CONSERVATION STRATEGIES

EX-SITU and IN-SITU In – situ Ex – situ Examples inside outside site site Examples Captive breeding – zoos Botanic gardens Seed banks Example Nature reserves National Parks Marine Parks Biosphere Reserves

SEED BANKS Seeds collected and stored -10ºC to -20ºC Remain viable for many years but not forever!! So … will need to be germinated and grown to produce replacement seeds

BOTANIC GARDENS e.g. Royal Botanic Gardens of Kew Many different species of plants are grown Gardens and greenhouses

CAPTIVE BREEDING PROGRAMS i.e. zoos Animals are caught and put in a zoo Encouraged to breed When numbers are high enough, can be released back into the wild e.g. Prezwalski horse

NATURE RESERVES Species is conserved in its natural habitat May be terrestrial or marine Disadvantages May not be safe to leave very rare species in the wild Habitat loss forces removal of threatened species Ex-situ measures Advantages Species remain adapted to habitat Greater genetic diversity conserved Natural behavior patterns maintained Interactions between species help whole ecosystem

MANAGEMENT ISSUES Elimination of alien species (particularly predators and invasive plants) Restoration of degraded areas Implementation of measures to encourage threatened species (e.g. supplementary feeding) Controlling human exploitation e.g. hunting

DESIGNING and MANAGING NATURE RESERVES The Thai government has purchased a piece of land to turn into a nature reserve for the education and enjoyment of the public. Your organisation has been given the task of designing and managing the reserve. You must consider how to address the management issues covered in the previous slide as well as how to incorporate the needs of vistors to the reserve.

INTERNATIONAL AGENCIES and MEASURES Research one of the following agencies or conservation measures and report back to the class on the role it plays in international conservation efforts. CITES – Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species WWF – World Wildlife Fund IUCN – World Conservation Union Convention on Biological Diversity UNEP – United Nations Environment Programme