Biodiversity Conservation: In-Situ and Ex-Situ
• 1. In-Situ (natural home)
• 2.Ex-Situ (artificial home)
Actual Question in CSAT 2011
(12.) Which one of the following is not a site for in-situ method of conservation of flora?
• (a.)Biosphere Reserve
• (b.) Botanical Garden
• (c.) National Park
• (d.) Wildlife Sanctuary
In-situ biodiversity conservation (Natural Home)
• In this case, you identify an area with high biodiversity (= this area has lot of number and variety of plants and animals)
• And then, you isolate and protect this area from human activities by establishing a natural park/sanctuary/biosphere reserve etc.
• Very essential for Big animals like elephants, rhinos, tigers: they require huge area.
Difference between a national park, wildlife Sanctuary, and a biosphere reserve
National Park No human activity or settlement allowed.
Villagers cannot graze their animals, Extremely strict rules about jungle produce collection (Tendu leaves, Honey etc.)
Wildlife Sanctuary People are not allowed to live (some exceptions though) but some human activities are allowed, such as grazing, firewood collection.
Tourism is permitted.
A Sanctuary can be upgraded as a National Park. However a National Park cannot be downgraded as a Sanctuary.
Biosphere reserve People are allowed to live, own private land and carry on their traditional activities. (In the outer-zone) Ex-Situ biodiversity conservation (artificial home)
• examples: seed banks, zoo, botanical gardens, aquariums
Seed Banks
• They store seeds at extremely low temperature and humidity.
• Advantage: can save large variety of plant species in a very small space.
Seed Banks : Problems
• every seed has an expiry date, you cannot store it for an indefinite time. So every once in a while, you have to take out the seeds, germinate them and get new seeds and store them again.
• Multinational companies such as Monasoto have excellent infrastructure for these activities, but they care for storing the seeds of commercially
• 2.Ex-Situ (artificial home)
Actual Question in CSAT 2011
(12.) Which one of the following is not a site for in-situ method of conservation of flora?
• (a.)Biosphere Reserve
• (b.) Botanical Garden
• (c.) National Park
• (d.) Wildlife Sanctuary
In-situ biodiversity conservation (Natural Home)
• In this case, you identify an area with high biodiversity (= this area has lot of number and variety of plants and animals)
• And then, you isolate and protect this area from human activities by establishing a natural park/sanctuary/biosphere reserve etc.
• Very essential for Big animals like elephants, rhinos, tigers: they require huge area.
Difference between a national park, wildlife Sanctuary, and a biosphere reserve
National Park No human activity or settlement allowed.
Villagers cannot graze their animals, Extremely strict rules about jungle produce collection (Tendu leaves, Honey etc.)
Wildlife Sanctuary People are not allowed to live (some exceptions though) but some human activities are allowed, such as grazing, firewood collection.
Tourism is permitted.
A Sanctuary can be upgraded as a National Park. However a National Park cannot be downgraded as a Sanctuary.
Biosphere reserve People are allowed to live, own private land and carry on their traditional activities. (In the outer-zone) Ex-Situ biodiversity conservation (artificial home)
• examples: seed banks, zoo, botanical gardens, aquariums
Seed Banks
• They store seeds at extremely low temperature and humidity.
• Advantage: can save large variety of plant species in a very small space.
Seed Banks : Problems
• every seed has an expiry date, you cannot store it for an indefinite time. So every once in a while, you have to take out the seeds, germinate them and get new seeds and store them again.
• Multinational companies such as Monasoto have excellent infrastructure for these activities, but they care for storing the seeds of commercially