A karst-adaptable plant is a plant that can adapt to typical karst environments such as karst drought, high concentration of calcium and bicarbonate. Karst-adaptable plants can regulate water, carbon and nutrient cycles, hence increasing the stability of ecosystem.

Exploitation and utilization on karst-adaptable plants resources can accelerate vegetation restoration in karst desertification areas, improve forest resources management, beautify karst landscape, and contribute to sustainable development.

However, what kinds of plants can adapt to the specific karst environment? A research team led by Prof. WU Yanyou from the Institute of Geochemistry of the Chinese academy of Sciences (IGCAS), figured out the answer based on their systematic research and exploration over the past 20 years.

Recently, the monograph, Principle and Technology of Determination on Plants' Adaptation to Karst Environment, which summarizes relevant scientific research achievements of WU's team, is published by Science Press in China.

The book covers many disciplines including botany, plant ecophysiology, geochemistry, geography, molecular biology, and environmental science. It demonstrates the adaptive mechanisms of karst-adaptable plants by analyzing the karst soil characteristics, plant morphological characteristics, physiological and biochemical pathway complexity of the plant, and diversity in ecological adaptability.

Based on the principle of determination on the plants' adaptation to karst environment, WU's team has developed a series of key measurement technologies. The book can provide guidance on the vegetation selection for the treatment and restoration in the fragile karst environment.

The monograph is supported by the Chinese National Fund for Academic Publication in Science and Technology, the Ministry of Science and Technology, the National Natural Science Foundation of China, the Chinese Academy of Sciences, the department of science and technology in Guizhou province.

The monograph, Principle and Technology of Determination on Plants' Adaptation to Karst Environment is published. (Image by IGCAS)