G.11 salt fields for good weather and good harvest + The most important criterion: This site is representative for the marine terrace in Ninh Thuan province + Geomorphology: + Aesthetic value: The landscape of majestic cliffs - A steep cliffs 20-50 m in height and km in length is oriented in longitude fault G.2 - Wave-cut cliffs resulted in carved terrain with many unique shapes + The most important criterion: This site is representative for the tectonic cliff in the South - Central Coast of Vietnam + Geomorphology: + Aesthetic value: the provincial natural landscape monuments of Ninh Thuan province (2018) - Cliffs are oriented in sub-longitude fault - Diverse coastal terrains: cliffs, marine terraces, + Ecological value: rich biodiversity, especially balanced boulders, cave, wave-cut notch, razor-sharp the coral reefs and jagged coral rock, Karren terrain + Cultural value: potential for sustainable tourism G.5 development - Ancient coral reef terrace, 4-5 m in height + The most important criteria: Unique and palaeogeographical value: This site is the only occurrence of tectonic cliff coast and coral reef terrace in Vietnam + Geomorphology: + Aesthetic value: beautiful coastal landscapes - Red sand overlay on coral rock + Ecological value: rich biodiversity, especially the coral reefs - Wave-cut notch, razor-sharp and jagged coral rock, G.12 karren terrain + Cultural value: + The most important criterion: - the Temple of Lady Do belongs to Cham Palaeogeographical value of ancient coral reef terrace culture t o r e e p w e i v e r Local Regional National n t ir n This preprint research paper has not been peer reviewed Electronic copy available at: https://ssrn.com/abstract=3897727 Regional - Nuoc Ngot beach G.1 G.6 Thit beach + Geomorphology: - Pocket beach with coarse sediment - Fresh water springs from Nui Chua mountains + The most important criterion: Rareness of the landscape: the unique spring meets the sea + Geomorphology: Pocket sandy beach + The most important criterion: Rareness of the sandy beach: The beach has good conditions for sea turtles spawning t o + Aesthetic value: the beauty of pristine beach w e i v e r + Ecological value: - sea turtle conservation - ecosystem of coastal coral reefs has a diversity of species r e e p n t r P p e d e Archeology in Cham cultural relics ir n This preprint research paper has not been peer reviewed Electronic copy available at: https://ssrn.com/abstract=3897727 Regional Regional Pr ep rin tn ot pe er re v iew ed The common geomorphosites are balanced rocks (which are composed of two or more boulders, perched one on the other (Twidale and Vidal Romaní, 2005)) in denuded products of which dominant factors are orthogonal joints system and homogeneous material of intrusive rock bodies These can be called denuded - lithological – tectonic terrain in mountainous areas and abrasive – lithological – tectonic terrain in lower coastal areas In addition, the system of fractures is oriented to extend the coastline, currents, bays, and lagoons This preprint research paper has not been peer reviewed Electronic copy available at: https://ssrn.com/abstract=3897727 d e t o r e e p w e i v e r n t r P p e ir n Figure Geomorphosites of Nui Chua National Park - Ninh Thuan provinceTable Summary of scientific value and additional value of geomorphosites in Nui Chua National Park - Ninh Thuan This preprint research paper has not been peer reviewed Electronic copy available at: https://ssrn.com/abstract=3897727 Geomorphosites name Nui Chua dome block mountain Ca Du inselberg Sym bol G.3 G.8 Scientific Values + Geomorphology: - Five blocks of different altitudes: central block 8001039 m high, two adjacent blocks: 800-400 m, two outmost blocks: 400-100 m - Erosive-denudate terrain on intrusive rocks: the twostage development of boulders, rock water stream, hanging lake, waterfall, bay etc - Quaternary tectonic + The most important criteria: Integrity, Rareness and Representativeness: All the landforms are in good conservation in national park + Geomorphology: - Inselberg on Phan Rang plain, 318 m high - Large rounded granite boulders precariously balanced on top of another + The most important criterion:Integrity: