SCE 3107 Ecosystem & Biodiversity

Ex-situ Conservation

SCIENCE LABORATORY PRACTICAL 3 Ex-situ Conservation 1.0 2.0 Title : Ex-situ Conservation: Zoos & Botanical Garden

Introduction: There are two ways of biodiversity conservation which are in-situ conservation and ex situ conservation. In-situ conservation means "on-site conservation". It is the process of protecting an endangered plant or animal species in its natural habitat, either by protecting or cleaning up the habitat itself, or by defending the species from predators. The benefit to in-situ conservation is that it maintains recovering populations in the surrounding where they have developed their distinctive properties. As a last resort, ex-situ conservation may be used on some or all of the population, when in-situ conservation is too difficult, or impossible. Ex-situ conservation means literally, "off-site conservation". It is the process of protecting an endangered species of plant or animal by removing part of the population from a threatened habitat and placing it in a new location, which may be a wild area or within the care of humans. While ex-situ conservation comprises some of the oldest and best known conservation methods, it also involves newer, sometimes controversial laboratory methods. Zoos and botanical gardens are the most conventional methods of ex-situ conservation, all of which house whole, protected specimens for breeding and reintroduction into the wild when necessary and possible. These facilities provide not only housing and care for specimens of endangered species, but also have an educational value. They inform the public of the threatened status of endangered species and of those factors

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SCE 3107 Ecosystem & Biodiversity

Ex-situ Conservation

which cause the threat, with the hope of creating public interest in stopping and reversing those factors which jeopardize a species' survival in the first place. They are the most publicly visited ex-situ conservation sites, with the WZCS (World Zoo Conservation Strategy) estimating that the 1100 organized zoos in the world receive more than 600 million visitors annually--roughly ten percent of the world's population. 3.0 Questions and Answers: 1. What range of diversity is present ? How representative of total biodiversity at (a) a national and (b) a global level are these zoo and garden collections? Do they focus on particular groups and under represent others ? Explain. Ethnobotanical Garden is the one of the most largest species collectors for biodiversity conservation in Malaysia. In the global level of the range it is referred as a place where the scientist do their research to the certain species that are provided in the garden. Actually, the range cannot be determined as the life species in the garden that need different type of climate. The suitable plants for certain type of species is citronella oil (Cymbopogon Nardus), tongkat ali (IEurycomal longifilia) and so on. But, some species such as four season plants cannot be find here. The reason is by climate. The climate is not suitable for them. So the range of diversity is not representative as a global level garden collection. No, because the garden provides the different types of species and not focus on particular groups only. But this Ethnobotanical Garden conserve about 100 species herbal plants that collected from all Peninsular Malaysia, Sabah and Sarawak. Plant Discovery Garden is a place where it has some of the most interesting and unite plants in this garden. For example is native

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SCE 3107 Ecosystem & Biodiversity

Ex-situ Conservation

orchids, slipper orchids, pitcher-plants, aquatic plants, economic crops, bromeliads and the Venus Flytrap. In this garden, the range of diversity that present is representative of total biodiversity at a national and global level. The reason is the plants were collected from around the world. For example, the Venus Flytrap is the most spectacular tropical America plants. All plants here is divided in blocks according to their species, features and soil.
2.

What do in situ and ex situ mean? What are the merits and shortcomings of ex situ conservation? The term in situ conservation means taking care of biodiversity in its natural habitat. It also means protecting an important part of our natural ecosystems, the populations of natural wild species and, consequently, seeking to provide the minimal conditions required to maintain genetic variety in its natural state. The ex situ conservation of different species means taking care of them outside of their natural habitats. This method complements in situ conservation, especially when measures to recover and rehabilitate endangered species and reintroduce them to their natural habitats, are used. Facilities such as botanical gardens, zoos and aquariums are used to conserve plants and animals ex situ. The merits of ex situ conservation is makes it easier for scientist to study, research, distribute and use plant genetic resources. For example, the tigers. By conservation of ex situ, tiger is transferred to the new place or habitat. It is because of the natural habitat of the tiger s destroyed. The shortcoming of ex situ conservation is trying to breed the tiger in an environment or to create the new habitat like the natural habitat. But, ex situ conservation is more controlled than in situ conservation. So, we must understand clearly the needs of the animals

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SCE 3107 Ecosystem & Biodiversity

Ex-situ Conservation

and plants. If we want to conserve them, we must work fairly so that they will conserve well.
3.

