Flora and fauna is a phrase that is often used to describe life on earth. Broadly, the portmanteau phrase flora and fauna is used to mean ‘plants and animals’, however the meaning is something more specific than that. Let’s take a look at what each of these words means.
Flora comes from the Latin word for ‘plants’. In fact, the goddess Flora is the goddess of springtime and plants. The word flora means the plant life that grows in a specific region or a specific time.
Thus, we can talk of ‘the flora of the Neanderthal period’ or ‘the flora of the British isles’. To stress: flora does not refer in general to all plant life on earth at all times – either the time, or the region, or both, must be specifically defined.
Now we come to the question of what counts as flora. This question is slightly complicated because the Latin word flora often is used very specifically to mean flowers. So, we can say that flowers are most definitely included in the definition of flora. Trees and their fruits, grasses, and shrubs are usually included in the term flora. One key question is whether mushrooms and fungi are included. Usually, mushrooms and fungi are not included. This is because, though they look like plants they are in fact not plants. Flowers, trees, shrubs, and grasses all belong to the plant kingdom however fungi belong to their own kingdom: the fungus kingdom.
Fauna.
The word fauna comes from the Latin word for animals. It is interesting that a young deer is called a fawn because it comes from the same word – faun – which just means animal. Extrapolating from our definition that we have just established for the word flora, we can see that fauna specifically means the animal life of a particular region, or of a particular time period – or both. So, for example, we can speak of fauna of the mesolithic period, or fauna of Europe, or fauna of mesolithic Europe.
What counts as fauna? Well, all animal life counts as fauna. Sometimes, people use the word fauna just to refer to mammals, because they prefer to call fish and insects by separate terms. However, it is fine to refer to fish and insects as fauna. Fauna is any animal that lives in a particular region, or a particular time scale, or both. Human beings are also part of the fauna of this planet, though we do not always acknowledge this fact. When we do acknowledge it, though, we can become more aware of our interdependence with other life forms on the planet.
It is interesting to note that, like the word flora, the word fauna also comes from a Roman god. Faunus was the god of animals, and Faunus and Flora are often seen to be counterparts or lovers.
Bringing flora, fauna, fungi and more together.
Fungi are not really flora – though some people may refer to them as flora. It is worth noting that flora, fauna, and fungi are all part of a larger group which is known as biota. The word bio- as you may already know, comes from the Greek word for life. So, for example, biology is the study of living beings, and biomass is a type of fuel that was once made of organic, living matter. A biography, meanwhile is to write (Greek, graphein) somebody’s life (bio). Biota thus means all living things, and both flora and fauna belong together in the group known as biota.
Conclusion.
Scientists often prefer to use more technical vocabulary. Another way of talking about flora and fauna and their relationship to and dependence on each other is to talk of biodiversity. As we can infer from the etymological discussion above, biodiversity simply means a diverse array of life forms. Biodiversity is under threat thanks to human activity such as intensive agriculture, pollution, and corporate greed. It is time that we sat up and took note and made a commitment to care for the biodiversity of our beautiful planet.
Scientists have said that we are living in an era known as the Anthropocene – which means the sixth mass extinction of life on earth, caused by human activity rather than (as was the case with the dinosaurs) huge meteors falling to earth. Many species are on the brink of extinction, whilst others have recently become totally lost to us forever. It is only by turning our behaviour around right now that we can stop this mass extinction event from engulfing the planet and causing the devastating and irreversible loss of so much of our precious flora and fauna.
Take care of our flora and fauna. If we stop polluting our planet, stop eating meat, stop deforesting our beautiful forests and woodlands and reforest the earth instead, consume fewer man made goods, and generally live a greener life style, we will help to protect our flora and fauna for future generations. Take steps today to ensure that all of the days that you spend on planet earth in the future help rather than harm our planet’s flora and fauna.
Flora and fauna refer to plant and wildlife, respectively. The term is often used to refer to the indigenous plant and wildlife of a geographical region. Both are collective terms, referring to groups of plant or wildlife specific to a region or a time period. For example, the flora and fauna of a warm region may consist of tropical to warm-temperate vegetation and exotic species of birds.
