trogloflora
Trogloflora is a term used to describe plant life that inhabits cave environments. It encompasses phototrophic organisms that can tolerate some light as well as detrital or cryptic flora that persist on nutrients derived from outside the cave. In practice, trogloflora is most commonly found in the outer zones of caves—the entrance zone, twilight areas, and skylights—where any light that penetrates supports photosynthesis. Common groups in these zones include algae, mosses, liverworts, and some ferns that colonize moist rock surfaces, ledges, and dripping water. Deeper, permanently dark zones typically host little or no photosynthetic plant life; in these areas, surviving plant-like life depends on detritus from the exterior, such as leaf litter and bat guano, and on interactions with cave-dwelling microbes.
Adaptations among trogloflora reflect the cave’s stable but resource-limited conditions. Light tolerance and efficient use of
Ecologically, trogloflora contributes to cave food webs by providing primary production or detrital inputs that support