The rocky scree

High-altitude débris fields, consisting of rocky fragments, are found near glaciers or in channels on slopes below rock faces. The steepness of slope and the harsh climatic conditions typical of the areas where scree forms, give rise to the formation of mountain plant habitats only in localized spots. These are characterized by poor soils, with very little humus, whose development is conditioned and limited by instable slopes, which slow down and most often prevent the formation of a climax community, that is the equilibrium state reached by a biological community through the process of ecological succession.
Rocky screes are mostly found at high altitudes, but they may also occur at lower levels where, however, better climatic conditions allow plant species to colonize these areas much more quickly.