By definition, flora is a word of Latin origin referring to Flora, the goddess of flowers. The term can refer to a group of plants or to bacteria. Flora is the root of the word floral, which means pertaining to flowers. Fauna can refer to the animal life or classification of animals of a certain region, time period, or environment. The term is also of Latin origin, and in Roman mythology, Fauna was the sister of Faunus, a good spirit of the forest and plains.
The flora and fauna of any given region are usually explained in biological terms to include the genus and species of plant and animal life, their preferred growing or breeding habits, and their connection to one another in the environment as well. In addition to geographical groupings, environment also helps further their classification. For example, aquatic flora and fauna of a region refers to the plant and animal life found in the waters in or surrounding a geographic region.
Biologists and environmentalists study the plants and animals of a region for a number of reasons. Preservation and conservation are main reasons why they are important to researchers, as their ability to teach scientists new things about biology. Several organizations, including Fauna and Flora International (FFI), work together to use their research and findings to further policy on conservation and preservation as well as biodiversity.
What’s in a Name: Flora and Fauna
Both flora and fauna are words that have roots in Latin. Flora comes from earlier Latin root words for flower, flor or flos. Flora later refers to the goddess of flowers in Latin. Fauna is also a later Latin translation, coming from the name of a goddess; the sister of Faunus is Fauna, the rural goddess. When you talk about the flora and the fauna of a place, you are talking about the plants and animals that live there.
The flora and fauna of an area aren’t just discussed in blanket old Latin terms, however. Scientists break their classifications down even further into genus and species. They record details about their wildlife by studying their reproductive habits, diets, young rearing, and relationships in the wild. Plantlife is very similar. Scientists record their reproductive methods, native regions, hardiness zones, and potential threats to growing environments.
In earlier times, scientists used the term flora to describe the handbooks and manuals they used to record a region’s wildlife and plant life.
Flora
Remember that flora refers to the plant life of a region. Each region has a bounty of plant life. As a result, scientists divided flora into subsections to make classification easier and more accessible. The three unique classifications are native flora, horticultural flora, and weed flora.
Native Flora
Native flora is the vegetation or plantlife in a region that is indigenous to that area. Native plants grow better with less manipulation than plants that have been brought from elsewhere or translated because the conditions are suitable for their cultivation. Watering responsibilities are less frequent, as is the need for fertilizer as the necessary nutrients are found in the native soil.
Horticultural Flora
Horticultural flora refers to plants that are cultivated explicitly by humans for consumption or production. Horticultural flora can be agricultural plants or horticultural cultivars used for landscaping. Some examples of horticultural flora are:
- Ornamental trees, flowers, and grasses
- Vegetables
- Fruits
- Flowers
- Lawn grasses
- Wheat
- Rice
Weed Flora
Initially, weed flora used to refer to plants that human beings found to be unpleasant and removed from the region in which they lived. The term “weeding” is synonymous with weed flora cultivars. However, as ecosystems become more and more advanced and the knowledge of flora deepened, even the most staunch weeders realize that there are no band plants or “weeds,” just dangerous invasive species.
Invasive Species: Flora or Fauna
Invasive species can come in the form of both flora and fauna. Invasive species refer to plant or animal life that is non-native to the ecosystem of a particular area. Why does this identification matter? The presence of non-native species often causes harm to the health of a site. Invasive species take the resources for themselves, interrupt the delicate balance of the ecosystem, and harm others in the process. Humans can be invasive species, too.
Invasive species are spread by people, accidents, and the natural movement of plants and animals. Invasive species must be returned to their primary origin or destroyed to maintain the health of an ecosystem. If not, there is a real danger of extinction, destruction, and forever changed habitats.
Fauna
Fauna refers to all of the wildlife in a particular region. Often scientists refer to the past and present fauna of an area when referring to nature. Fauna requires a similar subcategory system to classify wildlife in a specific place at a particular time in history. There are many subcategories of fauna, though the most common are as follows.
