In addition to its geomorphologic interest, limestone pavement is also an important habitat.

The deeper grikes provide sheltered, moist conditions and are favoured by a range of plants more commonly associated with woodland. These include Herb-Robert, Hart's-tongue fern, Guelder-rose, Bloody Crane's-bill, Dog's Mercury and Maidenhair Spleenwort. Rarer species include Rigid Buckler-fern, Angular Solomon's-seal, Downy Currant, Baneberry, Dark-red Helleborine and Limestone Fern.

In Britain, limestone pavement is home to 16 rare or threatened plant species.  Rigid Buckler-fern is almost exclusively confined to limestone pavement. A significant proportion of Britain's Baneberry population is found on pavement in Yorkshire.

The Burren, in Ireland, is famed for its unique mixture of wild plants.  This is a natural consequence of climate change over the past 15,000 years.  Mountain Avens, for example, has survived in the Burren since the end of the last ice age - it is one of the so-called 'arctic-alpine' species.  The Maidenhair Fern, on the other hand, cannot tolerate frost and could not have survived in the Burren when it was icebound.  More than 7000 different flowering plants and ferns, ranging from tiny annuals to shrubs and trees, have been recorded in the Burren.  This represents about three-quarters of the Irish native flora.

Rare residents of pavement include a tiny Whorl snail found in mossy vegetation on low level pavement. A range of butterflies use the limestone flora associated with pavement. These include the threatened High Brown and Pearl-Bordered Fritillaries, and the Burren Green (a moth which is locally abundant in the Burren, but unknown elsewhere in Ireland or Britain). The wheatear and wren may also make their home in limestone pavement; the wren's scientific name of Troglodytes - a cave dweller - being consistent with it frequenting rocky recesses.