GEOINDICATORS – a technique that can strengthen environmental
monitoring in Southern and Eastern Africa
A report from the International Geoindicators Course held 25th - 26th June, 2001 in Lusaka
under the auspices of COGEOENVIRONMENT
J.Satkunas, Geoindicators Initiative of COGEOENVIRONMENT
I.Nyambe, C.Simpson COGEOENVIRONMENT
What are geoindicators?
We are living in a changing environment and can notice its deterioration, which is usually
explained by ithe impact of human activity on nature. However, the condition of the
environment is always changing not only due to human influences but also due to natural
processes and phenomena. The contribution of natural geological processes and their linkages to
the environment have often been ignored in long-term environmental monitoring and reporting.
Geoindicators are measures (magnitudes, frequencies, rates, trends) of geological processes and
phenomena, occurring at or near the Earth’s surface, and subject to changes that are significant
for understanding environmental change over periods of 100 years or less. Geoindicators assess
both catastrophic events, and those that are more gradual, but evident within the human lifespan.
They focus on abiotic components of ecosystems and landscapes.
The geoindicator concept is a new approach to indicators of landscape change that aims to assist
in environmental research, monitoring, and reporting. It was developed by an international
Working Group set up by the IUGS Commission on Geological Sciences for Environmental
Planning (COGEOENVIRONMENT) (http://www.agso.gov.au/cogeo/). A starting point of the
geoindicators concept was the Gros Morne Declaration (1994) emphasizing the importance of
monitoring geological parameters in any program of environmental reporting and assessment.
Later, a comprehensive Geoindicator Checklist was elaborated to assist in monitoring rapid
geological changes in landscapes (http://www.gcrio.org/geo/title.html). Publications including a
monograph entitled “Geoindicators: Assessing Rapid Environmental Change in Earth Systems”
published by Balkema in 1996, as well as articles on geoindicators in GSA Today,
Environmental Geology, and elsewhere, explain the geoindicators concept and illustrate it with
numerous cases of applications. A series of national and regional meetings, and workshops, held
in Brazil, Colombia, Canada, Malaysia, Sri Lanka, India, USA, Lithuania, Poland, and Africa,
were devoted to discussions of monitoring of various geological phenomena and application of
the geoindicators approach.
In 1999 the COGEOENVIRONMENT Working Group on Geoindicators had reached a
sufficient level of sustainability that it was restructured as the Geoindicators Initiative directed
jointly by A. Berger and J. Satkunas. The Geoindicators Initiative continues to disseminate
information about geoindicators and works towards improvements in monitoring rapid
geological change, through workshops, conference papers, research projects, and the internet
(http://lgt.lt/geoin/).
The Geoindicators Course in Lusaka 2001
A Geoindicators Course in Lusaka, Zambia, was planned as one of main activities of the
Geoindicators Initiative in 2001.
The aim of the course was to provide a venue for discussion on the geoindicators concept, and to
disseminate current information to environmental scientists in Southern and Eastern Africa and
thus to contribute to the understanding of the relative roles of anthropogenic and natural
contributions to geological processes and phenomena occurring at or near the Earth’s surface
over periods of 100 years or less.
A local Organizing Committee, consisted of Chairman - Dr. Daniel C.W. Nkhuwa (University of
Zambia); Secretary - Dr. Imasiku A. Nyambe (University of Zambia); Treasurer - Dr. Fransis
Tembo (University of Zambia); and Members: Mr. T.S. Chisanga (Ministry of Health, Zambia);
Dr. Maxwell Mwase (University of Zambia); Mr. Edward Zulu (Environmental Council of
Zambia); Prof. R.Kapooria (University of Zambia); Dr.Theo Davies (Moi University, Kenya);
Dr Noma Ndiweni (University of Zimbabwe). The Organizing Committee elaborated and
disseminated the Course circular in Southern and Eastern African countries, arranged an
appropriate field excursion, prepared the field excursion guide, coordinated all logistics, and
selected and formed the Course participants group etc. J.Satkunas and T. Berger (the
Geoindicators Initiative) coordinated the Course program and arranged the team of lecturers,
assisted with the dissemination of the Course Circular via the Geoindicators website and other
means, and compiled the course materials.