Megafauna
Megafauna refers to the animals or wildlife that is so big they can be seen with the naked eye from quite a far distance away. An example of megafauna from this period would be an elephant. An example of megafauna from the past would be a ground sloth.
Macrofauna
An interestingly specific category of macrofauna is smaller than an earthworm but one centimeter or more long. An example of macrofauna is a snail.
Microfauna
Microfauna is microscopic animals that cannot be seen with the naked eye. You guessed it; you need a microscope to see these teeny weeny creatures native to a specific area. An example of living microfauna is rotifers that live in water bacteria.
Infauna
Infauna is the animals that live in the sediment layers of bodies of water. Clams are an example of a notable infauna.
Cryofauna
Cryofauna can live in subzero temperatures or on ice without being harmed or disrupting homeostasis. Some examples of cryofauna are seals, penguins, and orcas.
Flora is the term used for studying the plant’s life living in a particular area or region, whereas fauna refers to the study of animals life living in any geographical area. Secondly, all kinds of grasslands, trees, plants, comes under flora, on the contrary, all types of animals, birds, and insects fall under the category of fauna.
Although biota is the term used for complete forms of life like fungi, bacteria, etc. Flora and Fauna are scientific words, in general, we use the term plants and animals life. The ecosystem is the biological community, where the living beings interact with each other, whether it is a microorganism or big like the elephant or human beings. Flora and Fauna also contribute significant part in an ecosystem of the Earth. The interaction with each other is to fulfil their needs.
As Flora and Fauna are living organisms and falls under the eukaryotic category, they share specific common features too. Therefore, the differentiation and description between the terms will be on the ground of plants and animals and the similarities they have.
Content: Flora Vs Fauna
- Comparison Chart
- Definition
- Key Differences
- Similarities
- Conclusion
Comparison Chart
| Basis for Comparison | Flora | Fauna |
|---|---|---|
| Meaning | Flora refers to the natural vegetation including plants, fungi, algae in a particular geographical region. | Fauna refers to the animals life living in a particular geographical area or region. |
| Field | These are studied under the botany and the person who studies is known as Botanist. | Fauna is studied under the field of zoology and the person who studies on these matters is known as Zoologist. |
| Autotrophs/Heterotrophs | These are autotrophs, as they can prepare their own food with the help of sunlight. | The living beings under this category are heterotrophs as they cannot prepare their own food and directly or indirectly depend on flora for the food. |
| Development | These are said to be the first form of life appeared on earth, as per the chronological history of the planet. | Their development is believed to be after the flora, as they depend on them for the food. |
| Locomotion | Immovable. | Can move from one place to another. |
| Cell wall | Present. | Absent. |
| Chloroplast | Present (it is used for storing energy). | Absent (they have mitochondria for storing energy). |
| Examples | Grasslands, forest, flowering and non-flowering plants and trees. | Birds, animals, fish, insects, etc. |
Definition of Flora
The flora refers to the list of every type of plants, occurring in a specific area with the very detailed view of them. A flora may include scientific as well as common names, habitats, descriptions, geographical distributions, flowering times, favourable climate and other illustrations.
Flora, also includes the information about the plant’s reproduction time, family, chromosome numbers, etc. The written description on floras was started in 1600, by the botanists. This information was further used by the horticulturist to use floras and plant them accordingly, while physicians used this information to identify medicinal plants and make the medicine of their parts.
Plants are very essential resources on earth. As they serve as food material, medicines, and play the primary role in increasing the economy. Plants are helpful in causing rain, protect soil erosion and balance the ecosystem. These are the habitats of many animals especially birds. Till now there are approximately 400,000 species of the plants have been known, and it is believed that 10% is still to be discovered.
Though the word flora is a Latin word and is said to be derived from the Roman mythology goddess of flowers. Flora or plants have a huge variety and can be distinguished according to the region, climate, flowers and fruits, etc. But the easiest and simplest way to divide flora is on the basis of the region in which they grow, as the plants growing in the marshy area will be different from that plant growing in the desert or mountain area.
