Conservation

This lesson covers: 

  1. In situ conservation
  2. Ex situ conservation
  3. Conservation agreements

In situ conservation of species

Conservation is the preservation and careful management of the environment and of natural resources. In situ conservation protects species in their natural habitats.


Some methods of in situ conservation include:

  • National parks and wildlife reserves.
  • Controlling invasive or threatening species.
  • Protecting food sources and nesting sites.
  • Making hunting of certain species illegal.
  • Marine conservation zones.


Advantages of in situ conservation include:

  • Larger populations can be sustained.
  • More chance of recovery than ex situ conservation.


But species remain at risk from things like climate change.

Ex situ conservation through relocation

Ex situ conservation relocates species facing imminent threat.


Some methods of ex situ conservation 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.
  • Reintroducing species once populations are stable.


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.

International conservation agreements

International cooperation protects migrating species through agreements.


The Rio Convention on Biological Diversity:

  • Aims to develop 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.

Local conservation agreements

Local habitat conservation schemes can help to protect species. For example, the UK's Countryside Stewardship Scheme subsidises farmers to manage land sustainably. This enhances and conserves the landscape, making conservation a part of normal farming and land management practice.


Some of the actions the scheme subsidies include:

  • Allowing field margins with natural re-growth.
  • Protecting hedgerows.
  • Grazing control.


Supporting local participation preserves special regional habitats.