Cliff and bank habitats are very steep to vertical faces of bedrock outcroppings and occur inland, as well as along the coast. Originating from various geological and erosional processes this habitat is probably one of the most severe types of bare area to be colonized by plants and animals.

The most successful plants in cliff habitats are lichens and mosses, certain ferns, and some of the rarer Arctic-Alpine plants. The most conspicuous animals on sea cliffs are seabirds. This is an important habitat for nesting gulls, alcids and cormorants.

This Document Includes:

Formation
Physical Aspects
Ecosystem
Successional Sequence
Plants
Animals
Special Features
Distribution In Nova Scotia

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Additional Keywords:
hydric, xeric, lichens, mosses, liverworts, ferns, Fir Clubmoss, Hair-grass, Harebell, Collembola, bagworm moths, beetles, Deroceras laeve, gulls, alcids, cormorants, Bank Swallows, bryophytes, kingfishers

Associated Topics:

T2 Geology
T4.2 Post-glacial Colonization by Plants
T7.3 Coastal Landforms
T8.1 Freshwater hydrology
T8.2 Freshwater Environments
T8.3 Freshwater Wetlands
T10.7 Pteridophytes (Ferns and their Allies)
T10.8 Bryophytes (Mosses, Liverworts and Hornworts)
T10.11 Lichens
T10.12 Rare and Endangered Plants
T11.7 Seabirds and Other Birds of Coastal Wetlands
T12.3 Geology and Resources

Associated Habitats:

H1.1 Open Water
H3.1 Open-water Lotic (Rivers and Streams)
H3.5 Water's Edge Lotic (Rivers and Streams)
H3.6 Water's Edge Lentic (Lakes and Ponds)
H5.4 Talus Slope
H5.5 Cave