Lithoprotection is a term introduced in 2001 by Armenian biologist Tigran Tadevosyan as the name to the phenomenon where rock cover of a

habitat In ecology, habitat refers to the array of resources, biotic factors that are present in an area, such as to support the survival and reproduction of a particular species. A species' habitat can be seen as the physical manifestation of its ...

diversifies local

wildlife Wildlife refers to domestication, undomesticated animals and uncultivated plant species which can exist in their natural habitat, but has come to include all organisms that grow or live wilderness, wild in an area without being species, introdu ...

Etymology

The word "lithoprotection" originates from the Greek root "lithos", meaning "stone", and the Latin root "protectus", meaning "to cover".

Definition

Originally an existence of a lithoprotection had been proposed based on observations of increased plant and animal diversity in habitats with rock cover compared to habitats without rock cover in the same conditions of an

arid climate The desert climate or arid climate (in the Köppen climate classification ''BWh'' and ''BWk'') is a dry climate sub-type in which there is a severe excess of evaporation over precipitation. The typically bald, rocky, or sandy surfaces in desert ...

and steep slopes Safarian Kh. 1960. An effect of rock-cover on the soil erosion, soil humidity and growth and development of plants. Agricultural Science Newsletter, (Teghek. Gjugh. git.), 8, pp. 25-32.Tadevosyan T.L. 2001. Lythoprotection of the Biodiversity in Arid Regions of Armenia.V-th conference of young scientist in Pushino. Biology - science of the 21st century. Puschino, p. 298. (In Russian). (Safarian, 1960; Tadevosyan, 2001). To explain this phenomenon, the author compared the life forms of plants, and the body sizes and escape strategies of animals inhabiting habitats with and without rock cover Tadevosyan, T.L. (2001): Ex Situ conservation psammophilic species of the flora and plant communities of Ararat Valley. PhD thesis. Institute of Botany, Yerevan, Nation. Acad. Sci. Rep. Arm. (In Russian).(Tadevosyan, 2001 - 2002). His conclusion was that many groups of

vascular plants Vascular plants (), also called tracheophytes (, ) or collectively tracheophyta (; ), are plants that have lignified tissues (the xylem) for conducting water and minerals throughout the plant. They also have a specialized non-lignified tissue ( ...

, including trees, shrubs,

succulent In botany, succulent plants, also known as succulents, are plants with parts that are thickened, fleshy, and engorged, usually to retain water in arid climates or soil conditions. The word ''succulent'' comes from the Latin word ''sucus'', meani ...

fern The ferns (Polypodiopsida or Polypodiophyta) are a group of vascular plants (plants with xylem and phloem) that reproduce via spores and have neither seeds nor flowers. They differ from mosses by being vascular, i.e., having specialized tissue ...

s, and

moss Mosses are small, non-vascular plant, non-vascular flowerless plants in the taxonomic phylum, division Bryophyta (, ) ''sensu stricto''. Bryophyta (''sensu lato'', Wilhelm Philippe Schimper, Schimp. 1879) may also refer to the parent group bryo ...

species, linked to rocky substrates because they require higher than an area's average soil humidity, sometimes being shaded by a solid piece of rock, as well as strong attachment to the substrate. On the other hand, many relatively large animals (including larger

lizard Lizard is the common name used for all Squamata, squamate reptiles other than snakes (and to a lesser extent amphisbaenians), encompassing over 7,000 species, ranging across all continents except Antarctica, as well as most Island#Oceanic isla ...

snake Snakes are elongated limbless reptiles of the suborder Serpentes (). Cladistically squamates, snakes are ectothermic, amniote vertebrates covered in overlapping scales much like other members of the group. Many species of snakes have s ...

s, some mammals and many bird species) need habitats with a dense network of shelters created by crevices and spaces between rocks in order survive overheating and

predation Predation is a biological interaction in which one organism, the predator, kills and eats another organism, its prey. It is one of a family of common List of feeding behaviours, feeding behaviours that includes parasitism and micropredation ...

. Thus, due to its ability to prevent the evaporation of humidity from the soil, to catch the

seed In botany, a seed is a plant structure containing an embryo and stored nutrients in a protective coat called a ''testa''. More generally, the term "seed" means anything that can be Sowing, sown, which may include seed and husk or tuber. Seeds ...

s of plants, to hold trees and shrubs securely to the ground and to serve as a network of efficient shelters for many animals and shade-loving plants, rock cover lithoprotection is being considered as a protective element of a habitat biodiversity.

Conservation

Managing lithoprotection may be used as a measure of managing wildlife. Removal of a lithoprotection by cleaning an area of stone and rocks is a common practice in an urban landscape

development Development or developing may refer to: Arts *Development (music), the process by which thematic material is reshaped * Photographic development *Filmmaking, development phase, including finance and budgeting * Development hell, when a proje ...

. Because a lack of lithoprotection is equal to decreased biodiversity, this practice can be considered one of the core mechanisms of

biodiversity loss Biodiversity loss happens when plant or animal species disappear completely from Earth (extinction) or when there is a decrease or disappearance of species in a specific area. Biodiversity loss means that there is a reduction in Biodiversity, b ...

in urban landscapes. Adding lithoprotection in contrary typically attracts wildlife and helps diversify and maintain biodiversity of a landscape (Tadevosyan, 2001). Bright examples of artificial use of lithoprotection are attractive rockeries,

Japanese rock garden The or Japanese rock garden, often called a Zen garden, is a distinctive style of Japanese garden. It creates a miniature stylized landscape through carefully composed arrangements of rocks, water features, moss, pruned trees and bushes, and u ...

and other elements of a

garden design Garden design is the art and process of designing and creating plans for layout and planting of garden, gardens and landscapes. Garden design may be done by the garden owner themselves, or by professionals of varying levels of experience and expe ...

References

{{reflist Ecology