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Flora and fauna are plants and animals encompassing on Earth, both plants and animals are essential for the continuity of human life.
- The biota is a term collectively composed of flora, fauna, microorganisms, and other forms of life in any region.
- There are two types of flora: Normal Flora and Transient Flora.
- These are also important for human survival as they regulate the amount of oxygen and carbon dioxide in the air and provide us with a wide range of food, drink, and medicines.
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Key terms: Flora, Fauna, Microorganisms, Fungi, Algae, Cotton Plants, Animal Kingdom,Plants, Animals
What is Flora?
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The population of plant life that includes fungi, algae, and indigenous plants in a particular geographical region or time is called flora.
- Flora also means “Goddess of the Flower”.
- There are different categories of plants that grow in different climates or habitats There are some plants that grow in deserts, some grow in water, and some are found in hilly regions, etc.
Useful products from Plants
There are many uses of plants as they provide us with vegetable fruits, species, pulses, oil, timbers and other editable products. Listed below are wide species of plants that offer valuable products:
- Sugarcane produces sugar which has a tremendous commercial value.
- The seeds of cotton plants produce cotton which are used to manufacture many fabrics.
- The coconut tree yields are produced from the husk which are used to make mattresses, ropes and carpets.
- There are also spices which the plant yields like ginger, cardamom, pepper, turmeric, cloves, nutmeg, vanilla etc.
- There are edible plants which include different parts of plants that can be consumed either raw or cooked.
- Latex is produced by rubber plants from their bark and are used for manufacturing tubes, tyres of vehicles etc.
- There are plants that are used to extract mustard, sunflower, coconut and sesame etc.
- The woods of bamboo and coniferous trees are used as a raw material for manufacturing in paper and other commercial products.
- They are used in textiles industries for manufacturing of clothes, ropes etc.
Read More: Plant Tissues
What is Fauna?
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The population of animal life that includes birds, fish, microorganisms, and cryptofauna i.e., undiscovered animals. Fauna also means ‘Goddess of fertility’ that consists of a wide variety of animal lives.
Useful products from Animals
- There are many uses of animals as these provide us daily food, which we eat, that includes cheese, butter, chicken, meat etc. and these are high in protein content.
- The fish liver oil is obtained from shark and cod or codlings that are rich in Vitamin D and Vitamin A.
- Aquatic animals give us corals from coral reefs and pearls from pearl oysters.
- There are insects that provide us silk, shellac, crimson and beeswax etc.
Read More: Unicellular Organisms
Classification of Flora
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The flora is classified as per the areas, periods, climates, and specific conditions.
Animal kingdom has been divided into many divisions and sub-divisions such as:
- Phylum is the first division. These are divided into "classes".
- Classes are divided into orders.
- From orders come families.
- From families the genera.
- Each genera has species.
Importance of Flora and Fauna
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Flora and fauna, collеctivеly known as thе biodivеrsity of a rеgion, play a vital rolе in maintaining thе balancе and sustainability of thе Earth's еcosystеms. The plants are the natural mechanism that provide oxygen and absorb carbon dioxide with which life is possible whereas plants are an important source of nutrition for humans.
- It has been said that flora and fauna are essential to extract a variety of medicines and herbs.
- The fauna comprises animal population as per their specific location or habitat.
- Flora (plants) and fauna (animals) arе interconnected and form complеx еcosystеms.
- Each spеciеs has a specific rolе or niche in thе еcosystеm, contributing to thе ovеrall stability and functioning of thе systеm.
- Thе variеty of spеciеs within flora and fauna is a mеasurе of biodivеrsity.
- Biodiversity is crucial for thе rеsiliеncе of ecosystems and thе planеt as a wholе.
- Forеsts and othеr еcosystеms hеlp rеgulatе thе Earth's climatе by sеquеstеring carbon dioxidе.
Read More: Chloroplasts
Flora and Fauna in India
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India comprises a variety of flora and fauna as per the physical condition, climate etc. In number 92,037 species are found in India out of which insects alone include 61,375 species.
- It has been proved that 4 of the 36 Biodiversity Hotspots in the world are found in India which includes the Himalayas, the Indo-Burma region, Western Ghats and the Sundaland.
- 18,000 species of flowering plants are available in India, that constitute 6-7% of the total plant species in the world.
