The geosites from danube defile in Romania. The vulnerability to touristic activities.

This paper aims to a better understand of the geosites of Danube Defile in Romania, from the point of view of vulnerability to touristic activities. The Iron Gates Natural Park is an important area for geoconservation in Romania, as its geological heritage is among the richest in the South Carpathians. The series of structural units, typical for the South Carpathians, crossed by the Danube, shows unique features from paleontological, structural and morphological points of view, making the Park one of the most interesting areas in Geosciences, for research and education. Our introductory study of vulnerability of geological and geomorphological elements from Danube Defile is made from the geosites point of view. Geosites (term which include also the geomorphologic sites) are relief forms with a scientific, aesthetical, ecological, economical, and cultural value, in respect of human perception, that complete the total heritage of a given territory, including the biodiversity and human creation. In the last decades we assist to an increasing interest according to vulnerability studies. The specialty literature emphasizes the importance of measuring vulnerability to find new criteria and indicators to measure directly the vulnerability and the natural hazards. The geosites from Danube Defile are important geological and geomorphological elements of natural environment which start to become touristic attractions. In those conditions, it is necessary to initiate same studies regarding the vulnerability of those geosites in the local context of touristic development.