good conservation t o n t Da Chong inselberg r P Additional Value ir n p e + Ecological value: three distinct ecosystems with National rich biodiversity, including: marine, dry forest and evergreen forest + Aesthetic value: spectacular landscape spanning from hill to mountain to ocean r e e p + Geomorphology: - Inselberg on Phan Rang plain, 86 m high - Large rounded granite boulders which precariously balanced on top of another G.10 + The most important criterion: This site is representative for the balanced rocks in the South-Central Coast of Vietnam w e i v d e Heritage Level e r + Aesthetic value: Local - Ca Du - a turtle shaped mountain (in Cham language is Chơk Du ') - Panoramic viewpoint: Phan Rang - Thap Cham town, Ninh Chu coast, Phuong Cuu salt field, Dam Vua lagoon, Ninh Hai rice field and Da Chong mountain + Cultural value: the Revolutionary war historical memorial of Ninh Thuan province (1999) + Aesthetic value: viewpoint of Ninh Chu beach, Regional Ninh Hai rice field + Cultural value: - the historical monument of Ninh Thuan province - the system of pagodas has unique architecture such as Trung Son pagoda, Trung Quang pagoda, Temple of Confucius, Truc Lam Vien Ngo monastery This preprint research paper has not been peer reviewed Electronic copy available at: https://ssrn.com/abstract=3897727 Vinh Hy erosion tectonic bay Nai lagoon G.4 G.9 Lang Choi abrasion marine terrace, abrasive effect of sediments r P + Geomorphology: - Vinh Hy Bay was formed by the wave-destruction on the northwest-southeast joinsystem This happened before the Flandrian transgression - The bay deeply penetrates in the mainland, and is a connection point for the mountainous and marine ecosystem + The most important criterion: This site is representative for the erosion tectonic bay in the South-Central Coast of Vietnam + Geomorphology: - Nai bay is shallow bodies of water separated from the ocean by sandbars - Function of regulating flood flow, balancing groundwater and cleaning the environment + The most important criterion: This site is representative for the lagoon in Ninh Thuan province + Geomorphology: - Cliffs are oriented in sub-longitude fault - The two-stage development of boulders or balanced rocks are common The height is 80-100 m - The largest granite boulders precariously balanced on top of another is the symbol of Nui Chua National Park - Tafoni on granite + The most important criteria: Unique, Rareness, Representativeness: This site is the only occurrence of 80 -100 m high marine terrace in the the South-Central Coast of Vietnam t o G.7 p e n t + Aesthetic value: proincial level landscapes + Ecological value: coral is diverse and well preserved + Cultural value: tourism; lobster farming r e e p w e i v d e e r Regional + Aesthetic value: impressive sunset landscape + Ecological value: rich diversity, 300 of mangrove forest + Cultural value: aquaculture, potential for tourism development Local + Aesthetic value: the dry forest landscape together with balanced boulders + Ecological value: typical xeric plants: thick leaves, rough, and spiky stems National ir n This preprint research paper has not been peer reviewed Electronic copy available at: https://ssrn.com/abstract=3897727 Ninh Hai marine terrace, sediment accumulation Da Vach tectonic cliff Rai Cave abrasion tectonic cliff p e Hon Do cape, ancient coral reef r P d e + Geomorphology: + Cultural value: - Marine accumulation terrace in Flandrian - sea salt farms, rice fields, specialty crops: transgression, 4-5 m high grapes, garlics, chilies, spring onions - Urban infrastructure foundations, residential areas, - the Nam Hai Mausoleum Festival which prays G.11 salt fields for good weather and good harvest + The most important criterion: This site is representative for the marine terrace in Ninh Thuan province + Geomorphology: + Aesthetic value: The landscape of majestic cliffs - A steep cliffs 20-50 m in height and km in length is oriented in longitude fault G.2 - Wave-cut cliffs resulted in carved terrain with many unique shapes + The most important criterion: This site is representative for the tectonic cliff in the South - Central Coast of Vietnam + Geomorphology: + Aesthetic value: the