Few examples of flora & fauna are :
- Thе Royal Bеngal Tigеr, also known simply as thе Bеngal Tigеr or Panthеra tigris tigris, is a subspecies of tigеr and onе of thе most majеstic and iconic big cats in thе world.
Royal Bengal Tiger
- Rhinos, also known as rhinocеrosеs, arе largе, powеrful hеrbivorous mammals bеlonging to thе family Rhinocеrotidaе.
Rhinos
- Elephants: Elephants arе thе largеst land animals on Earth and bеlong to thе family Elephantidae.
Elephants
- Rhododеndrons arе a gеnus of flowеring plants that bеlong to thе family Ericacеaе.
Rhododendrons
Things to Remember
- There are two types of flora and fauna that includes normal flora and transient flora.
- Madhya Pradesh is known as a reservoir of biodiversity as it is rich and diverse in forest resources.
- Flora includes the bird’s species and Fauna includes bird species (avifauna) or reptiles and amphibians (herpetofauna).
- There is an estimate of 81,000 species of animals and 47.000 types of flora.
- The fish liver oil is obtained from shark and cod or codlings that are rich in Vitamin D and Vitamin A.
- There are plants that are used to extract mustard, sunflower, coconut and sesame etc.
- The plants are the natural mechanism that provide oxygen and absorb carbon dioxide with which life is possible
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Sample Questions
Ques. Where are the thorn and scrub forests formed? (1 mark)
Ans. Thorn and scrub forests are formed in Punjab plains, Northern Madhya Pradesh, and South-West Uttar Pradesh, (Bundelkhand plateau).
Ques. Which plant species are called cherry plum and are used in the manufacturing of ink and leather industries? (1 mark)
Ans. Myrobalans is a fruit-bearing plant species that are used in the manufacturing of ink and leather industries.
Ques. What is the meaning of Avifauna and Piscifauna? (1 mark)
Ans. Avifauna is a term that is used to refer to the birds and Piscifauna is a term that refers to fish.
Ques. What is a Botanist? (2 marks)
Ans. These are the scientists who study plants and observe or research the diversity of flora in various environments. They are interested in learning about the characteristics for each plant and its species for future research and results.
Ques. Why does India possess a great variety of flora and fauna? (2 marks)
Ans. Due to the different climatic conditions in India there are some places where the temperature is 55°C and at others, it is about – 45°C. Even there are places which experience rainfall of more than 1000 cm, and some receive only 50 cm.
Ques. What is the significance of Flora and Fauna in the Ecosystem? (3 marks)
Ans. There are following significances of flora and fauna in the ecosystem:
- It maintains the Ecological Balance.
- It gives us medical importance in a wide range of medicines.
- It gives us aesthetic Importance.
- It helps in boosting the economy.
Ques. What is the use of Beeswax? (1 mark)
Ans. Beeswax used in the manufacture of shaving creams, cosmetics, polishes, carbon paper, candles, etc.
Ques. What is the meaning of natural vegetation or virgin vegetation? (1 mark)
Ans. Natural vegetation refers to a plant community that has grown naturally without human aid and has been left undisturbed by human beings for a long time.
Ques. What are the things that mammals provide us? (3 marks)
Ans. There are following things which the mammals provide us:
- Bone meal is obtained from the bones of animals.
- Glue is obtained from the bones, muscles, tissues, and skin of animals.
- Wool is obtained from sheep, goats, camels, rabbits, musk oxen, etc.
- Musk is obtained from certain species of deer, which are used in perfumery.
- Fur is obtained from wolves, lions, tigers, bears, rabbits, golden jackals, foxes, dogs, cats, etc.
- Leather is obtained from the hides of mammals or the skin of reptiles like crocodiles and snakes.
Ques. What are the steps taken by the government of India to preserve flora and fauna? (3 marks)
Ans. There are following steps taken by government of India to preserve flora and fauna:
- Nearly 100 national parks, 515 wildlife sanctuaries, and 35 zoological gardens have been set up.
- Biosphere reserves have been set up. For example, the Nilgiri in Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, and Kerala, Nanda Devi in Uttarakhand, etc.
- More than 100 national parks, 515 wildlife sanctuaries, and 35 zoological gardens have been set up.
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