In situ and ex situ conservation

Question 1

What are in situ conservation?

Answer 1

• is the site conservation of species in their natural habitat/environment

Question 2

What are examples of in situ conservation?

Answer 2

e.g. widlife reserves and Marine Conservation zones

Question 3

What are ex situ conservation?

Answer 3

• Is the off site conservation of species in a location outside of their natural habitat/ecosystem

Question 4

What are examples of ex situ conservation?

Answer 4

e.g. seed banks, botanic gardens, zoo etc

Question 5

What are the advantages of in situ conservation?

Answer 5

• Habitat and species are saved at the same time
• Control populations of invasive (non-native species) e.g. rats in New Zealand
• legal protection e.g. trade in ivory
• supplement feeding/resting boxes

Question 6

What are the limitations of in situ conservation?

Answer 6

• hunting/predation is hard to control
• unavoidable if habitat cannot be saved e.g. climate chnage
• more expensive to do

Question 7

What are the advantages of ex situ conservation?

Answer 7

• health of individuals can be monitored
• reduced mortality of young e.g. eggs can be artificially incubated
• protection from hunting/predation
• reduce interspecific and intraspecific competition
• mates can be selected to maintain genetic biodiversity

Question 8

What are the limitations of ex situ conservation?

Answer 8

• few breeding individuals
  -> genetic biodiversity decreases
• some species don’t breed well in captivity e.g. Panda
• expensive and long term