Flora refers to plant life. Fauna refers to animal life. When describing symbiotic microbial colonies in our intestines, the medical profession uses 'Intestinal Flora', which I find weird since bacteria are animals (use oxygen, exhale CO2) not plants. Why isn't it 'Intestinal Fauna'?
2007-05-08 10:25:20 · 4 answers · asked by shaymana 2 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Medicine
To follow up: isn't yeast an animal too?
2007-05-09 09:54:47 · update #1
"Flora" refers to plant or bacterial life.
Bacteria are not animals. Animals, fungi, plants, and protists are eukaryotes, and typically multicellular - and their cells contain membrane bound organelles. Bacteria are prokaryotes, which lack membrane bound organelles and other complex cell structures.
The bacteria in the gut are primarily the genus Bacteriodes, which are anaerobes, and will die when exposed to an oxygen rich environment. The gut also contains facultative anaerobes that can function in both oxygen rich environments through aerobic respiration and switch to fermentation in an oxygen poor environment.
In summary: Bacteria in the gut are not animals, most don't use oxygen.
Now, about those fungi....
Fungi were originally classified as plants (flora), but have since been separated out as they are heterotrophs (meaning that they don't fix their own carbon, but have to use (eat) carbon fixed by other organisms for their metabolism). Since the "intestinal flora" is an old term, we still say that - even though fungi are presently being re-evaluated as organisms. :)
2007-05-15 05:29:49 · answer #1 · answered by KungFoolio 5 · 3⤊ 1⤋
Define Intestinal Flora
2016-11-07 08:41:16 · answer #2 · answered by zeh 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
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Why is it called Intestinal Flora and not Fauna?
Flora refers to plant life. Fauna refers to animal life. When describing symbiotic microbial colonies in our intestines, the medical profession uses 'Intestinal Flora', which I find weird since bacteria are animals (use oxygen, exhale CO2) not plants. Why isn't it 'Intestinal...
2015-08-12 23:27:42 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
The flora is yeast. We have a combination of bacteria and yeast in our gut and other body parts. If we get out of balance we can have problems. H. Pylori is a bacterial infection that can lead to ulcers. We need lactobacillus to equalize the candida yeast in our large intestine. Hope that helps.
2007-05-08 19:30:44 · answer #4 · answered by Yo C 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Great question. Unfortunately, I don't have an answer for you. The term 'microflora' is commonly used to describe the organisms living in the gut. Flora .... not fauna. Who knows?
2007-05-08 13:44:46 · answer #5 · answered by Doctor J 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