Flora and Fauna Definition

Flora and fauna are not common English terms. However, you will notice that students in science classes always use them. When you use these terms, you simply suggest to a listener or reader that you could come from a natural science background. Well, that’s probably the only similarity between the two English nouns. In this article, you will learn about the flora and fauna definition, their striking nature, their disparity and much more. But just before we walk you through the differences, we will start with the separate definitions.

Definition of Flora

Essentially, it is a Latin word used to describe the plants of a particular region at a particular time. They are part of a collective group known as biota. Fungi can often also be referred to as flora. Beyond the meaning that related to the natural distribution of plants in a given geographical location, the term is also used to refer to that plant in relation to its scientific description. It is most often used when the plants are grouped together, or their features are discussed in detail.

These details could include flowering times, geographic distribution, flowering periods, and illustrations. Other details may include data on chemistry, number of chromosomes and a host of others. It will interest you to know that botanists have been writing about this since the 1600s. In this guide, we have done extensive research to give you the best possible definition of flora and fauna.

Importance

As many people continue to search, “What is flora and fauna?”, we believe that we have succeeded in explaining satisfactorily what the former is. Now, we shall take a step further to explain its importance in today’s world. With that being said, the truth is that these plants play a key role in the lives of nomads and their livestock. In certain places of sub-Saharan Africa where nomadic agriculture is common, cows graze on lush grasses.

In such places, the herdsmen are often compelled to move their herds of cattle to other parts of the region where vegetation is good enough for grazing, passing through semi-arid deserts. In West Africa, for instance, the nomads keep moving from one location to another in search of nutritious grasses for their cows.

In addition to serving as food, plants also control erosion, serve as food for local people, improve the environment by constantly releasing carbon dioxide, absorb excess energy from the sun, serve as herbs for pharm companies, and many others.

Definition of Fauna

On the other hand, it is the Greek word for all animals living in a particular location at a particular time. Among zoologists and paleontologists, the term refers to a set of animals that inhabit a particular location at a given time. These could be a forest or any place where these animals exist naturally. Until now, plants that grew naturally in a given location had a way of influencing the herbivores there.

However, globalization has altered this myth as they can be moved from one location to another. This could be for commercial or survival purposes. In Australia, for example, research indicates that its fauna is predominantly made up of a wide variety of animals. An examination of their distribution shows that mammals account for 83%. In some parts of the continent, you will see reptiles make up 89% of the entire fauna, and fish a less significant percentage of 24.

Finally, amphibians basically control 93% of the continent’s wildlife demographics. So far, we have given a detailed definition of fauna. Are you one of those who are endlessly searching online “What does flora and fauna means?” “What do flora and fauna mean?” “Flora and fauna meaning” If yes, we believe that we have been able to answer all of those questions. Now, we will go ahead to shed some light on their importance.   

Importance

With respect to fauna, it plays a critical role in man’s daily activities. Let’s put that into perspective. In many rural communities in West Africa, locals use them for agriculture. Since mechanized agriculture is completely non-existent in such communities, animals take the place of tractors and bulldozers. They are also used for transportation in such localities, and they also serve as food. In urban centers, they are used for games (like horse racing). Their importance in human life is simply infinite. Looking to define flora and fauna? If yes, you will certainly find the table below helpful.

Flora vs Fauna Comparison Table

Basis of Comparison	Flora	Fauna
Meaning	Demographic distribution of plants	Demographic distribution of animals
Mobility	Static	Always moving
Color	Usually green	The color differs
Origin	A Latin Word	A Greek Word
Classification	Weed, agricultural, and native class	Cryofauna, Cryptofauna, Infauna, Epifauna, etc.

Conclusion of the Main Difference Between Flora vs Fauna

So far, we have been able to do justice to the flora and fauna definition. Consequently, we have no doubt that you now know a great deal about flora vs fauna. Indeed, knowing the difference between flora and fauna is important because an uninformed person is a deformed person. That being said, we must emphasize that animals feed on plants, but the combination of these terms is also called biota.

Well, we believe that you already know the disparity between the two terms. So, don’t hesitate to teach others around you who may not be able to spot the difference between the two terms. So, stop your online search for the definition flora and fauna, and start teaching others about it today.