Jurassic trace fossil localities of Adygeya (Russia): New geoheritage under anthropogenic pressure

Geological heritage, and generally geoheritage, needs identification in the regions known for the modern progress in geological research, and the risks of its damage have to be documented. Recent discoveries of trace fossil assemblages in the Early Jurassic rocks of Adygeya (Greater Caucasus, Russia) require the consideration of their key localities as geoheritage sites. The Guzeripl Main and Khamyshki–Lipovaya localities are the outcrops of the Toarcian rocks with abundant, rather diverse, and sometimes unusual ichnofossils belonging to the Cruziana ichnofacies and shedding light on the bottom life of an oxygen-depleted palaeosea. Both localities are unique on the regional and even national scales. Tourism growth in Adygeya provokes physical destruction of the geoheritage (as in the case of the Guzeripl Main site despite its location on the territory of the natural reserve), but it also increases in accessibility of unique features (as in the case of the Khamyshki–Lipovaya site). Geopark creation is recommended as the best solution for efficient ichnological geoheritage management in Adygeya.