What is flora and fauna

Flora is a word that comes from Latin, more specifically from its mythology, since Flora was the Roman deity for flowers, spring and gardens. However, today, we talk about flora To refer to all flowers, plants, shrubs, trees and even fungi or bacteria of a specific region in a specific temporal period. The word fauna, meanwhile, also has its origin in the Roman world, since in its mythology, fauna was the sister of the spirit that inhabited the forests, faun. The fauna is the set of animals that inhabit a concrete region in a specific temporal period. Thus, flora and fauna refers to all animals, plants, trees, shrubs, in short, to the animal and plant world of a specific area for a specific time.

Flora and fauna includes the species and genera of animals and plants that inhabit an area, their connections and the connections with the rest of the environment. However, they are not only delimited by geographical areas, but can be extended to lower or higher habitats. For example, we can talk about the flora and fauna of a concrete beach, the flora and fauna of the Caribbean Sea and the aquatic flora and fauna, different levels of habitats that include or exclude some species depending on the level we are studying.

There are many reasons why both environmentalists and biologists are interested in the study of flora and fauna, on the one hand it serves to deepen our knowledge about ecosystems, as well as the relationships established between its members. On the other hand, they are vital to improve in the conservation and protection of biodiversity and natural spaces.

We have already explained that Flora is the Roman goddess of spring, flowers and gardens, but what does flora mean today? At the botany level, the Meaning of flora They are all plants, trees, shrubs and other vegetables that we find in a concrete geographical area, be it a mountain, a mountain range, a region, a peninsula or an entire continent.

Just as fauna, there are many levels of study regarding flora, we can talk about the flora of a specific forest or an entire country. In addition, we can also talk about flora in a different geological period. Be that as it is, it refers to how plant species are distributed, the relationship between it, the changes that occur with the weather or the fauna with which they live.

There are different scientific branches that deal with the study of flora, but highlights the Geobotanywhich studies how plant species are geographically distributed. From their studies we know that plants and plant species are grouped into floors depending on the temporal period, regions, climate and the concrete environment. In addition, the flora can be distinguished in following types:

• Native Flora: They are all those plants, trees, shrubs, flowers or fungi that arise naturally in a specific place.
• Agricultural flower: All those species that have been cultivated by the human being, either at the agricultural level as at the ornamental or garden level.

The traditional classification also included another subgroup, the Weed or Arvense Flora. Here the plants considered undesirable and that should be eradicated. Today, this classification has been somewhat outdated since, on the one hand, many of these plants that were previously considered weed today are considered necessary for the ecosystem. In addition, they are not a homogeneous group, since among the weed we find so much native weeds, invasive species and native species reintroduced.

The fauna It is the Set of animals that live in a concrete geographical area, which inhabit or inhabit in a specific period or that are part of a certain ecosystem. The science that studies the geographical distribution of animals (fauna) is Zoogeography And, within this field, it is studied as factors such as water, temperature or fauna contribute to the distribution of animals, since they have a great sensitivity to changes in their habitat.

Although we talk about fauna in a generic way, it is actually a group that we can divide into different subgroups. Here are the different Types of fauna Depending on the origin of the species that inhabit that area, as well as depending on its nature:

Wild or wild fauna

We talk about wildlife referring to all those animals that live in a specific place naturally, that is, in freedom of movement, They are not domesticated or man raised by man. Even so, within the wildlife (or wild) can also be distinguished between those animals that belong to the ecosystem itself or those that have come from outside, either naturally or introduced by man:

• Native wildlife: It is the native fauna, which belongs naturally to the environment in which they live.
• Aloctone wildlife: Also known as foreign or exotic, it is all that fauna that lives wild but are in a medium that does not correspond to them. Mostly it has been introduced by man, either voluntarily or unintentionally.

Domestic fauna

Unlike wild fauna, domestic or domesticated fauna are all those animals that have been domesticated by manwhether free or locked, but whose capacities and bodies are exploited by the human being to give work, company, skin, eggs, meat or wool. Examples of domestic fauna are dogs, cats, chickens, pigs, goats or horses.

We recommend you learn more about the characteristics of wild and domestic animals with this other post.

Now that we have clarified what the flora and fauna is, we can go into more details when commenting on a bit What are endemic, native and invasive flora and fauna:

• Endemic flora and fauna: They are the species that evolve, develop and also live throughout their life cycle in a specific site and do not go to other areas, so they are normally found in a single region or country, they are alone and exclusively in a given territory. Endemic species are, at the same time, native or native species. Here you can discover more about endemic species: definition and examples.
• Native or native fauna and fauna: They are living beings that have their natural origin in a certain territory, but they do not have to be endemic, that is, they do not have to be exclusive to an area. In this other post you can learn more about what a native or native species is.
• Invasive Flora and Fauna: The invasive species of animals and plants are species that have arrived in some way, normally introduced by humans, to another region that is not their own and there they prosper so much that they end up affecting native and endemic species, even moving them to other regions or taking them to extinction by not leaving enough territory, access to food, etc. Here we show you what invasive plants are with examples of species and invasive species: what are, examples and consequences.

Finally, if you want to know better The flora and fauna different countries and regions of the worlddare to read these other articles of Ecology Verde.

• Venezuela’s flora and fauna.
• Flora and fauna of the peaceful region.
• Flora and fauna of Mexico.
• Colombia’s flora and fauna.
• Guatemala Flora and Fauna.
• Brazilian flora and fauna.
• Flora and fauna of the Galapagos Islands.
• Flora and fauna of the Falkland Islands.
• Flora and fauna of the Andean region.

Besides, below you can see a Flora and Fauna Image Gallery.

If you want to read more articles similar to What is flora and faunawe recommend that you enter our category of ecosystems.