PALEO INDEX

In the field of geopaleontology, assessing the scientific value and vulnerability of fossil sites involves various parameters that define the probability of discovery (pr), the site's interest (in), and its vulnerability (v).

These parameters enable the calculation of four distinct indices:

• Probability of discovery index (Pr),

• Interest of the site (In),

• Scientific value index (S*),

• Vulnerability index (V).

Generally, sites that provide direct evidence of fossil organisms, such as the Pietraroja deposit, are considered distinct from those where the presence of organisms is only indirectly attested, as is the case with fossil traces, like the Ciampate del Diavolo site.

Each type of site is characterized by parameters that cannot be used for the other type. For example, sites preserving skeletal remains are differentiated from those with fossil traces by specific parameters related to the probability of discovery and to the site's interest.