What is Difference Between Flora and Fauna?
The main difference between the flora and the background is that the flora refers to the plant life of a given region or period, while the fauna represents the wildlife of a specific region or period.
Earth is the only planet in the entire universe, which can sustain life. In fact, it is a home for millions of life forms. The variety of plants and wildlife, in the world, is known as biodiversity. Wherever we go, we find a different variety of plants, flowers, birds, insects, animals, and other microorganisms.
You may have noticed that there are some plants and animals that are found only in the particular region, that is, they cannot be seen in other areas of the earth. These plants and animals are known as flora and fauna of that area. This article can help you understand the concept of flora and fauna.
Comparative chart
| Basis for comparison | Flora | Wildlife |
|---|---|---|
| Sense | The flora is used to refer to the collection of plant species in a particular geographic region or habitat. | The fauna connotes the animal kingdom that can be found in a particular geographical location. |
| Food | They make their own food. | They depend on the flora for their food. |
| Mobility | They cannot move. | They can move from one place to another. |
| I study in | Botany | Zoology |
Definition of flora
Flora is a Latin term, which implies the collection of native plants in an ecosystem, which grows in a geographical area or in a given period. It is a botanical term that means a varied range of plant life that is found in a particular place or time of the year. It can be classified according to region, period, weather, etc. However, the classification of flora is based mainly on the environment in which its presence is natural.
- Native flora: Plants that belong to a particular region or location are known as native flora.
- Agricultural flora: these are cultivated on purpose by humans, that is, to meet their needs.
- Horticultural flora: also known as garden flora, is planted by humans for decorative purposes.
- Weed Flora: These are unwanted plants that grow along with the main plants.
Definition of Fauna
The term “fauna” is a Greek origin that bears the name of a Roman goddess. It implies the group of animals that live in a particular geographical region, habitat or in a certain period of time. In short, it denotes the animal kingdom found in an area. It has been classified in the following categories:
- Cryofauna: animals found in cold places.
- Cryptofauna: covers those organisms that are protected in hidden microhabitats.
- Infauna: organisms found in the lower part of a body of water, mainly ocean sediments.
- Epifauna: aquatic animals found at the bottom of a body of water.
- Megafauna: large animals found in a particular area or period.
- Microfauna: those organisms that are very small in size, fall into this category.
Key differences between flora and fauna
The difference between flora and fauna can be clearly drawn on the following grounds:
- The flora can be defined as the plant life of a specific geographical location, or in a given period. On the other hand, wildlife denotes wildlife, including birds and microorganisms found in a particular region or period.
- The flora makes its own food, through the process of photosynthesis. Conversely, wildlife cannot make their own food, and they depend on plants for food, such as herbivores and omnivorous animals.
- When it comes to mobility, the flora is still, while wildlife can easily move from one place to another.
- The study of flora is carried out in botany. On the contrary, we study wildlife in zoology.
conclusion
Flora, along with fauna and other life forms, is called biota as a whole. The diversity in the flora and fauna of the kingdom is due to land, soil, temperature, photoperiod (sunlight), precipitation, ecosystem and type of vegetation. The flora and fauna of a region help maintain ecological balance and also expand local economies.
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