Ecology and Diversity of Microbes in Karst Landscapes

Dear Colleagues,

Karst landscapes are a set of surface and subterranean geological structures of rock that are greatly shaped by water and dissolved CO₂. They cover about 1/5 of the terrestrial area on the Earth, comprising various typical landforms, including valleys, mountains, caves, tiankeng, and ground and underground rivers, due to the different climatic conditions. As a result of the local influences of climate, geographical isolation and habitat heterogeneity, karst landscapes harbor an outstanding diversity of specific plants, animals and microorganisms. Microorganisms are the most diverse form of life on karst landscapes, with important ecological functions, such as decomposition, pathogenicity, parasitism and autotrophy. They play key roles in the nutrient and element cycling in karst ecosystems, participate in geological and geomorphic formation in karst landscapes, and are important biological resources for agriculture and medicine. Therefore, in these habitats, identifying biodiversity and understanding ecology, as well as proposing conservation measures and strategies, are particularly important. In recent years, attention has been paid to the diversity and ecology of microorganisms in karst landscapes. For example, a number of new microbial species have been reported, and the microbial diversity and ecology features in some karst areas have been uncovered. However, considering the vastness of the karst areas and the secrets hidden there, more efforts should be made in the future.

For this issue, we invite researchers to contribute original research and review articles on the taxonomy, diversity, community and ecology of culturable and unculturable microorganisms in karst landscapes.

Dr. Qian Chen
Dr. Zhi-Feng Zhang
Guest Editors

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• karst landscapes
• microbial taxonomy
• microbial community
• microbiome
• microbial ecology
• ecological function