Plant diversity, habitat properties, and their relationships in karst caves remain poorly understood. We surveyed vascular plant and bryophyte diversities and measured the habitat characteristics in six karst caves in south China with different disturbance histories (one had been disturbed by poultry feeding, three had been disturbed by tourism, and two were undisturbed). The plant diversity differences among the six caves were analyzed using cluster analysis, and the relationships of plant diversity and microhabitat were assessed using canonical correspondence analysis. We found a total of 43 angiosperm species from 27 families, 20 lycophyte and fern species from 9 families, and 20 species of bryophytes from 13 families in the six caves. Habitat characteristics including light intensity, air relative humidity, air temperature, and soil properties varied among the caves. The plant diversity in karst caves was not rich, but the species composition was unique. The caves with high disturbance had the lowest species richness, numbers of individuals, and Shannon-Wiener diversity indices but the highest Simpson’s dominance indices. The caves with less disturbance had the highest numbers of species, numbers of individuals, and Shannon-Wiener diversity indices but the lowest Simpson’s dominance indices. The disturbed caves were often dominated by drought-tolerant, tenacious mosses (bryophytes), while the relatively undisturbed caves contained abundant liverworts (bryophytes), which were better adapted to humid environments. Plant diversity in karst caves was closely related to habitat heterogeneity, light and water status, and nutrient availability. Tourism and poultry farming were associated with the degradation of vegetation in some karst caves. Protecting and restoring bryophytes might facilitate the settlement, growth, and succession of vascular plants in karst caves. Bryophytes can be used as indicators of overall plant diversity and restoration status in karst caves.

喀斯特洞穴中的植物多样性，生境特性及其关系仍然知之甚少。我们调查了华南地区6个岩溶洞穴中维管植物和苔藓植物的多样性，并测量了它们的生境特征，这些岩溶洞穴具有不同的干扰历史（一个受到家禽饲养的干扰，三个受到旅游业的干扰，两个没有受到干扰）。利用聚类分析法分析了六个洞穴之间的植物多样性差异，并通过典范对应分析评估了植物多样性与微生境的关系。我们在六个洞穴中发现了来自27个科的43种被子植物，来自9个科的20种苔藓植物和蕨类植物以及来自13个科的20种苔藓植物。生境特征包括光强度，空气相对湿度，空气温度，洞穴之间的土壤特性各不相同。喀斯特洞穴的植物多样性并不丰富，但物种组成却是独特的。具有高扰动的洞穴具有最低的物种丰富度，个体数量和香农-维纳多样性指数，但具有最高的辛普森优势指数。受干扰较少的洞穴的物种数量，个体数量和香农-维纳多样性指数最高，而辛普森优势指数最低。受扰动的洞穴通常以耐旱的，坚韧的苔藓（苔藓植物）为主，而相对不受干扰的洞穴则含有丰富的苔类植物（苔藓植物），更适合潮湿环境。喀斯特洞穴的植物多样性与生境异质性，光和水的状况以及养分的可利用性密切相关。旅游业和家禽养殖业与某些喀斯特洞穴的植被退化有关。保护和恢复苔藓植物可能有助于岩溶洞穴中维管植物的沉降，生长和演替。苔藓植物可用作岩溶洞穴中植物总体多样性和恢复状态的指标。