FAUNA AND FLORA

FAUNA AND FLORA

Hi, this is Harpreet Kaur a student of Sheridan college. I am in Business Administration Finance Course. I have decided to make a blog on "Fauna and Flora" as it is very interesting topic and more over by reading my blog people will be able to increase their knowledge.

Flora means flower and whereas Fauna means animal. Fauna has derived from the name of Roman goddess, but the best way to remember flora and fauna is that, the word "Flora" sounds like flowers, which are part of the plant world, and the word "Fauna" sounds like "fawn" and fawns are part of animal kingdom.

Reference

http://www.vocabulary.com/dictionary/fauna

Classification of Fauna and Flora

       FLORA

Flora is the collective plant life that grows or which has once grew in a certain area or during a given period of time. Usually it is referred as the native plant life present but it also include new species that have been introduced as well. The study of Flora is very interesting  as the classification of plants can be done in number of ways. The simple way to classify plants are done on the basis of region. As the plants which grow specifically in the mountains will be very different from those that grow in the desert. In the same way the plants that have adapted to living underwater are treated as a unique form of flora. The another way to classify Fauna and Flora can be done on the basis of environment in which it is grown or seen naturally.

    FAUNA

Fauna is the name given to the collective animal life that lives or once found in a certain area or time period. Classification of Fauna can also be done in many different ways. the classification of Fauna is more complex than Floral because animal life has evolved into many different forms. The animal kingdom by itself is fauna. within it we have the "Avifauna" which are basically the birds and" Piscifauna" are the fishes. this was the simple classification as in this classification small single celled organisms such as bacteria and virus have not been included. these small celled organisms are known as "Microfauna". There are many other species on the earth which has to be named and discovered yet .

Reference

http://www.conserve-energy-future.com/what-are-flora-and-fauna.php

CLIMATE CHANGE - EFFECTS ON FAUNA AND FLORA

Humans are the main reason behind the change in the climate. Change in climate has affected both the Fauna and Flora. This change in climate could cause a quarter of animals, bird life and plants to become extinct. 

The variability in climate has affected bird life and animals in a number of ways such as birds used to lay eggs earlier in the year than usual, plants used to bloom earlier and mammals used to come out of hibernation sooner. apart from this distribution of animals is also affected as many many species are moving closer to the poles because of the rise in global temperatures. Birds are migrating and arriving at their nesting grounds earlier. 

Rise in the sea level up to 50 cm could cause sea turtles to lose their nesting beaches. Over 30% of Caribbean beaches are used by turtles during the nesting season.

On the other side , the atmosphere is sucking moisture from the land at a greater rate than ever before and this has caused severe droughts in many countries which are now facing reduced crop production and major drinking water shortages.

It is said that no species has yet become extinct exclusively because of climate change, many migratory and non migratory species are expected to become extinct in the near future.

Reference

http://www.climateandweather.net/global-warming/climate-change-and-animals.html

BIODIVERSITY PROTECTION

India comes among the 17 mega diverse countries of the world but many plants and animals are facing threat of extinction. To protect the critically endangered and other threatened animal and plant species, Government of India has adopted many steps, laws and policy initiatives. Some of them are as follows:

1. Wild Life (protection) Act, 1972 has been enacted by the Central Government. This act provides creation of Protected Areas for protection of wild life and also provides for punishment for hunting of specified fauna.

2. National Plan for Conservation of Aquatic Ecosystem sponsored by central government has provided assistance to the states for management of wet lands including Ramsar sites in the country.

3. Wildlife Crime Control Bureau has established control of illegal trade in wildlife, including endangered species.

4. The Indian Government has banned the Veterinary use of diclofenac drug that has caused rapid population decline of Gyps vulture across the Indian Subcontinent.

5. Protected Areas, viz, National Parks, Sanctuaries, conservation Reserves and Community reserves all over the country covering the important have been created as per the provisions of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972 to provide better protection to wildlife.

Important Acts passed related to environment and Bio Diversity

1. Fisheries Act 1897

2. Indian Forests Act 1927

3. Mining and Mineral Development Regulation Act 1957

4. Prevention of cruelty to animals 1960

5. Forest Conservation Act 1980

6. Biological Diversity Act 2002

Reference

https://www.google.ca/search?q=steps+taken+by+government+international+to+control+fauna+and+flora&espv=2&biw=1821&bih=889&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ei=sKWBVYKZO7WQsQSj8ajI