APPROACHES TO CONSERVATION U3

Question 1

Approaches to Conservation

Answer 1

Species-Based Approach: Focuses on protecting individual endangered or threatened species to prevent their extinction.
Habitat-Based Approach: Aims to preserve ecosystems and environments that support various species by protecting and restoring their natural habitats.
Mixed Approach: Combines elements of species-based and habitat-based conservation, striking a balance between safeguarding specific species and maintaining healthy ecosystems.

Question 2

In situ

Answer 2

Aim to preserve biodiversity in natural habitats (protected areas, safari parks, etc.)

Question 3

Ex situ

Answer 3

conservation preserves biodiversity outside natural habitats (zoos, botanical gardens, etc.)

Question 4

CITES → Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora

Answer 4

An international treaty aimed at regulating and monitoring the international trade of wildlife and plants to ensure their conservation and prevent overexploitation. The convention has been ratified by 183 states.
strengths: CITES currently protects 35,000 species, with countries becoming voluntary members (monitoring trade, extracting fines to discourage trade) - works transboundary
→ ensures the overall sustainability of international wildlife trade
→ legally binding - participating countries must implement the convention
→ limitations:
→ penalties and fines may not be severe enough to stop smugglers
→ CITES lacks financial mechanisms for implementation at the national level
→ interpretations vary between countries
states adhere voluntarily
have to adopt its domestic legislation to ensure that the treaty is implemented at the national level.
ratified by 183 states

Question 5

Captive Breeding & Reintroduction Programmes (Zoos)

Answer 5

Facilities where animals are housed & breeding can take place. They aim to increase the numbers of endangered species
and work to reintroduce them into their native habitats.

→ development level of country must be considered (can the programme be supported in the long term)
→ in situ or ex situ - habitat threatened species must be ex situ, species with local involvement can be in situ
→ ‘five freedoms’ - freedom from thirst, hunger, physical discomfort, injury & disease, fear & distress, freedom to express normal behaviours

Strengths:
Able to educate public about need for conservation by allowing them to empathise with wildlife
Captive breeding can be used to increase population sizes of threatened species
Offers a temporary protected area to maintain genetic diversity, animals reintroduced later
Allows research to be conducted
Limitations:
Captive animals have trouble re-adapting to the wild
Not all species breed easily in captivity1
Habitats are very different from natural environment, species isolated from their typical niche
Ethical issues surrounding using captive animals for profit
Popular species are not necessarily the ones at the most risk

Question 6

Botanical gardens & seed banks

Answer 6

Their mission is not only to grow plants but to identify and classify them and carry out research, education and conservation.
Seed banks are where seeds are stored, frozen and dried, for many years.
Botanical gardens
about 1,500 botanical gardens around the world.
mission is to grow plants, identify, classify them and carry out research, education and conservation.
largest botanical garden is the Royal Botanical Gardens in Kew, London, they grow 25,000 plant species (about 10% of the world’s total)
Seed banks
Seeds are stored, frozen and dried, for many years.
Gene banks for the world’s plant species and insurance policy for the future. - If lost in the wild, seeds may be preserved for future use.

Strengths:
Gene banks for the world’s plant species and insurance policy for the future.

Question 7

Flagship species

Answer 7

Flagship species are “charismatic” species selected to appeal to the public. By focusing on high-profile, iconic species there is a greater chance that conservation issues will catch the public attention, and raise the necessary money for conservation initiatives.

Question 8

Keystone species

Answer 8

Keystone species are species that are vital for the continuing function of the ecosystem: without them the ecosystem may collapse.

Limitations:
Difficult to identify due to the complexity of the ecosystem
Many keystone species may be species that are as yet unidentified.
Strengths:
By conserving whole ecosystems (i.e. establishing protected areas), rather than attempting to conserve individual species, the complex interrelationships that exist will be preserved, including the keystone species.