Native flora, horticultural flora and the weed flora are the subdivision of the flora. As the name says, Native flora is the native or endemic species growing in a particular area. Horticultural flora, are the plants grown by humans for their use and it is up to the area, climate and type of soil favourable for the species to grow. Lastly, Weed flora is the unwanted plants, grows with the desired plant, but as they are of no use and so removed by the humans.
As we know Asia is the largest continent of seven continents and holds the richest flora of the earth. It has approximately 100,000 different kinds of flora, growing in the different climate area. South America is also said as one of the most diverse continents because of the presence of the mountains and continents.
The classic examples of the flora are Giant redwood trees found in the north coast of California, Manchineel tree originates in North America and South America, Welwitschia Mirabilis and Nepenthes.
Definition of Fauna
The term fauna refers to the animals living in a particular area. Fauna is the word related to fawn, which means animals. Secondly, Fauna is also a Latin word and derived its name from the Roman goddess. Swedish zoologist Carl Linnaeus coined the term.
Fauna or commonly we can say animals, which depends on flora or plants for their food, hence they are called as heterotrophs. Though unlike plants they have the ability to move in search of food or in unfavourable conditions.
Likewise the flora, Fauna is also subdivided into few categories, on the basis of animals living in certain regions or areas. These subdivisions are Megafauna, Microfauna, Mesofauna, Avifauna, Piscifauna and Cryofauna.
Megafauna includes the largest animals, Microfauna includes the microorganisms and smallest animals, Mesofauna includes the invertebrates and organisms living in soil, Avifauna includes the bird’s species, Piscifauna is related to fish, Cryofauna is the animals that live near ice.
Few common examples of fauna are Eltham copper butterfly, Southern Toadlet, jellyfish, bears, wolves and Coral reef.
Given below points will differentiate on flora and fauna:
- Flora refers to the natural vegetation including plants, fungi, algae in a particular geographical region, whereas Fauna refers to the animals life living in a particular geographical area or region.
- Flora is studied under the field of botany, and the person who studies this known as Botanist. On the other hand, fauna is studied under Zoology and the person who studies this subject is known as Zoologist.
- Green plants are categorised under flora and these a producer or autotrophs and can prepare their own food with the help of sunlight, while fauna is umbrella where the animals, insects, birds are been kept and these are the consumer and depend directly or indirectly on green plants.
- Flora is said to be the first form of life appeared on earth, as per the chronological history of the planet whereas fauna developed is believed to be after the flora, as they depend on them for the food.
- Flora is non-motile, whereas fauna is motile and can move from one place to another.
- Cell wall and chloroplast are present in the plant cell; these are absent in animal cell instead of the chloroplast, mitochondria is present, which is used for storing energy.
- Grasslands, forest, flowering and non-flowering plants and trees are the examples of flora. Birds, animals, fish, insects, etc. fall under the fauna.
Similarities
- They breathe.
- They reproduce.
- Their body is made up of the cell.
- They grow, respond to stimuli.
- They exchange energy from the environment.
Conclusion
In this article, we discussed flora and fauna, how they differ from each other and also their similarities. We came to know their importance even and the contribution to our ecosystem. Another fact is that due to the increasing population many species of flora, as well as fauna, has extinct, and many are about to extinct. So, it is necessary to conserve these to maintain the ecological balance.
When we talk about Flora and fauna, we are referring to all the plants and animals that are found in a certain place or at a certain time, that is, we can talk about the flora and fauna of a country in general or the one that existed in the Paleolithic Era.
Table of Contents
- 1 What is the definition of flora and fauna?
- 2 Types of flora and fauna
- 2.1 Flora
- 2.2 Fauna
- 2.2.1 Wildlife or wildlife
- 2.2.2 domestic fauna
- 3 Importance of flora and fauna
What is the definition of flora and fauna?
When we talk about the word Flora We must know that it has a relative importance within Roman mythology, this is because in it, there was a deity who was in charge of flowers, spring and gardens, it was named Flora. Although it may not be relevant for many, we can notice that it has absolutely a lot in common with what flora currently means to us.
Well, now we will know the concept of flora that we have today. Nowadays, when we talk about flora, we are referring to everything plant, whether trees, shrubs, flowers and even fungi and bacteria that can be found located in a specific place and time also fall into this category.
