Spatial distribution patterns of rock fragments and their underlying mechanism of migration on steep hillslopes in a karst region of Yunnan Province, China.

In mountainous areas, rock fragments (RFs) are a common feature on the soil surface and in topsoil. Few studies, however, have investigated the spatial distribution of RFs and the relevant mechanisms underpinning their distribution on steep hillslopes, especially in karst regions. We have collected and measured the RF cover, size, and content at the soil surface and within the topsoil of secondary forest, man-made forest, and non-forest land hillslopes in a karst region in Yunnan Province, southwest China.