Why do some ecologists believe that in situ conservation, by careful habitat management, is the only acceptable conservation strategy, and that it is unacceptable to maintain species which no longer have any natural habitat, or who are unable to breed in the wild, in zoos/gardens? Some ecologist believes that in-situ conservation, by careful habitat management, is the only acceptable conservation strategy because in situ conservation taking care of biodiversity in its natural habitat. This conservation does not need a high cost. Moreover, it is suitable for the animals or plants to live in their own habitat than the new habitat. By the way, it is unacceptable to maintain species which no longer have any natural habitat, or who are unable to breed in the wild, in zoos/gardens because of the new habitat is not same with the natural habitat. Furthermore, the new habitat is more costly. Sometimes some of the animals and plants cannot adapt well with their new habitat. So, they will not live longer at the place. Maybe they will die. It makes the population of the animals and plants become decrease.

4. Why do many people think it is not right to attempt to bring back extinct species such as the Tasmanian tiger? What are the conservation implications of these types of actions? Ex-situ conservation, while helpful in man's efforts to sustain and protect our environment, is rarely enough to save a species from extinction. It is to be used as a last resort, or as a supplement to in-situ conservation because it cannot recreate the habitat as a whole: the entire genetic variation of a species, its symbiotic counterparts, or those elements which, over time, might help a species adapt to its changing surroundings. Instead, ex-situ conservation removes the

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SCE 3107 Ecosystem & Biodiversity

Ex-situ Conservation

species from its natural ecological contexts, preserving it under semiisolated conditions whereby natural evolution and adaptation processes are either temporarily halted or altered by introducing the specimen to an unnatural habitat. In the case of cryogenic storage methods, the preserved specimen's adaptation processes are frozen altogether. The downside to this is that, when re-released, the species may lack the genetic adaptations and mutations which would allow it to thrive in its ever-changing natural habitat. Furthermore, ex-situ conservation techniques are often costly, with cryogenic storage being economically infeasible in most cases since species stored in this manner cannot provide a profit but instead slowly drain the financial resources of the government or organization determined to operate them. Seed banks are ineffective for certain plant genera with recalcitrant seeds that do not remain fertile for long periods of time. Diseases and pests foreign to the species, to which the species has no natural defense, may also cripple crops of protected plants in ex-situ plantations and in animals living in ex-situ breeding grounds. These factors, combined with the specific environmental needs of many species, some of which are nearly impossible to recreate by man, make ex-situ conservation impossible for a great number of the world's endangered flora and fauna. References:
1. Kooi F. Y & Ponnampalam J (2006), Excel in STPM Biology,

First Edition, Selangor Darul Ehsan: Penerbitan Pelangi Sdn. Bhd.

2. Wah M. C & Kim T. L. S (2007), Total Pro SPM Form 4 & 5

Biology, First Edition, Selangor Darul Ehsan: Sasbadi Sdn Bhd.

3. 4.

http://www.ipedia.net/information/in-situ+conservation http://www.ipedia.net/information/Ex-situ+conservation
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SCE 3107 Ecosystem & Biodiversity

5. 6. 7. 8.

Ex-situ Conservation

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/In-situ_conservation http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ex-situ_conservation http://www.elbalero.gob.mx/kids/bio/html/conseva/exsitu.html http://www.elbalero.gob.mx/kids/bio/html/conseva/anp.html

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