Advantages*/Disadvantages**

Question 1

…of In Situ conservation of animals + plants *

Answer 1

• Animals/plants conserved in natural habitat + has all resources it is adapted to
• It will continue to evolve in its environment
• More space/larger breeding populations can be kept
• Permanently protects habitat + significant elements of natural/cultural heritage
• Allows management of protected areas to ensure biodiversity is maintained
• Allows for outdoor activities which has associated economic benefits

eg. ANIMALS: wildlife reserves, marine conservation zones

PLANTS: nature reserves, natural parks

Question 2

…of In situ conservation of animals & plants **

Answer 2

eg. ANIMALS: wildlife reserves, marine conservation zones

PLANTS: nature reserves, natural parks

1. The area can act as a ‘honey pot’ to poachers
2. Condition causing need for conservation may still be present
3. Population may have already lost most of genetic diversity
4. Not easy to controls (disease, climate change)
5. Endangered habitats may be fragmented- cannot ensure survival
6. May be too few in number to successfully reproduce

Question 3

…of EX SITU conservation of animals/plants **

Answer 3

• Organisms are living outside their natural habitat, nutritional issues, will not evolve naturally
• May not behave as normal, reproduction may be effected
• Reintroduction may be difficult eg. in finding food, surviving predation
• Difficult/expensive to try to acheive correct environment

A captive pop. is always likely to have limited genetic diversity.

Question 4

…of EX SITU CONSERVATION of animals + plants *

Answer 4

1. Organisms are protected from predation/poaching.
2. Population divided, so at least one will survive if disaster strikes
3. Genetic diversity of pop. can be measured- Selective breeding can occur to increase GD.
4. Health of an individual may be monitored, medical assistance given.
5. Conservation sites can be used as education, fundraising, raising public awareness- research into biology of endangered species is made easier
6. Animals can be bred to increase population size, IVF can be used

^{<strong>eg. Captive breeding programmes, zoos / botanical gardens, seed banks</strong>}

Question 5

….of botanical gardens (ex situ) **

Answer 5

> Seeds collected from one area may not succeed in a different area

• *>** collecting wild seeds will cause disturbance
• *>** Expensive + public less interested in plants < animals
• *>** Stored seeds may not be viable
• *>** Plants bred asexually will be genetically identical- decreasing genetic diversity

> Conclusions of research on a small sample may not be valid for the entire species

> Collected samples may not have a representative level of genetic diversity

Question 6

…of botanical gardens *

Answer 6

1. Dormant stage of conservation is useful for ex-situ conservation
2. Seeds produced in large numbers so collection from wild causes little disturbance
3. Collected seeds can be stored + germinated in protected surroundings
4. Stored seeds take little space
5. Plants can breed asexually
6. Tissue culture can be used to grow numbers to reintroduce to wild/for research
7. Captive-bred individuals easily released into wild

Question 7

what are the potential disadvantages of preservation

Answer 7

• Nobody can enjoy the area, no point in having a resource that can’t be used

Question 8

what are the advantages of conservation

Answer 8

SOCIAL- aesthetic pleasure/health/faster recovery

outdoor activities eg. walking, cycling, climbing, bird watching

ECONOMIC- sustainable timber production

potential resources eg. in rainforests for medicinal drugs/ avoid costs of healthcare from lack of biodiversity

local economy supported eg. clothing, trade, food

ETHICAL- all organisms the ‘right’ to exist/moral obligation to future generations to maintain biodiversity + ecosystems

Question 9

the advantages + disadvantages of growing vegetables instead of meat in a starving world in terms of energy flow in a food web

Answer 9

Only a tiny proportion of energy in plants is converted into biomass i.e. beef production, by grazing animals. Tf many m² are used to produce one steak (eg. 22m² crops for a 250g steak)

The rest is lost to the environment eg. as heat, faeces

Using this land to grow vegetables could provide 100x the quantity of the same area of land for meat.

Vegetables do not necessarily contain the protein and nutrient content of meat- vegetarians need to combine foods to get their quota of amino acids.

World food problems are not just about production, but economies + politics limiting production & distribution.

Many sheep (grazing animals) are kept on land unsuitable for crops.