provincial natural landscape monuments of Ninh Thuan province (2018) - Cliffs are oriented in sub-longitude fault - Diverse coastal terrains: cliffs, marine terraces, + Ecological value: rich biodiversity, especially balanced boulders, cave, wave-cut notch, razor-sharp the coral reefs and jagged coral rock, Karren terrain + Cultural value: potential for sustainable tourism G.5 development - Ancient coral reef terrace, 4-5 m in height + The most important criteria: Unique and palaeogeographical value: This site is the only occurrence of tectonic cliff coast and coral reef terrace in Vietnam + Geomorphology: + Aesthetic value: beautiful coastal landscapes - Red sand overlay on coral rock + Ecological value: rich biodiversity, especially the coral reefs - Wave-cut notch, razor-sharp and jagged coral rock, G.12 karren terrain + Cultural value: + The most important criterion: - the Temple of Lady Do belongs to Cham Palaeogeographical value of ancient coral reef terrace culture t o r e e p w e i v e r Local Regional National n t ir n This preprint research paper has not been peer reviewed Electronic copy available at: https://ssrn.com/abstract=3897727 Regional - Nuoc Ngot beach G.1 G.6 Thit beach + Geomorphology: - Pocket beach with coarse sediment - Fresh water springs from Nui Chua mountains + The most important criterion: Rareness of the landscape: the unique spring meets the sea + Geomorphology: Pocket sandy beach + The most important criterion: Rareness of the sandy beach: The beach has good conditions for sea turtles spawning t o + Aesthetic value: the beauty of pristine beach w e i v e r + Ecological value: - sea turtle conservation - ecosystem of coastal coral reefs has a diversity of species r e e p n t r P p e d e Archeology in Cham cultural relics ir n This preprint research paper has not been peer reviewed Electronic copy available at: https://ssrn.com/abstract=3897727 Regional Regional Pr ep rin tn ot pe er re v iew ed National level geomorphosites proposal The most criterion for the selection of these national-level heritages is their rarity or/and representativeness Besides that, we consider other scientific and additional values to suggest the level of geomorphosites Proposing three national-level geomorphosites including 1) Dome - block Nui Chua mountains, 2) Tectonic - abrasive coastline Rai Cave and 3) Lang Choi abrasive marine terrace Dome-block Nui Chua Mountains According to Nguyen-Van et al (2020), the study area has four main fault scarps inland These fault scarps are shown in Fig The NE-SW faults FI, FII, FIII, and FIV (Figure 3, Figure 4) are the boundaries of the main central block The Nui Chua dome - block mountains were uplifted in the Quaternary tectonic period to form the central block 800-1039 m high (the top of Nui Chua Mount.), and lower to both sides are the 400-800 m and 100-400 m high The longitudinal faults are clearly shown, which are the boundaries of small blocks and orient many sections of the coast, in which faults F2, F3, and F4 were confirmed by field survey (NguyenVan et al., 2020; Trinh et al., 2015) The NW-SE faults are oriented to stretch the bays such as Cam Ranh bay, Vinh Hy bay, and Dam Nai lagoon This preprint research paper has not been peer reviewed Electronic copy available at: https://ssrn.com/abstract=3897727 iew ed Figure Interpretation of fault scraps on 12.5 m ASTER DEM image (according to NguyenVan et al., 2020; Trinh et al., 2015) (“Dataset: ©JAXA/METI ALOS PALSAR, ALPSRP139313380 Accessed through ASF DAAC,” n.d.) tn ot pe er re v Dome - block mountain is one of the common landforms on the Vietnamese mainland (Le Duc An, 2012) Another outstanding scientific value of this geomorphosite is the processes of denudation on the intrusive rock along with fault systems These fissures created specific terrains such as two-stage development of boulders, cliffs, rock-hanging lakes (Figure 5), rock water streams (Figure 6), bay, and waterfall The Nui Chua Mountains ecosystem is diverse with six ecosystems ranging from land to sea It has a dry forest ecosystem, which is typical of Vietnam and Southeast Asia (Le Tran Chan and Nguyen Viet Luong, 2012) The spectacular trekking route through Nui Chua