On the other hand, we must also know that even the word fauna comes from Roman mythology, because when we speak of Fauna, we refer to the sister of Fauno, the spirit inhabitant and protector of the forests. Currently, when we refer to fauna, we are talking about all those animals that are located within a specific place and at a specific time.
So we can say that the flora and fauna concept that we currently handle, refers to all living beings belonging to the animal and plant kingdom that are located in a specific region within a specific time.
We must be clear that flora and fauna is not only about animals and plants that coexist in the same place and time, but we are also talking about all those links that they may have with the general environment that surrounds them. However, we must know that this does not only refer to geographical places, that is, we do not only refer to flora and fauna when we talk about specific places and times of a specific geographical place, but we can also use this term when we talk about upper or lower habitats.
A clear example of the above is to talk about the existing flora and fauna on a specific coastal beach, the flora and fauna found within the Caribbean Sea or the Pacific Sea, even, we can say a little more global, the flora and fauna of the oceans in general. Therefore, when we refer to levels, it means that when we talk about an area, some specimens may or may not be included, this will depend on the study being carried out at that time.
Today, biologists and people who love ecology show a deep interest in the study of flora and fauna, this is because knowing them can help us learn much more about the different ecosystems that exist on our planet and What is the relationship between all of them? In addition to that, knowing about them also helps us to conserve and protect the great biodiversity that exists and the natural ecosystems that still remain.
Types of flora and fauna
We have already talked about what is flora and fauna and what it has meant within Roman mythology and what it means today. However, we are going to highlight a little again, what it currently means when we refer to flora and fauna and to know what types of each of them exist.
Flora
When we currently speak of flora, we are referring to all those living beings belonging to the plant kingdom, that is, trees, flowers and plants in general that are distributed within a specific region, these regions can be mountainous, peninsular or even refer to an entire country or continent. In some less specific cases, we can talk about the existing flora on our planet.
As with fauna, flora has different levels at which it can be studied, because although we could talk about the flora of a specific jungle, we could also refer to the flora of an entire country in general. Without leaving anything out, we could even refer to the flora that existed within a geological period or era and compare it with that of others.
Whatever level we decide to study, in the end we would be referring to the distribution of the plant kingdom within that place, how they relate to each other, how they act depending on the climatic changes that exist in the place and finally, how it is the relationship you have with the fauna that shares the same space as yours.
Today there are numerous science romes that are responsible for the study of flora in general, however, the best known is geobotany, which is responsible for the study of the geographical distribution of each of the species of the plant kingdom. Thanks to the studies carried out by this branch of science, we can know that the flora is divided into groups that will depend on the seasons, locations, weather and the environment in general.
Now, we are going to know what are the existing types of flora and which are currently the most distinctive:
- Native or autochthonous flora: These are the ones that come especially from a certain geographical place, that is, they only grow naturally in that place, so they can rarely be found elsewhere unless they are introduced by man.
- Ornamental or garden flora: when we talk about these, we refer to all those plants that man plants in his gardens for aesthetic or recreational purposes.
- Agricultural flora: we refer to all those plants, flowers or trees that man plants for food, that is, after its growth, it will serve as food.
- fossil flora: This type of flora refers to those fossil remains of the plant kingdom that may have existed in ancient times and possibly no longer exists.
In ancient times, within the classification of the flora, those groups of plants that were unwanted or that were rejected by man were taken into account since they were considered «weeds» or parasitic plants «, at that time, the people believed that this weed should cease to exist. However, currently, that thought has been eradicated and these types of plants are no longer considered bad, since studies have shown that they are vital for the balance of the ecosystem.
Fauna
Now, when we refer to fauna, we are talking about those animals that reside or resided in a specific geographic area and that are or were linked to a type of ecosystem. Currently there is a science which is responsible for studying everything regarding fauna and its geographical location, this is zoogeography. Within this study, all the factors that affect it are included, water, temperature, climate and the changes that the various habitats in which they live may suffer.
