Characteris
-tics |
Annual
mean precipitation (mm) |
Annual
mean temperature (° C) |
Karst
feature |
Biotic
feature |
Main environment
problems |
Distribution |
| Name of types |
| Humid Tropical Jungle Karst |
>100 |
>22 |
Tower karst, Polygonal doline,
Large cave system |
Tropical jungle, percentage of
forest cover 80%, Nutrient soil, underground biotic community |
Deforestation, problems from
mining, water pollution |
Southern part of
Guangxi, Yunnan,
SE Asia,
Central America |
| Humid Subtropical Stony Karst |
>1000 |
16-20 |
Tower karst, Hill-doline, Large
cave system |
Subtropical forest, percentage
of forest cover about 10%, bare rock , underground biotic community |
Deforestation, soil erosion,
drought, flood, surface collapse, soil crack, water pollution, and damage on scenic
attraction |
Karst of Guangxi,Guizhou,
Yunnan,
Hunan, Hubei,Sichuan in China, Mediterranean Area of France, Yugoslavia |
| Arid, Semi-arid Karst |
<500 |
11-20 |
Normal shape Mts. Hills, Dry
valley. caves are rare, except under snow Mts. |
Scattered grass Vegetation,
mostly arid plant, forest cover less than10% |
Plantation, water resource,
water quality and engineering problems of evaporate |
Shanxi, Hebei,Shandong,
Henan in China, Nullarbor of Australia. Middle East, North Africa |
| Humid Temperate Karst |
>800 |
0-15 |
Normal shape Mts. Hills,
Shallow dolines, Large cave system |
Mainly grass pasture
ecological environment,but forest environment is also available |
Plantation, water pollution,
surface collapse |
Liaoning, Heilongjiang karst
in China. Ky in USA. Akiyoshida in Japan.Yorkshire in UK |
| Arctic and Alpine Karst |
Variable |
0-10
(alpine)
<0
(arctic) |
Tufa dam, Large cave system
under ice sheet |
Vertical zonation of
vegetation in alpine, permaforest vegetation in arctic |
Permaforest, protection of
scenic attraction, e, g tufa dam |
Tibet, Yunnan, Sichuan alpine
karst in China. Canadian. Rockies. Greenland Spitsbergen |