microhabitatsrock
Microhabitatsrock refers to small, lithic-based habitats that develop within and on rock substrates, supporting biological communities at fine spatial scales. The term is descriptive rather than formal taxonomy and is used to discuss lithic microhabitats such as endolithic spaces inside rocks, epilithic communities on rock surfaces, and hypolithic habitats beneath translucent crusts or over compact films of dust. These microhabitats occur in a wide range of rock types—from sandstone and granite to basalt—and under diverse climatic conditions.
Formation and characteristics: Lithic microhabitats arise through physical weathering (cracking, frost shattering), chemical weathering (dissolution, hydrolysis),
Biota: Lithic microhabitats host microorganisms such as bacteria, archaea, cyanobacteria, algae, and fungi, often forming biofilms
Significance and study: Lithic microhabitats are central to understanding life in extreme environments and the limits