In recent years research in karst has increased in several ways: extended and new dating methods have resulted in recognition of old age landform elements and fostered the genetic approach in explaining landforms. This has been supported by soil and weathering analyses, which have given paleoclimatic insights, too. Intensified field investigation combined with mapping has allowed a better distinction of structural and climatic influences on paleoforms. Chemical water analyses and previous methods of investigation were continued and enlarged into correlation of karstification processes and water resource management. As one of the main controlling ecological factors soils were included in many karst studies. Thus karst research became closely linked to geoecological studies. Above all, karst studies demonstrate that geomorphology is also one of the deciding factors for geoecological processes. Developed for basis research these methods progress more and more to an intensive appliedgeomorphology. In this volume soil and water in relation to geomorphology are given special emphasis. Just as in the karst articles in the applied articles studies are represented from the temperate zone to the tropics. This volume contains methods which Karl?Heinz Pfeffer used and refined in his scientific works. Also the regional linkage of the contributions corresponds to his interests in the different climatic zones.