Karst Plants Diversity, Evolution, Taxonomy and Conservation

Karsts are distinctive landforms that comprise ca 10% of our planet's land surface which date back to the Cambrian and Quaternary. Karst areas are of great socioeconomic importance, as they supply water to up to 25% of the world’s population, are the main source of cement for concrete, are associated with rural poverty and represent landscapes of cultural and touristic importance. Karst landscapes are also renowned for their biodiversity and have long been regarded as an important “natural laboratory” for ecological and evolutionary studies. High concentrations of Ca, Mg and K, the absence of surface water and very slow rates of soil formation pose several challenges for colonizing plants and may have led in some places to the development of a specialized flora, often derived through rapid diversifications. Karst vegetation is vulnerable to the growing worldwide demand for cement, rocky desertification caused by deforestation, and changes in precipitation and temperature and karst has been identified as a conservation issue of global importance. In Southeast Asia, karst and their associated caves may serve as refugia for a flora previously associated with the forest understory and represent valuable sources of germplasm for the restoration of karst forests.

This Research Topic aims to bring together research from different disciplines that pertain to the diversity of plants on karst, adaptations that have facilitated the colonization of this challenging environment, the impact of colonizing karst on their evolution, and the conservation and restoration of karst landscapes, and or, their species. We particularly encourage the exploration of the mechanisms that support the colonization of karst to provide in-depth understanding of floristic and species diversity and highlight commonalities and idiosyncrasies of Karst region floras.

We welcome submissions of all article types accepted in Frontiers in Plant Science on the following sub-themes but are not limited to:
• The evolutionary history of karst plants.
• The systematics of karst plants.
• The genetics, physiology, and ecology of plant populations in karst environments.
• The impact of geology and climate on karst floras.
• Comparative floristic analysis across multiple karst regions
• The conservation biology of karst-endemic species.
• The impact of Climate Change on karst landscapes and or their species.
Please note that descriptive studies will not be considered for review unless they address a clear evolutionary hypothesis in a broader context or provide novel insights into Karst Plants Diversity, Evolution, Taxonomy and Conservation.