La FLORA Y LA FAUNA: definición, características, tipos, ejemplos🌳🐘

What Are Flora and Fauna?

Introduction to Flora and Fauna

• The speaker introduces the concepts of flora (plants) and fauna (animals), highlighting their characteristics, types, and examples. Both are essential for providing benefits to humans and ecosystems.

Definition of Flora and Fauna

• Flora refers to all plant species in a specific geographic area, while fauna encompasses all animal species within that region. These terms help categorize the biological diversity present in different ecosystems.

Characteristics of Flora

• The flora includes various forms of vegetation such as shrubs, trees, herbs, ferns, etc., which can be referred to by geographical regions (e.g., Mexican flora or Mediterranean flora).

• The term "flora" also applies to plant species from specific geological periods (e.g., Tertiary flora). Botany is the scientific discipline focused on studying these plants.

Factors Influencing Vegetation

• Vegetation varies based on climate, altitude, soil type, topography, and human intervention. For instance, temperate regions have distinct flora compared to tropical or desert areas.

Types of Plant Communities

• Different plant communities exist such as tropical rainforests, mountain cloud forests, savannas or prairies. Each community has unique characteristics influenced by its environment.

Understanding Ecosystems

Diversity in Ecosystems

• Floristic diversity indicates the number of species found in an ecosystem; some ecosystems have dominant species like pine forests while others exhibit high biodiversity like tropical rainforests.

Classification of Flora

• Common classifications include wild flora (naturally occurring plants), agricultural flora (domesticated for food), forest flora (used for timber), and ornamental plants.

Native vs. Exotic Species

• Native species have evolved over thousands of years in a specific area (e.g., Ceiba tree in America), whereas exotic/invasive species are introduced from other regions often through human activity.

Exploring Fauna

Definition and Importance of Fauna

• Fauna represents all animal species within a particular region; it is common to refer to national parks' fauna or marine fauna when discussing local wildlife.

Zoology: The Study of Animals

• Zoology is the branch of biology dedicated to studying animals. The term "fauna" derives from Roman mythology related to fertility and livestock.

Interactions Among Animal Species

• Animal species interact with each other and their environment through predator-prey relationships or symbiotic associations; for example, lions hunt while hyenas scavenge leftovers.

Adaptations Within Animal Kingdom

Group Behavior in Animals

• Many animals exhibit group behaviors such as flocks among birds or herds among mammals which enhance survival strategies against predators.

Migration Patterns

• Some animal species migrate seasonally seeking food or breeding grounds; this behavior contrasts with permanent residents that stay within one habitat year-round.

Domesticated vs. Wild Animals

• Domesticated animals like cows and dogs are among the most abundant due to human influence compared to wild animals that evolve naturally within their ecosystems.

Understanding Native and Invasive Species

Definition of Native and Invasive Species

• Native species are those that have developed in specific ecosystems without human intervention, such as lions and zebras in African savannas or dolphins in oceans.

• Invasive or exotic species are organisms that have been removed from their natural habitats and introduced to new ecosystems, often leading to displacement or harm to native species. Examples include European rabbits in Australia and lionfish in the Caribbean.

Impact of Domestic Animals on Ecosystems

• Humans began domesticating animals long before plants, managing various herds for thousands of years, which has significantly altered landscapes for animal feeding.

• Common domesticated animals include cows, pigs, sheep, goats, chickens, turkeys, ducks, and geese; pets like dogs and cats also play a role alongside working animals like horses.

Notable Animal Species Mentioned

• The transcript lists several notable animal species including:

• Blue whale (Balaenoptera musculus)

• African elephant (Loxodonta africana)

• African lion (Panthera leo)

• Chimpanzee (Pan troglodytes)

• Panda bear (Ailuropoda melanoleuca)