Cool word of the day: lithophilic.

Combining the Greek lithos and philos, this term for “stone loving” is remarkably useful (e.g., Scrabble, first dates, last dates), particularly for describing organisms that live on the surface of rocks. Now, I get that rocks, with their limited soil and famously un-pillowy disposition, might not seem like choice habitat. And, yes, the vertical faces of cliffs, sunbaked and wind whipped as they are, can appear especially uninviting.

Cliff surfaces, however, can contain incredibly dynamic ecosystems. Here, clinging to craggy ledges and overhangs, lichens, mosses, and cliff-adapted plants are living large (well … mostly small), having evolved extraordinary mechanisms for surviving in thin soils and harsh microclimates. These towering, vertical landscapes function as refuges for rare species and also as model systems for understanding disturbance, diversity, and resilience in a changing world.

The November salon will be a literal cliffhanger! Join lichenologist and cliff ecologist Dr. Laura Boggess to explore the elusive ecosystems that cling to rock faces. Dr. Boggess’ work focuses on lichen and other often overlooked organisms that dwell on stoney precipices that most rational beings would try to avoid. Laura is a professor at Mars Hill University, where her research integrates ecosystem science and conservation to unlock the mysteries of ecologically essential symbionts and what they can teach us about resilience, adaptation, and life on the rocks.