“喀斯特”(Karst)原是南斯拉夫西北部伊斯特拉半岛上的石灰岩高原的地名,意思是岩石裸露的地方,那里有发育典型的岩溶地貌。“喀斯特”一词即为岩溶地貌的代称。中国是世界上对喀斯特地貌现象记述和研究最早的国家,早在晋代即有记载,尤以明代徐宏祖所著的《徐霞客游记》记述最为详尽。中国是世界上喀斯特地貌分布面积最大的国家,喀斯特地貌约占国土总 “Karst ” was originally a place name for the limestone plateau on the Istrian Peninsula in northwestern Yugoslavia, meaning bare rock where typical karst formations develop. “Karst ” is synonymous with karst landform. As the earliest recorded and researched karst phenomenon in the world, China recorded as early as the Jin Dynasty. The most detailed account of the “Travel of Xu Xiake” by Xu Hongzu in the Ming Dynasty was described in detail. China is the largest country in the world in terms of the distribution of karst topography. Karst topography accounts for the total land