Although, when we refer to fauna as such, we are generalizing to the entire animal kingdom that lives on the planet, we must bear in mind that fauna can be subdivided into various groups which will depend on the origins of the specimens. and the nature from which they come.
Next we know about these types of faunas:
Wildlife or wildlife
When we talk about this type of fauna, we refer to all those animals that are born, grow and live in their natural state, that is, they have no contact with man or are domesticated by him. Within the study of wildlife, there are those animals that belong to the ecosystem and also those that have been introduced to it, that is, they are foreigners that now belong to this ecosystem.
An example to explain about wildlife are lions, the various types of whales, all wild birds, primates and more. Let us know what are the two types of wildlife that exist:
- Native wildlife: when we refer to it, we are talking about all those animals that naturally belong to that ecosystem, that is, that have always lived there.
- Allochthonous wildlife: If we talk about this fauna, we are referring to all that is foreign, that is, that although it is living in that ecosystem, it does not naturally belong to it. In general, this type of fauna has been brought to that place by human beings, in some cases they do it consciously, but in other cases, it is unconscious.
domestic fauna
When we refer to this type of fauna, we are talking about all those animals that man has managed to domesticate, either by keeping them confined in one place or by letting them free. All these animals share the characteristic that their utility, body or resources are used by man and exploited either to feed, work, create clothing, as pets and more.
Within the domestic fauna we have horses, cows, dogs, cats, rabbits, pigs and other animals that can be used in one way or another.
Importance of flora and fauna
La flora and fauna information more essential is its importance within our planet, because without it, none of us human beings could live.
In the case of plants, they are producers of the oxygen that all of us who belong to the animal kingdom breathe, while animals expel carbon dioxide, which is essential for plants, because with it they can carry out their photosynthesis.
Now, returning to the flora, plants are capable of being the main producers within the food chain. This means that they are capable of producing organic materials from the use of inorganic ones. This is something that the animal kingdom could not do, as they are incapable of it.
In the case of the animal kingdom, they are capable of returning all the nutrients that were ingested by the mimes and leaving them in the soil, where the cycle of creating new plants will begin. So the life cycle continues.
Knowing this, we can clearly say that in order to live, both kingdoms need the other, without one of the two, the other could not exist. This cycle includes us human beings, because we are the ones who take advantage of and use the resources that both animals and plants offer us, so we are part of it and we depend on the existence of both for us to be able to continue with life inside the planet Earth.
So, it remains for us, humans, to be able to preserve and care for our flora and fauna, in this way, the life cycle of each of the species will not be affected and we will be able to maintain our lives as we have done for years. thousands and millions of years.
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Содержание
- Что такое флора?
- Какими методами анализируется флора
- На какие типы делится флора
- Что такое фауна?
| Флора | фауна |
| Совокупность видов растений, которые распространены на определенной территории | Совокупность видов животных, которые обитают на конкретной территории |
Что такое флора?
Под флорой следует понимать исторически сложившуюся совокупность видов растений, которые распространены на определенной территории («флора конкретной страны») или на территории, где есть определенные условия («флора лесов») на данный момент или в прошедшую геологическую эпоху. «Флора территории» зачастую подразумевает не все виды растений этой территории, а лишь сосудистые растения.
Что касается растений других групп, их, как правило, рассматривают отдельно с учётом особенностей метода сбора и определения. Ни одно комнатное растение, растение в оранжереях и прочих сооружениях, где имеется искусственный климат, не значится в составе флоры. Флористика – это раздел ботаники, который предусматривает изучение флоры. Как правило, при использовании термина «флора» («микрофлора») описывается совокупность микроорганизмов, которые характерны для конкретного человеческого или животного органа (к примеру, «микрофлора кожи», или «микрофлора желудка»).
В основе термина – имя древнегреческой богини Флоры. Она была богиней весеннего цветения. Впервые термин «флора» для обозначения «совокупности растений» использовал польский ботаник Михаил Бойм в своих трудах Flora sinensis, которые стали доступны в 1656 г. в Вене. Затем слово в том же значении использовал Карл Линней в трудах Flora Lapponica, опубликованных в 1737 году.
