Geoheritage Assessment with Entropy-Based WASPAS Approach: an Analysis on Karçal Mountains (Turkey)

• Published in: Geoheritage 2023-03, Vol.15 (1), Article 5
• Main Authors: Dede, Volkan, Zorlu, Kuttusi
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Biogeosciences; Earth and Environmental Science; Earth Sciences; Entropy; Geoheritage; Historical Geology; Landforms; Landscape/Regional and Urban Planning; Mineralogy; Mountains; Original Article; Paleontology; Physical Geography
• ISSN: 1867-2477; 1867-2485
• DOI: 10.1007/s12371-022-00777-7

Besides being a past witness of the planet’s history, the components of geoheritage also have many benefits. Therefore, in recent years, a significant effort has been made by researchers to record, evaluate and highlight areas of important geological and geomorphological value. Many qualitative and quantitative methods developed with this effort have also been frequently used in geoheritage assessment. This study aims to make a geoheritage assessment by using entropy and WASPAS approaches, which are among the multi-criteria decision making (MCDM) techniques. Eight evaluation criteria obtained from the literature were used to evaluate the glacial and periglacial landforms detected in the Karçal Mountains in northeast Anatolia. In the methodological approach, firstly, geosites were scored according to criteria and indicators. This assessment reflects a classical approach. Then, the criteria were weighted with the entropy method, and the priority values of the alternatives (geosites) were determined according to the weighted criteria with WASPAS. This evaluation is the methodological approach proposed in the research. The results suggest significant differences between the classical assessment approach and the proposed methodological approach. It is anticipated that the proposed methodology and results will provide various theoretical implications for the subject area.