Maintaining Biodiversity Through Conservation

Question 1

What is the definition of conservation?

Answer 1

The protection and management of species and habitats which relies on human intervention strategies to protect endangered species

Question 2

What is the definition of preservation?

Answer 2

The protection of species by isolating them from all human contact

Question 3

What is In Situ Conservation?

Answer 3

Conservation on site- it involves protecting species in their natural habitat

Question 4

Explain some of the In Situ Conservation methods used

Answer 4

1. Establishing protected areas such as national parks and wildlife reserves
2. Preventing the introduction of species that threaten local biodiversity
3. Protecting habitats
4. Restoring damaged areas
5. Promoting particular species
6. Giving legal protection to endangered species

Question 5

Explain one advantage and one disadvantage to In Situ methods of conservation

Answer 5

• Advantage: both the species and their habitat is conserved. This means larger populations can be protected and its less disruptive then removing organisms from their habitat
• Disadvantage: It can b difficult to control some factors that are threatening a species such as poaching, predators, disease or climate change

Question 6

What is Ex Situ Conservation?

Answer 6

Conservation off site- involves protecting a species by removing part of the population from a threatened habitat and placing it in a new location. This method is often a last resort

Question 7

Explain some of the Ex Situ Conservation methods used

Answer 7

1. Relocating the organism to a safer area
2. Breeding organisms in captivity then reintroducing them to the wild once they are strong enough
3. Botanic gardens are controlled environments used to grow a variety of rare plants for the purposes of conservation, research, display, and education
4. Seed banks (seeds frozen or dehydrated and stored without losing their fertility)

Question 8

Explain the advantages and disadvantages to Ex Situ methods of Conservation

Answer 8

• Advantage: used to protect individual animals in a controlled environment. Predation and hunting can be managed much more easily, competition is reduced, and can check on individuals health and can treat them for disease, breeding can also be manipulated
• Disadvantages: only a small number of individuals can be cared for, difficult and expensive to create and sustain the right environment, species find it harder to breed successfully in captivity, or they struggle to adapt to the new environment.

Question 9

Explain what the Rio Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD)

Answer 9

Its an international agreement signed by 150 government leaders in 1992. Its dedicated to promoting sustainable development and aims to develop international strategies on the conservation of biodiversity. It also aims to provide human needs such as food, medicine, water, and shelter, but in a sustainable way

Question 10

Explain what the CITES Agreement is

Answer 10

=Convention On International Trade in Endangered Species
designed to increase international cooperation in regulating trade in wild animal and plant species. The member countries all agreed to make it illegal to kill endangered species, and helps to conserve species by limiting trade through licensing, and make it illegal to trade in products made from endangered animals

Question 11

Explain what the Countryside Stewardship Scheme (CSS) is as a local conservation agreement example.

Answer 11

Some of the aims were to conserve wildlife and biodiversity, and improve and extend wildlife habitats by promoting specific management techniques to landowners, with the government paying the landowners who followed these techniques.