Difference Between Flora and Fauna (with Comparison Chart)

What is the Difference Between Flora and Fauna? (with pictures)

The term flora is often used to cover all plants, fungi, and algae in a given environment, while fauna refers to the animals that live there. The scientific definition of flora and fauna is the plants and animals that live in a particular area or time. The difference between them stems from whether plants or animals are being discussed.

In botany, or the study of plants, flora actually has two distinct definitions. First, it can mean the plants of a given environment or period of time, as listed above, or it can refer to a book or such work that describes plants with the aim of identification. This first definition is the most common, and it refers specifically to those plant species that are indigenous to area or time. An indigenous species, whether plant or animal, is one that originated in an area and continues to grow and survive there without any interference by humans. The opposite of indigenous species are introduced ones.

Both flora and fauna have further classifications or subdivisions. Flora classifications depend on the region, climate, environment and period of the plants being described. The fauna subdivisions are based on mostly on where the animals live and their size.

There are many different flora regions across the planet. Some regions can be as large as entire continents or as small as a wetland or mountainous regions. Besides geographic areas, climate and time periods can group different plants into floras. Plants can also be grouped into native, agricultural and garden, and weed flora.

There are seven different subdivisions of fauna that are used, based on where the animals occur and their size. Infauna and epifauna are aquatic animals that live within or on the bottom of the ocean floor, respectively. Microfauna are microscopic in size, while meiofauna are slightly larger and live in both sale and fresh water soil environments. Macrofauna are tiny soil organisms, larger than meiofauna, but smaller than earthworms and nematodes, which are part of the mesofauna group. Megafauna are the large animals of the particular environment being discussed.

Both the flora and fauna of a region are studied separately and together by a number of different types of scientists. Botanists, or plant scientists, mainly study flora, while zoologists study fauna. Ecologists and those studying conservation look at both together, as the two groups are dependent on each other to survive.

Difference between Flora and Fauna

The term ‘flora’ is defined as all the naturally occurring native plants of a particular region. Fauna is all the animal life present in a particular place or at a particular time period. A major difference between flora and fauna is that flora is composed of plants whereas fauna refers to animals. When it comes to mobility, flora is immobile, whereas fauna can easily move from one place to another.

The primary difference between flora and fauna is that flora talks about the plant life of a region or a certain period whereas fauna represents the wildlife of a region or specific period.

Difference between Flora and Fauna –

FLORA

Flora is used to mean the collection of plant species in a particular geographical region or habitat. It refers to the natural vegetation in a specific geographical region like plants, fungi, algae, and more.

Flora indicates all forms of plant life, more generally used to represent the plant life of a particular place.

Flora can be defined as the plant life of a specific geographical location, or at a certain period.

Flora is a Latin term, which implies the collection of native plants in an ecosystem, which grows in a geographical area or a certain period. It can be classified on the basis of region, period, climate etc.

Flora makes their own food, by the process of photosynthesis.

FAUNA

Fauna connotes the animal kingdom which can be found in a particular geographical location. It refers to the animals that live in a specific geographical region like animals, birds, microorganisms, and more.

Fauna is all the animal life present in a particular place or at a particular time period. Fauna indicates all forms of animal life, more generally used to represent the animal life native to a particular place.

Fauna denotes the wildlife, including birds, and micro-organisms that are found in a certain region or period.

The term ‘fauna’ is a Greek origin which is named after a Roman goddess. It implies the group of animals that live in a particular geographical region, habitat or at a certain period of time. In short, it denotes the animal kingdom found in an area.

Fauna cannot make their own food, and they are dependent on plants for their food, like herbivores and omnivorous animals.

The flora and fauna are economically important because of their contribution to tourism. In other words, they attract a lot of tourists. The study of flora is done in botany. As against, we study fauna in zoology.

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Difference Between Flora and Fauna (with Comparison Chart)

The primary difference between flora and faund is that flora talks about the plant life of a region or a certain period whereas fauna represents the wildlife of a region or specific period.

Earth is the only planet in the entire universe, that can support life. In fact, it is a home to millions of life forms. The variety of plant 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 micro-organisms.

You might have noticed that there are some plants and animals which are found in the particular region only, 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 might help you in understanding the concept of flora and fauna.

Content: Flora Vs Fauna

Comparison Chart

Basis for Comparison Flora Fauna Meaning Flora is used to mean the collection of plant species in a particular geographical region or habitat. Fauna connotes the animal kingdom which can be found in a particular geographical location. Food They make their own food. They depend on flora for their food. Mobility They cannot move. They can move from one place to another. Studied 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 a certain period. It is a botanical term that signifies a varied range of plant life that is found in a particular location or time of the year. It can be classified on the basis of region, period, climate etc. However, the classification of flora is primarily based on the environment in which its occurrence is natural.

Native Flora : The plants that belong to a particular region or location is known as native flora.

: The plants that belong to a particular region or location is known as native flora. Agricultural Flora : These are grown purposefully by the human beings, to satisfy their needs.

: These are grown purposefully by the human beings, to satisfy their needs. Horticultural Flora : Otherwise known as garden flora, it is planted by human beings for decorative purposes.

: Otherwise known as garden flora, it is planted by human beings 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 which is named after a Roman goddess. It implies the group of animals that live in a particular geographical region, habitat or at a certain period of time. In short, it denotes the animal kingdom found in an area. It has been classified into following categories:

Cryofauna : Animals that are found in cold places.

: Animals that are found in cold places. Cryptofauna : It covers those organisms, that are protected in concealed microhabitats.

: It covers those organisms, that are protected in concealed microhabitats. Infauna : The organisms which are found in the bottom-most part of a waterbody, primarily oceanic sediments.

: The organisms which are found in the bottom-most part of a waterbody, primarily oceanic sediments. Epifauna : The aquatic animals which are found on the bottom of a waterbody.

: The aquatic animals which are found on the bottom of a waterbody. Megafauna : The large animals which are found in a particular area or period.

: The large animals which are found in a particular area or period. Microfauna: Those organisms which are very small in size, falls under this category.

Key Differences Between Flora and Fauna The difference between flora and fauna can be drawn clearly on the following grounds: Flora can be defined as the plant life of a specific geographical location, or at a certain period. On the other hand, fauna denotes the wildlife, including birds, and micro-organisms that are found in a certain region or period. Flora makes their own food, by the process of photosynthesis. Conversely, fauna cannot make their own food, and they are dependent on plants for their food, like herbivores and omnivorous animals. When it comes to mobility, flora is immobile, whereas fauna can easily move from one place to another. The study of flora is done in botany. As against, we study fauna in zoology.

Conclusion

Flora, along with fauna and various other life forms are called as biota as a whole. The diversity in flora and fauna kingdom is due to the land, soil, temperature, photoperiod (sunlight), precipitation, ecosystem and type of vegetation. Flora and fauna of a region help in maintaining the ecological balance and also expand the local economies.