於南台灣林業試驗所龜仔角試驗地的墾丁喀斯勒森林內設置10ha的植物社會永久樣區，長期監測該林分之動態變化。樣區長軸為400m，東－西走向；短軸為250m，南－北走向。永久樣區劃分為1000個10×10平方公尺小區，小區內紀錄胸徑≧1cm木本植物的位置、種類及胸徑。結果顯示，113種樹種中以柿樹科及大戟科佔最大優勢，其中黃心柿之相對密度高達50.3%、相對優勢度為23.2%，是全樣區最優勢之樹種；其它優勢種包括茄苳、鐵色、皮孫木、咬人狗、紅柴及台灣膠木等；排名前10位樹種之重要值總合計為74.7%，顯示樣區內樹種之優勢度集中於少數樹種。永久樣區可區分為四個生育地型植物社會，皮孫木型分布於凹陷谷地，茄苳－台灣膠木－柿葉茱萸型分布於隆起台地，鐵色－紅柴－樹青－月橘型分布於隆起岩塊，虫屎－血桐－土楠型分布於早期人為干擾盛行之平坦谷地，即生育地型植物社會之分布與微地貌間有明顯之相關性存在，不同生育地的受風強度、陽光入射量及土壤深度明顯不同。本區喀斯勒森林以柿樹科植物為最優勢的植物社會，然樹種多樣性並不高，其植物組成與台灣島其它地區明顯不同。
A 10-ha permanent plot (400×250 m) was set up in the Kenting Karst Forest for long-term monitoring the stand dynamics. The 10-ha permanent plot was divided into 1,000 l0×10 m subplots, in which tree species with a dbh of ≥1 cm were mapped and recorded. The families Ebenaceae and Euphorbiaceae dominated this area. Diospyros maritima was the dominant species with a relative density and dominance of 50.3 and 23.2%, respectively. Other dominant species were Bischofia javanica, Drypetes littoralis, Pisonia umbellifera, Laportea pterostigma, Aglaia formosana, and Palaquium Formosanum. The importance value of the 10 most dominant species was 74.4%, which suggests that only a few species dominate this karst forest. Four habitat types were derived according to the result of TWINSPAN analysis: the Pisonia umbellifera type at the bottom of the valley; the Bischofia javanica-Palaqulum formosanum-Gonocaryum calleryanum type on the flat hill; the Drypetes littoralis-Aglaia formosana-Pouteria obovata-Murraya paniculata type on the exposed limestone rocks; and the Macaranga tanarius-Melanolepis multiglandulosa-Cryptocarya concinna type in the basin, part of which used to be cultivated by Paiwan aborigines. The habitat type patterns seem to be correlated with the micro-landform patterns of the karst forest. Different micro-landforms experience significant diversity of wind intensity, light intensity, soil depth, and also tree species composition. This karst forest was low in tree species diversity, and was dominated by the family of Ebenaceae. Its tree species composition significantly differ from that of other forest type in Taiwan.
