Conservation

This lesson covers: 

1. Conservation in the natural habitat
2. Controlling invasive species
3. Conservation outside the natural habitat
4. Assisted reproduction in conservation
5. Conservation agreements

Conservation of species in their natural habitat

Conservation is the preservation and careful management of the environment and of natural resources. Conservation can protect species in their natural habitats.

Some examples include:

• National parks, marine parks, and wildlife reserves.
• Protecting food sources and nesting sites.
• Making hunting of certain species illegal.

Advantages:

• Larger populations can be sustained.
• More chance of recovery.

However, many species remain at risk from things like climate change.

Controlling invasive species

An invasive species is one that has moved into a new ecosystem where it was previously unknown.

The potential effects of invasive species include:

1. Predation of native organisms.
2. Competition with native organisms.
3. Introduction of diseases.
4. Some invasive plants cover huge areas of land or water.

Therefore, it is important to control invasive species in ecosystems as a part of conservation.

Conservation of species outside their natural habitat

Conservation can also involve relocating species facing imminent threat.

Some methods include:

• Relocating species to safer regions.
• Relocating species for captive breeding, research, and to education centres like zoos or botanic gardens.
• Storing seeds in seed banks.
• Freezing and storing genetic resources like sperm, egg cells, embryos, and tissue samples from endangered and vulnerable species for long periods of time in 'frozen zoos'.

Captive animals may struggle to survive when reintroduced into the wild because of potential loss of resistance to local diseases, behavioural issues, genetic differences, and limited suitable habitat.

Assisted reproduction in conservation

Assisted reproduction is any technique involved in treating infertility or protecting a female mammal of an endangered species from the health risks of pregnancy. It helps avoid issues associated with inbreeding.

Methods of assisted reproduction include artificial insemination and embryo transfer, and in vitro fertilisation.

Artificial insemination and embryo transfer:

1. Semen from a male of the endangered species is injected into the uterus of a female of the endangered species.
2. Sperm fertilises the egg cell forming an embryo.
3. The embryo is transferred into the uterus of another female animal (the surrogate), who may not be the same species.
4. This protects the endangered animal from the risks of pregnancy.

In vitro fertilisation (IVF):

1. Egg cells are collected from the ovaries of a female of the endangered species.
2. Egg cells are mixed with semen from a male of the endangered species to form embryos.
3. The embryos are cultured before being placed into the uterus of the mother or of surrogate mothers.

Conservation agreements

International cooperation protects migrating species through agreements.

The Rio Convention on Biological Diversity:

• Develops conservation strategies and sustainable use of resources.
• Made biodiversity conservation an international legal responsibility.
• Aims to stabilise greenhouse gas concentrations, and prevent the transformation of fertile land into desert.
• Provides governments guidance on protecting habitats.

CITES:

• Makes trading endangered species internationally illegal.
• Regulates trade of wild plant and animals and their products (like furs, skins, and ivory) through licensing requirements.
• Raises awareness through education on threats.

IUCN:

• Aids in securing international conservation agreements.
• Publishes the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species, detailing the conservation status of threatened species.

These legally binding agreements regulate human activities and make species and habitat conservation a globally shared responsibility. Consistency across borders is vital as at-risk organisms can migrate between countries.