The course was attended by 35 participants, including 23 from Zambia, Kenya, Zimbabwe,
Angola, and South Africa. The other 12 participants, including course lecturers, were from nonAfrican countries. Besides attendees, the original expressions of interest in attending registered
another other 47 persons who were not able to attend the course due to different reasons, mainly
financial.
The Geoindicators Short Course took place in the School of Mines of the University of Zambia
in Lusaka. After the official opening in the Lecture Theatre, a 2 days course program was
performed.
The Introduction was given by Dr. Jonas Satkunas (Lithuania), and entitled The Geoindicators
Network – a COGEOENVIRONMENT initiative. This was followed by the following seven
presentations (of 45 minutes each) on geoindicators:
Shoreline position
by Dr. J. Ridgway (UK)
Soil quality
by Mr. C. Simpson (Australia)
Groundwater chemistry, level, quality
by Dr. I. A. Nyambe (Zambia)
Dune formation and migration
by Dr.T.C. Davies (Kenya)
Karst activity
by Dr. J.Satkunas (Lithuania)
Sediment sequence and composition
by Dr. J. Ridgway (UK)
Landslides, coastal dynamics, floods
by Dr. M. Graniczny (Poland)
All lectures were structured in a way to demonstrate the practical significance of observed
geological phenomena and how they influenced the state of environment, the methods of
investigation, and the interpretation of results. All lectures were illustrated by examples of case
studies from different parts of the world.
Two short presentations were given at the end of the formal lectures session. Julius Mwabu from
the Department of Mines and Geology, Nairobi, discussed the use of remotely sensed data and
GIS as decision-support tools in slope failure risk reduction. He pointed out that in Kenya there
are no systematic investigations of slope stability – a phenomena which causes serious damage.
Alfred Kabinda (University of Zambia) presented his results of investigations of slope failures in
open cast mines, demostrating techniques and data processing for evaluation of failure potential..
The presentation “Indicator use in the State of Environment Reporting process” by N.
Sipilanyambe (Environmental Council of Zambia) was not presented due to the absence of the
author, however an extended abstract of this presentation is included in the Course Abstracts
volume.
An Abstracts volume (62 pages) of the lectures presented in the course was in prepared in both
hard copy printed form, and on CD. These Abstracts were distributed not only to all participants
in the Geoindicators course, but also to the attendees of the Geomedicine Conference which
followed immediately after the Geoindicators course, and in which COGEOENVIRONMENT
was also one of the sponsors.
After the formal lecture the attendees were arranged into three working groups representing
attendees from Eastern and Southern Africa countries to discuss the geoindicators of the most
important geological processess that affect environmental conditions and state of art of
monitoring in their country. The results of these discussions on evaluating geoindicators in
Eastern and Southern Africa countries, and for comparison also in Japan (prepared by the
Japanese delegates) - are presented in the Table 1. Based on the information provided by the
participants in the working groups, this overview table shows that at present there is no
monitoring, or only just partial monitoring, of most geoindicators. All participants of working
groups stressed that much greater attention to monitoring of geoindicators is required, especially
of ground and surficial water quality, soil quality, soil erosion, and slope failure. It must be
noted that these data are preliminary and should be updated via discussions with relevant
national organisations such as geological surveys, or the appropriate ministries that not present
during discussions.
TABLE 1 - APPROXIMATE STATE OF GEOINDICATOR MONITORING IN
SOUTHERN AND EASTERN AFRICA, AND JAPAN
COUNTRY Zambia Zimbabwe
GEOINDICATOR
Kenya
Angola
South Africa
Japan
0
1
1
2
2
Dune movement
0
0*
Dust storms
0
0*
Soil water chemistry
1
1*
1*
1*
1*
1*
Groundwater level
1
1*
1*
1*
2
2*
Groundwater quality
1*
1*
0*
1*
2
1*
Karst activity
0*
0
0
0
1*
1*
Lake levels & salinity
1*
2
2
0*
1
2
1
1*
2
2
1*
1
Relative sea level
Sediment sequence
0
1*
0*
Seismicity
2
2
2
Shoreline position
1*
Slope failure
1*
Soil and/or sediment erosion
2
2
1
0*
2
2
0*
0*
0*
1
1*
0*
1*
1
0*
1
?
