methods of maintaining biodiversity

what is conservation?

the preservation and management of the environment and natural resources

what is in situ and ex situ conservation?

within the natural habitat and out of the natural habitat

what is sustainable development?

economic development that meets the needs of people today, without limiting the ability of future generations

what are the advantages of in situ conservation?

\-maintains genetic diversity and the evolutionary adaptations that enable a species to adapt continually to changing environmental conditions

\-preserves interdependent relationships present in a habitat

what do active management techniques include?

\-controlled grazing

\-restricting human access

\-controlling poaching

\-feeding animals

\-reintroduction of species

\-removal of invasive species

\-halting succession

\-marine conservation zones

what are the advantages of botanic gardens?

species are actively managed to provide them with the best resources to grow, such as the provision of nutrients, sufficient watering and pest removal

what are seed banks?

an example of a gene bank. seeds are stored so they may be grown in the future- they are dried and stored at temperatures of -20 degrees to maintain their viability. however, the seeds of most tropical rainforests cannot be stored in this way. seed banks may be important for future reintroduction and research, for breeding and for genetic engineering in the future.

what are captive breeding programmes?

produce offspring of species in a human-controlled environment, and are often run by zoos and aquatic centres. scientists working on these aim to create a stable, healthy population of a species and then gradually reintroduce the species back into its natural habitat

why can maintaining genetic diversity within a captive breeding programme be difficult?

\-small number of breeding partners- inbreeding could occur, to solve this an international catalogue is maintained, detailing genealogical data

\-techniques such as artificial insemination, embryo transfer and long-term cryogenic storage allow new genetic lines to be introduced without having to transport the adults to new locations

why might some organisms born in captivity not be suitable for release in the wild?

\-diseases- loss of resistance, and new diseases may exist in the wild, to which captive animals have yet to develop resistance

\-behaviour- much has to be learned through copying or experience

\-genetic races- the genetic make-up of captive animals can become so different from the original population that the two populations cannot interbreed

habitat- in many cases the natural habitat must first be restored. the introduction of new individuals to a habitat can lead to stress and tension as individuals fight for territory and food

what is the IUCN

International Union for the Conservation of Nature

\-at least once a year the ICUN publishes the Red List, detailing the current conservation status of threatened animals

\-also involved in the establishment of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species- regulates trade of wild plant and animal specimens and their products

The Rio Convention

\-in 1992, meeting of 172 nations

\-Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD)- require countries to develop national strategies for sustainable development

The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change- an agreement between nations to take steps to stabilise greenhouse gas concentrations within the atmosphere

The United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification- aims to prevent the transformation of fertile land into desert and reduce the effects of drought

Countryside stewardship scheme

\-operated from 1991-2014

\-offered governmental payments to farmers and other land managers to enhance and conserve the English landscape

\-aims included sustaining beauty and diversity of the landscape, extending wildlife habitats, restoring neglected land, improving opportunities for countryside enjoyment

CITES

• First agreed in 1973

• Aim is to ensure that international trade in specimens of wildlife does not threaten their survival

• Over 25,000 species of plants and animals have been identified as being at risk from international trade

• CITES aims to:

• Regulate and monitor international trade in selected plant and animal species

• Ensure international trade does not endanger the survival of populations in the wild

• Ensure that trade in wild plants for commercial purposes is prohibited

• Ensure that trade in artificially propagated plants is allowed, subject to permit

• Ensure that some slightly less endangered wild species can be traded subject to a permit, as agreed between importing and exporting countries