Some soil features of karst ecosystem

The soil resources in karst ecosystem are the consequences of interaction among carbonate rocks, atmosphere, water and biosphere, so the soil profile and spatial distribution are controlled by the evolution stage of physiognomy and karst double space structure, and the rate of soil formation overlying carbonate rocks is very slow. The soils in karst ecosystem move back into fissure and low-lying parts gradually by the differential erosion and soil loss of carbonate rocks, and form into soil resource patches and nutrient banks, reservoir and seed banks in karst landscape. These small scale soil patches and habitat heterogeneity formed naturally are very important to keep the health status of karst landscape. Further studies should emphasize the dynamic features of soils and mutual feedback relation with other ecological elements in karst ecosystem from the evolvement processes of epikarst ecosystem.