that passes through the geomorphologic landscapes from mountains, to coastlines with these ecosystems has been carried out by many groups of adventurous tourists (Figure 7) One of the most popular trekking routes is the one from the National Park headquarters to the top of Nui Chua mountain in days and nights with a total length of about 19.5 km The trekking route is designed to go through the geomorphosites from the coast of Rai Cave, Lo O stream, O Lim valley, through the topographic steps of Mount Chua such as grassland, rock-hanging lake, to the top of Mount Chua Anh (Co Tuy) where a panoramic view from the highest peak of the park can be observed The landscape and ecology are additional values of Nui Chua National Park Pr ep rin Figure A part of Nui Chua Mt is graded by Figure Hanging lake Source: Nui the fault boundary Source: Nui Chua National Chua National Park Park Figure Lo O rock water spring Source: Figure Trekking in Nui Chua National H.T.P.Chi Park Source: Nui Chua National Park This preprint research paper has not been peer reviewed Electronic copy available at: https://ssrn.com/abstract=3897727 pe er re v iew ed Tectonic - abrasive coastline Rai Cave Rai Cave is a famous tourist destination of Nui Chua National Park Two geomorphosites that attract tourists the most are the intrusive rocky coast and ancient coral reef The rocky coast is a fault stretching in the longitudinal direction (Figure 8), including many types of landforms such as sea cliffs, balanced rocks, falling rocks, caves The seawall profile shows the balanced rocks pattern, a typical landform developed in intrusive rock corresponding to the second phase (Figure 8A) and third phase (Figure 8B) according to Geikie's classification (Twidale and Vidal Romaní, 2005) The activities of denudation in the Rai Cave coastline are strongly underway with the formation of steep cliffs and large residual boulders The space between falling rocks often forms caves These caves were once inhabited by otters, and therefore, this place had the name “Rai Cave” – which means Otters’ cave ot Figure Longitudinal rocky coast, A – Orthogonal fissures (vertical and horizonal) on a vertical wall); B – Expansion crack, falling rock blocks leaving balanced rocks; C – Rock falls accumulating at the bottom; D – Ancient coral terrace Source: Ha Quang Hai Pr ep rin tn The ancient coral terrace is located at the cliff base (Figure 9), has an area of about 2000 m2, the platform is quite flat, 4-5 m high above sea level Noteworthy, the ancient coral reef contains various limestone micro-landforms which attract tourists such as razor-sharp; jagged coral rock (Figure 10); bio-abrasive pits (Figure 11); pot holes and heart pits which were formed due to salt weathering There is no data on the age of the terrace, but by comparing the elevation, this terrace is equivalent to Ca Na 2nd terrace, where the corals have an absolute age of 4500 ± 250 years (Le Duc An, 2012) and were formed in the maximum Flandrian marine transgression Aesthetics are the outstanding additional value of Rai Cave geomorphosite The great seascape at dawn and dusk Especially during the rough seas, visitors can admire the waterfalls when the seawater overflows the ancient coral terrace (Figure 12) Scientific and aesthetic value shows that Rai Cave is the only rare and unique geomorphologic heritage of Vietnam Rai Cave was chosen to be the Nui Chua National Park Management Board headquarter, where visitors can learn about the National Park and its forest and marine conservation efforts This preprint research paper has not been peer reviewed Electronic copy available at: https://ssrn.com/abstract=3897727 iew ed pe er re v Figure Ancient coral rock terrace Source: Figure 10 Razor-sharp, jagged coral rock Ha Quang Hai Source: H.T.P.Chi Figure 11 Wave-cut notch in ancient coral Figure 12 Waterfall into sea Source: Thien terrace Source: Ha Quang Hai Thach(“Rai Cave - Ninh Thuan once and forever | TTC Resort - Ninh Thuan,” n.d.) Pr ep rin tn ot Lang Choi abrasive marine terrace The abrasive marine terrace is known as Lang Choi Stone Park and is located in Vinh Hai commune, Ninh Hai district Lang Choi Stone Park has a total area of about 