INSTITUT PENDIDIKAN GURU

KAMPUS DATO’ RAZALI ISMAIL

EX-SITU CONSERVATION: ZOOS AND BOTANICAL GARDENS

PRACTICAL 3

(SCE 3107)

NAME: MUHAMMAD BAIHAQI B. MOHMAD ASARI

I/C NUMBER: 890831-11-5341

CODE: SCE 3107

UNIT: PISMP SN/BI/PJ SEMESTER 4

MATRIX NUMBER: 122583

INTRODUCTION:

In-situ conservation is the best long term strategy to protect biodiversity in order to

conserve natural populations and communities in their natural habitat. But, for many

species, this is no longer an option. Many scientists preferred that ex-situ conservation

to maintain natural populations under human management.

Facilities for ex-situ preservation of plants and animal include zoos, aquaria, and

plant collections. In the past, zoos were mainly display facilities for the purpose of

public enjoyment and education. As large numbers of the species traditionally on

display have become rarer in the wild, many zoos have taken on the additional role of

building up numbers through captive breeding programs.

The role of aquaria has largely been as display and educational facilities.

However, they are assuming new importance in captive breeding programs. Growing

threats to freshwater species in particular, are leading to the development of ex situ

breeding programs. Marine, as well as freshwater species are also the subject of

captive breeding programs. For example, The National Marine Aquarium, in South West

England, is playing an important role in the conservation of sea horse species through

their captive breeding programs.

Plant collection is the collections types of plants in a place artificially.

Populations of plant species are much easier than animals to maintain artificially. They

need less care and their requirements for particular habitat conditions can be provided

more readily. It is also much easier to breed and propagate plant species in captivity.

RESULT: GROUP

PRESENTATION

DISSCUSSION:

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.

a) National level: Taman Pertanian Sabah has some 400 species of the 1500

orchid species identified in the Island of Borneo including some rare and

endangered species. It also has 400 orchid species of economic value

grouped in accordance to their uses such as medicines, spices and

condiments, beverages, oil, fibers, fruits, handicrafts and nuts. This park also

has a collection of almost 100 species of the native gingers. This park does

not focus on particular group because it has some orchid and gingers

collections.

b) Global level: Royal Botanic Garden in Britain has 22 slipper orchid species.

This park is just focus on one group because there is just some orchid

collection.

2. What do in situ and ex situ mean? What are the merits and shortcomings of 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.

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. Ex situ conservation also can be say

as the conservation and maintenance of samples of living organisms outside

their natural habitat, for example in the form of whole plants, seed, pollen,

vegetative prop gules, tissue or cell cultures.

(Wikipedia)

The disadvantages of ex-situ conservation are that it rarely saves species from

extinction and it is used as a supplement to in-situ conservation. Ecological

relationships may be disrupted. Species preserved by cytogeneses may not be

genetically adapted to the area of reintroduction and this reduces survival rate.

Ex-situ conservation is also expensive. So, it will require a huge amount of cost

to practice this strategy.

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?

In situ conservation maintains recovering populations in the surrounding where

they have developed their distinctive properties. Another is that this strategy

helps ensure the ongoing processes of evolution and adaptation within their

environments. The animals and plants need the natural condition to let them

breed and make them comfortable in the natural habitat. They will learn how to

search their food themselves and know their predators. They also can learn how

to adapt and survive in extreme weather.

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?

The extinct creatures of that time period are close to impossible and there is no

way that they can survive with our different atmosphere, habitats, diseases, and

foods at this time. They cannot adapt with current condition of habitat to breed,

searching food and survive in current weathers.

REFERENCES:

Cecie Starr, Lisa Starr, Biology Illustrator, Basic Concepts In Biology, Fifth Edition, 2003

Wadsworth Group.

Sylvia S. Mader (2006), Inquiry Into Life 11th Edition. New York: McGraw-Hill

Neil A. Campbell, Jane B. Reece, Essential Biology, 2001 Benjamin Cummings.

http://www.angelfire.com/realm3/silvermist/ramblings/geneticengineering.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/In-situ_conservation

http://wiki.answers.com/Q/What_is_Ex-situ_conservation