Soil quality
1*
1*
1*
1*
1*
1
Stream flow
1
1*
2
1*
2
2
Channel morphology
1
0*
0*
0*
1
?
Stream sediments storage
1*
0
0*
1
1
Subsurface temperature
1*
1
Surface displacement
0*
1
2
Surface water quality
1*
1**
1*
Coral bleaching
1
2
0
1
2*
1**
1
2
1
1
2
Radon gas emission
0*
0*
1
?
2
0*
Wetlands extention
1*
2
1*
0*
2
1
Legend: Blank - not applicable. 0 - No monitoring at present. 1 - Partial monitoring. 2 –
Permanent monitoring or good data available. ? – situation not known. Asterisks suggest where
greater attention is required - in increasing order of priority i.e. * (low), ** (medium), ***
(high).
During the concluding discussion (Chaired by Colin Simpson and Jonas Satkunas) there was
general agreement that such an overview (as presented in Table 1) is usefull and important to
direct attention to those geoindicators requiring more monitoring, and also increased integration
into comprehensive environmental monitoring and reporting, strengthening international
cooperation, etc. From the discussions involved in the workshop it is apparent that in Eastern
and Southern Africa countries in general the geoindicators approach, as a tool for understanding
natural changes in landscapes and the geological environment, must be introduced much more
widely amongst environmental authorities, practioners, and scientists.
It was proposed to organise a regional network of geoscientists and environmentalists in
Southern and Eastern Africa countries to further disseminate understanding of the geoindicators
approach (especially as demonstrated by case studies), and to facilitate cooperation and fund
raising for monitoring of geological processess. This network could operate via internet to
inform interested institutions, geo- and environmental scientists about existing problems, and
ongoing and planned activities related to geoindicators. An appropriate website of such a
regional Geoindicators Network could be installed at the University of Zambia. Dr.Imasiku
Nyambe (University of Zambia, the Vice Chairman of COGEOENVIRONMENT) and Dr. Theo
Davies (Moi University, and an Officer of COGEOENVIRONMENT) offered to take
responsibility to coordinate the preparation and maintenance of the website of the Geoindicators
Network for Southern and Eastern Afica. This website should provide links with all other related
organizations. In order to establish the Geoindicators Network for Southern and Eastern Afica
all participants of this Geoindicators Course, and other potentially interested scientists, should be
contacted and invited to participate.
Geoindicators of environmental change in the vicinity of Lusaka
A one day field trip for participants of the Geoindicators Course was conducted in and around
the city of Lusaka and was guided by I. Nyambe, D. Nkhuwa and S.Nkemba from the University
of Zambia. All participants of the course were introduced to aspects of the geology,
hydrogeology, and environmental problems, of Lusaka and its surrounding region. The Lusaka
area comprises Pre-Cambrian rocks of the Katanga Supergroup (comprising: limestone,
dolomite, schist, quartzite), laying on the Basement Complex consisting of crystalline rocks
(including gneiss, quartzite, and amphibolite). Rocks of the Katanga Supergroup are overlain by
unconsolidated Quaternary sediments. Hydrogeologically the most important unit is the Lusaka
Dolomite, an 18 m thick aquifer which is the main groundwater resource for the Lusaka city
water supply. Groundwater circulation is determined by karstic features in the dolomite and the
presence of less permeable schists surrounding the carbonate rocks. Erosion and solution cavities
in the dolomite are usually connected by fracture systems. During the field trip the Libala waste
disposal site, located south of Lusaka, was visited. This large dump site is underlain by white
karstic crystalline dolomitic marble which occurs in the vicinity of the Lusaka water works
plant, and in the recharge zone of the Lusaka Dolomite aquifer. The dump site is presumed to be
causing contamination of groundwater within the dolomite and as a result the dumping of any
waste material in the dump site has recently been stopped, however the source of the
groundwater contamination still remaining in the pre-existing dump. The site visited clearly
demonstrated how geoindicators of karst activity, combined with indicators of the groundwater
dynamics and quality, could directly influence the environmental status of the area.