90 hectares, 80100 meters above sea level The cliffs in the stone park are steep 70-80 degrees, and oriented in a longitudinal direction as fault F4 in Figures and 13 The fissure system is dominated by fault F4 direction, which can be seen clearly in the topography (Figure 14) On the roof of the terrace, there are various sizes and shapes of granite boulders The most popular tourist attraction is ‘Da Trung’ (means egg stone, Figure 15), ‘Dau Nguoi’ (means head), ‘Con Vit’ (means duck), and ‘Cu Hanh’ (means onion), which were named based on the shapes of boulders The biggest balanced rock is called 'Than Quyen’ (means theocracy, Figure 16), and it is chosen as the symbol of Nui Chua National Park The ‘Than Quyen’ rock is the slightly less well-rounded boulder, nearly 6,0 m in diameter This rock was finely balanced, and therefore, the 'Than Quyen' rock is a visual model that explains the formation of denuded lithological - tectonic terrain and balanced rock, the typical landform of this area If in Rai Cave, we can observe the formation of boulders in the 2nd and 3rd stage (Figure and 17 ii, iii), in Lang Choi Stone Park, this process belongs to the 3rd stage (Figure 17 iv) due to differential erosion of the differentiated mass, leaving the core stones as boulders (Figure 18) (Geikie's (1894) sketch in Twidale and Vidal Romaní, 2005) The physical and chemical weathering process resulted in the very impressive formation of the tafoni on granite This preprint research paper has not been peer reviewed Electronic copy available at: https://ssrn.com/abstract=3897727 iew ed pe er re v Figure 13 Longitudinal direction cliffs as F4 fault Figure 14 Longitudinal joint Source: Ha Quang Source: Le Tu Thanh Hai tn ot Figure 15 Balanced well-rounded boulder in Lang Figure 16 Orthogonal fissures on ‘Than Quyen’ Choi Stone Park Source: Ha Quang Hai boulder (vertical and horizontal) - Symbol of Nui Chua National Park Source: Ha Quang Hai Pr ep rin Figure 17 Explain the formation stages of balanced rock according to Geikie (1894) (i) Water penetrates down joint in (ii) weathered granite (iii) erosion removed debris and clay, solid granite leaving behind corestones (iv) leaving the corestones as boulders This preprint research paper has not been peer reviewed Electronic copy available at: https://ssrn.com/abstract=3897727 iew ed Figure 18 Several equilibrium rocks in Lang Choi stone park Source: Hoang Thi Phuong Chi pe er re v Dry forests are the outstanding additional value of this geomorphosite Low, small, thick, thorny plants grow through fissures - a vivid example of biological weathering by physical means (Figure 12) The rocky terrain and dry forests on the abrasive marine terrace of Lang Choi Stone Park can be seen as a miniature part of Nui Chua National Park Reserve ot Figure 19 Tafoni on intrusive rock Figure 20 Cactus grew up in a fissure Source: Ha Quang Hai Source: Ha Quang Hai The need for a plan to preserve the geomorphologic heritage and safe tourism Pr ep rin tn While biodiversity is strictly conserved in Nui Chua National Park, geomorphosites are widely open to tourist activities Additionally, the foundation of biodiversity of the national park has not been fully studied and preserved Some geomorphosites are being degraded due to natural and human impacts, for example, the Cave Rai tectonics - abrasion geomorphosite Specifically, the ancient coral terrace in this area is being destroyed in large pieces by waves (Figure 9) where a corroding hollow deepened into the platform wall Moreover, allowing visitors to walk on the platform has destroyed most types of micro-terrain such as razor-sharp, jagged coral rock, mug, and pot holes (Figure 21) The precarious rocks on the steep seawall, or the stacked rocks always pose potential risks to visitors while visiting these sites Therefore, wider concrete roads through Lang Choi Rock Park and a path along the sea wall were constructed to provide a safer way for tourists Yet, these roads causes damage of the heritages’ integrity and not entirely ensure safety for visitors (Figure 22) This preprint research paper has not been peer reviewed Electronic copy available at: https://ssrn.com/abstract=3897727 iew