xerarch
/ˈzɪrɑrk/
adjective
- Relating to or denoting a type of ecological succession that begins in a very dry environment, such as a desert or bare rock.
- The ecologist studied xerarch plant communities in the arid region.
- Over centuries, xerarch processes can turn barren desert into grassland.
- Xerarch succession often starts with lichens and mosses on dry rock surfaces.