Какими методами анализируется флора
- Географическим анализом, когда флора разделяется по географическому распространению, выявляются доли эндемиков;
- Генетическим анализом (с греческого языка genesis переводится, как «возникновение, происхождение»), когда флора разделяется по географическому происхождению и истории расселения;
- Ботанико-географическим анализом, предусматривающим установку связей между данной флорой и другими флорами;
- Эколого-фитоценологическим анализом, разделяющим флору по условиям произрастания и видам растительности;
- Возрастным анализом, когда флора состоит из прогрессивных (молодых по времени появления), консервативных и реликтовых элементов;
- Анализом систематической структуры, изучающим количественные и качественные характеристики разных систематических групп, которые значатся в составе этой флоры.
В основе каждого из этих методов анализа флоры её предварительная инвентаризация, в рамках которой выявляется её видовой и родовой состав.
На какие типы делится флора
Совокупность растительных таксонов, которые охватывают определенные группы растений, имеют определенные названия:
- Альгофлора – охватывает флору водорослей;
- Бриофлора – флору мхов;
- Арборифлора или дендрофлора – флору древесных растений;
- Лихенофлора – флору лишайников;
- Микофлора – флору грибов;
- Миксофлора – флору миксомицетов.
Что такое фауна?
Под термином фауна следует понимать исторически сложившуюся совокупность видов животных, которые обитают на конкретной территории, как например вокруг географии озера Байкал. Фауну любой территории складывают разные фаунистические комплексы, объединяющие виды со сходными ареалами.
Весь животный мир на земном шаре можно разделить на две огромные группы:
- Морская фауна;
- Наземная фауна.
Первая, разумеется, значительно древнее, поскольку развитию наземной фауны способствовала именно морская. Наземная рассматривается с разных точек зрения. Чисто географическая точка зрения предусматривает рассмотрение фауны по зоогеографическим областям – это могут быть части света, страны и более мелкие районы. По физико-географической точке зрения фауна бывает:
- Пресноводной (озерной, речной, болотной);
- Соленоводной (солёные озера);
- Сухопутной (лесной, степной, пустынной и т.д.).
Геологическая точка зрения разделяет фауну на те или иные геологические периоды. В каждом таком делении определяется совокупность форм, которые характерны для него, а иногда и исключительны.
Понятие фауны основывается на систематическом и географическом содержании, вот почему ограничение должно выполняться по географическому (фауна Европы, фауна островов и т.д.) и систематическому принципу (фауна рыб, фауна птиц, насекомых и т.д.). Последнее обстоятельство объясняется невозможностью на практике получения полного списка видов определенной территории из-за их огромного разнообразия и нехватки специалистов-систематиков.
Существенный признак любой фауны – экологическая природа видов, которые её составляют. К примеру, фауну тропических территорий характеризует большое число видов, которые приспособлены к обитанию на деревьях и связанные с ними трофические отношения. В фауне степных территорий преобладают бегающие и роющие животные, впадающие в спячку, питающиеся злаками и жесткими травами и пр. Один из ключевых показателей фауны – доля эндемиков, свидетельствующая о степени изолированности и возрасте фауны.
Виды, имеющие разное сходное распространение образуют географические элементы фауны. С географическим анализом можно определить особенности происхождения фауны и её связи с другими фаунами, находящимися удаленно, или по соседству. Географические элементы разделяют фауну на следующие виды:
- Средиземноморскую;
- Циркумбореальную;
- Европейско-сибирскую;
- Центральноазиатскую;
- Циркумполярную и др.
Существуют также адвентивные виды, к которым относятся виды, искусственно занесенные из других регионов. Важное направление фаунистических исследований – изучение путей попадания определенного вида в состав фауны. По данному признаку виды могут быть:
- Автохтонными (фаунистические элементы, которые возникают на изучаемой территории);
- Аллохтонными (элементы, оказавшиеся на данной территории после расселения из других регионов).
Вопрос происхождения видов фауны особенно важен для изучения молодых фаун (к примеру, фаун территорий, которые недавно освободились от ледника). В составе фауны не значатся домашние питомцы, животные в зоопарках и пр.