@article {282, title = { Inselberg vegetation and the biodiversity of granite outcrops}, journal = {Journal of the Royal Society of Western AustraliaJournal of the Royal Society of Western Australia}, volume = {80}, year = {1997}, pages = {193-199}, abstract = {Granite inselbergs occur as mostly dome-shaped rock outcrops in all climatic and vegetational zones of the tropics. Consisting of Precambrian rocks, they form ancient and stable landscape elements. Due to harsh edaphic and microclimatic conditions, the vegetation of inselbergs differs markedly from those of the surroundings. Well defined inselberg habitats (e.g. cryptogamic crusts, rock pools, monocotyledonous mats, ephemeral flush vegetation) can be distinguished based on physiognomy. Plant diversity of inselbergs is influenced by both deterministic processes and stochastic environmental disturbances. The latter promote higher species richness due to the prevention of competitive exclusion. Considerable regional differences in floristic composition, life forms and species diversity exist concerning both the vegetation of whole inselbergs as well as those of individual habitats.}, keywords = {inselbergs, Inselberge, granite outcrops, vegetation, flora, tropics}, author = {Porembski, Stefan and Seine, R. and Barthlott, Wilhelm} }