In-Situ Conservation

Edexcel AS-level BiologyBiodiversityLesson 18 of 22

In situ conservation means protecting species in their natural habitat. Instead of removing organisms, the habitat is protected and managed, and the threats to the species are reduced.

Advantages of in situ conservation:
• The whole ecosystem is protected, including the food species, pollinators, predators and habitat that the species depends on. Many species are conserved at once.
• Organisms stay in the conditions they are adapted to, and keep their natural behaviour, such as feeding, hunting and courtship.
• Populations can keep evolving by natural selection as their environment changes.
• Population sizes can be larger than in zoos, so more genetic diversity is kept.

More in Biodiversity

• Conserving Ecosystems
• Conservation
• Ex-Situ Conservation of Plants
• Ex-situ Conservation of Animals
• In-situ Conservation Strategies
• National Parks
• Conflicts with Conservation
• Sustainability

All 22 lessons in Biodiversity · All Edexcel AS-level Biology topics