Biodiversity

Rock outcrop habitats have biodiversity adapted specially to the extreme habitat conditions. Seasonality has a major influence on the species. Several are restricted to specific microhabitats. Many function as terrestrial habitat islands that leads to speciation in all taxa.

There is no comprehensive estimate of number of plants or animals from the rock outcrops in India. However, regional floristic studies have documented more than 150 endemic species and several new species from outcrop sites. The numbers are influenced by regional richness and hence outcrops in Western Ghats have high endemism, and have been called "hot-speks" in a biodiversity hot-spot.