The Living World - EX-SITU Conservation Strategies

Description:

Ex-situ conservation is a type of off-site conservation where samples from plants and animals are stored out of their natural habitats under controlled conditions. They are use not only for providing housing and care but also for educational and recreational purposes.

Some of the methods of ex-situ conservation are −

Seed gene bank or germplasm bank

Easiest way to store the germ plasm of plants at low temperatures. Germplasm can also be preserved by in-vitro culturing where cutting of plants are maintained under controlled conditions.

Field gene bank

These are used to store living sperms, eggs or embryos.

Cryopreservation

In-vitro conservation which is done at very low temperatures of about -196 O C in liquid nitrogen.

Botanical gardens

Live plant specimens are conserved.

Zoo

Animal specimens are conserved.

Limitations of Ex-situ conservation

• It stops the natural evolution and adaptation process.
• In cryogenic preservation of specimens, adaptation process comes to halt altogether.
• These strategies are highly expensive.
• Fails to recreate the habitat as a whole.
• Seed banks are not effective for few plant species which do not show viability for long time.