3 - Climatic hotspots in the Alpine
 

Thin layers of substrate on rocks dry out rapidly and heat may reach the critical 52-56 °C range even in specialist plants. Such microhabitats are commonly occupied by mosses, lichens and algae (which are desiccation tolerant), succulents (which can store water) and a few specialists with either thin, vertical leaves (which are aerodynamically well coupled to the atmosphere) or leaves of high reflectance, which prevent overheating. All these life forms are shown on this photograph with the succulent Sedum alpestre in the centre.

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