[Objective] To explore the variations of soil elements and their availabilities in different vegetation successional stages in karst region in order to provide a certain basis for the treatment of rocky desertification.[Methods] Method of investigation in different spatial sites instead of time-series sampling was used. Sites at five different vegetation stages as grass

grass-shrub

shrub

earlier arbor

arbor climax with the same geological backgrounds were investigated and sampled.[Results] The organic matter contents of five vegetation types in shallow soil are all higher than that in deep soil. The elements migration in the vertical direction showed that in shallow soil horizons are all higher than that in deep soil horizons at the early vegetation successional stage and indicate the opposite trend at the late stage. Meanwhile

the elements migration in the horizontal direction indicate the order of earlier arbor stage

climax arbor stage

grass-shrub stage

grass stage

and shrub stage. The soil organic matter showed wavy increase with the vegetation succession and reached the maximum value at climax arbor stage. The availabilities of Mn

Zn

Cu had positive correlations with soil organic matter. Therefore

the soil elements availabilities in shallow soil were higher than that in deep soil.[Conclusion] To deal with the rocky desertification

items of soil thickness

topography and soil element distribution characteristics should be concerned to select reasonable revegetation measures.