The field excursion then visited three suburbs of Lusaka where examples were seen
demonstrating how the extraction and sale, by local people, of construction material such as
marble, and loose material from karstic sinkholes, create surface pits which are then used
(without any regulatory control) as local rubbish dump sites and latrines. Again this poses a
major threat to the environment and to human health as the local groundwater level is high
(normally 1-2 metres below the ground surface) and during periods of high rainfall these pits fill
up and subsequently recharge polluted water into the aquifer through the karstic fracture system.
This aquifer is the only available water supply for most of the population and is exploited via
drilled boreholes and dug wells.
Photo. Karstic sinkholes, create surface pits which are then used as local rubbish dump sites.
Environmentaly vulnerable karstic system is the main sourse for drinking water supply in
Lusaka and its vicinities.
The excursion then visited sites of unplanned housing settlements on the outskirts of Lusaka.
These settlements invade all environments including wetlands, where the groundwater level
during the dry season is only 20-30 cm below surface. During the rainy season these areas
become flooded and pollute drinking water sources, disperse pollutants, complicate
communications, damage contructions, and create suitable conditions for the spread of malaria.
Thus, neglect of information on the groundwater levels, which could be provided by
geoindicators monitoring, causes serious environmental, health, and technical, problems.
Outcomes of the Geoindicators Course
The Geoindicators Course in Lusaka resulted in the increased dissemination of the geoindicators
concept and methods, together with discussion resulting in a general overview on the state of
monitoring of geoindicators in Southern and Eastern African countries. It is interesting to note
that the course was attended by 9 non-geoscientists, who deal with with different environmental
problems to the geoscientists. These participants followed the course with interest and
participated equally in discussions. The course was an excellent forum for the promotion of a
better understanding of the participants, their expertise, their experiences and the environmental
problems they have to deal with, and the ocverall capability of their sponsoring organisations. It
also proved to be an excellent forum for the forging of caontacts and linkages between the
scientists attending.
It is necessary to note, that the Medical Geology Conference which followed the Geoindicators
Course had some direct relationships to geoindicators. During the Medical Geology Conference
information presented during lectures, discussions, and case studies convicingly demonstrated
how some geoindicators (such as: natural quality of soil, quality of ground and surficial waters,
as well as specific natural elemental components (Hg, As, Pb etc) determine overall
environmental quality and thus impact sirectly on human, animal, and ecosystem health. The
Medical geology conference contributed to the overall understanding of the significance of
geoindicators, and demonstrated the types of necessity observations of natural geological
phenomena that are required to allow an appropriate understanding of the potential impacts of
the environment on health.
The course produced a sound core of capability on which a strong network of scientists and
practioners can be developed in the Southern and Eastern African region to advise on the
necessary appropriate observations of geological phenomena needed as an integrated part of
environmental monitoring and assessment.
For more information about GEOINDICATORS see
http://www.gcrio.org/geo/title.html
Http://www.lgt.lt/geoin/
Acknowledgements
The Geoindicators Initiative of COGEOENVIRONMENT expresses cordial thanks to the
following
all lecturers and participants, and their organisations that allowed them to take part.
The Geological Society of America which provided significant financial support that allowed
most of Southern and Eastern African scientists to participate.
The British Geological Survey and Polish Geological Institute which contributed respectively to
financing travel and accomodation of the invited lecturers Dr John Ridgway and Dr Marek
Graniczny.
All members of the Organising Committee and in particular Dr. Daniel C.W. Nkhuwa
(Chairman), Dr. Imasiku A. Nyambe (Secretary), Dr. Fransis Tembo (Treasurer, Dean of School
of Mines, University of Zambia) for undertaking a very significant amount of work to create the
excellent working conditions provided by the Course venus. These scientists also made
significant contributions to understanding the geological and environmetal setting of Lusaka and
Zambia in general.
Peter Bobrowsky (Vice President of the IUGS), and Colin Simpson (Chairman of
COGEOENVIRONMENT) enthusiatically supported the course and took an active role in
formulating its aims and structure.