ed pe er re v Figure 21 Micro-topography on the Figure 22 The wooden path along the cliff ancient coral terrace was destroyed by wall for visitors in Rai Cave geomorphosite tourists Source: Ha Quang Hai Source: Ha Quang Hai Nui Chua National Park is attracting more and more visitors, scientists to research, and students from universities to learn about its biodiversity In the future, when recognized as a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve, the number of people coming to Nui Chua National Park will increase significantly, so a program of geoconservation, visitor safety at the same time conservation of the ecosystems of Nui Chua National Park should be properly planned and implemented soon so that both living and non-living resources can be protected together Conclusion ep rin tn ot Nui Chua National Park, where the climate is harsh, the land is arid and the hard rock is inert, has extremely rich and diverse biological resources, in which the dry forest ecosystem is considered the standard model, the most unique of Vietnam as well as Southeast Asia Nui Chua National Park also has geomorphosites which are characterized by denuded – lithological – tectonic terrain, of which three nationally worthy heritages are: 1) Fault-block Nui Chua Mountains; 2) Rai Cave tectonic – abrasive coastline and 3) Lang Choi Stone Park Nui Chua dome – block mountain is the only geomorphosite of Vietnam that converges the right conditions for the unique dry ecosystem to arise and develop The tectonic – abrasive coastline of Rai Cave and Lang Choi Stone Park with the clearly shown balanced rocks; razor-sharp, jagged coral rocks; caves; grazing hollows on ancient coral reefs; and physical, chemical weathering tafoni on intrusive rocks; are the heritages of rare and precious types With the goal of sustainable development, the biodiversity conservation activities of Nui Chua National Park need to be linked with the conservation of geological diversity (geology, geomorphology) Providing scientifically interpreted geomorphological heritages at attraction sites together with safe sightseeing guides will help improve the quality of the tour at each destination, attracting more visitors to visit and learn about this mysterious and amazing ecosystem Pr REFERENCES Brilha, J., 2016 Inventory and Quantitative Assessment of Geosites and Geodiversity Sites: a Review Geoheritage 8, 119–134 https://doi.org/10.1007/s12371-014-0139-3 Craig Hilton-Taylor (Compiler), 2000 2000 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species IUCN – The World Conservation Union, IUCN, Gland, 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Modern tectonic gradient in Ninh Thuan and surrounding areas JMST 15, 209–224 https://doi.org/10.15625/1859-3097/15/3/7216 Tu Thi Nam, Pham Thi Minh, Bui Thi Tuyet, 2018 Study on climate characteristics of Ninh Thuan province Journal of hydrometeorology, 21–29 Twidale, C., Vidal Romaní, J., 2005 Boulders as examples of two-stage forms, in: Landforms and Geology of Granite Terrains Taylor & Francis, London, p 27 https://doi.org/10.1201/9781439833704 Vietnam Department of Geology and Minerals, 1998 Geological - mineral map of Vietnam, Da Lat - Cam Ranh sheet, scale 1: 200,000 Wimbledon W.A.P., Ishchenko A.A., Gerasimenko, N.P., Karis, L.O., Suominen, V., Johansson, C.E., Freden, C., 2000 Geosites - an IUGS Initiative: Science supported by Conservation Geological Heritage: its conservation and management Madrid (Spain) 69–94 This preprint research paper has not been peer reviewed Electronic copy available at: https://ssrn.com/abstract=3897727 ... e ir n Figure Geomorphosites of Nui Chua National Park - Ninh Thuan provinceTable Summary of scientific value and additional value of geomorphosites in Nui Chua National Park - Ninh Thuan This... e ir n Figure Geomorphosites of Nui Chua National Park - Ninh Thuan provinceTable Summary of scientific value and additional value of geomorphosites in Nui Chua National Park - Ninh Thuan This... https://ssrn.com/abstract=3897727 iew ed GEOMORPHOSITES OF NUI CHUA NATIONAL PARK, NINH THUAN PROVINCE, VIETNAM Pr ep rin tn ot pe er re v Abstract Nui Chua National Park, Ninh Thuan province, has a semi-arid