Conservation of Biodiversity โ In-situ & Ex-situ
In-situ and ex-situ conservation methods, biosphere reserves, sacred groves, seed banks, and key conservation facilities in India for UPSC & PSC exams.
In-situ Conservation
In-situ conservation means conserving species within their natural habitat. This is the most preferred approach as it allows species to continue evolving in their natural environment and maintains ecological interactions.
- National Parks: Highest protection; no human activity permitted; ~106 in India; wildlife and habitat protected
- Wildlife Sanctuaries: Some human activities permitted; ~567 in India; focus on specific species
- Biosphere Reserves: UNESCO MAB programme; large areas with core, buffer, and transition zones; 18 in India (12 in UNESCO network)
- Ramsar Sites: Wetlands of international importance; India has 75+ Ramsar sites (as of 2023)
- Sacred Groves: Community-protected forest patches; traditional conservation
- Tiger Reserves: 53 reserves under Project Tiger; managed by NTCA
- Elephant Reserves: 33 reserves under Project Elephant (1992)
- Community Reserves & Conservation Reserves: Buffer areas around protected areas; community involvement
Biosphere Reserves โ UNESCO MAB Programme
Biosphere Reserves are established under UNESCO’s Man and Biosphere (MAB) Programme. They are large, representative ecosystems with a unique three-zone structure:
Core Zone
Strictly protected; no human activity; biodiversity conservation focus
Buffer Zone
Research, education, limited tourism; surrounds core zone
Transition Zone
Human settlements, sustainable use, cooperation with local communities
India has 18 Biosphere Reserves, of which 12 are part of the UNESCO World Network of Biosphere Reserves. Key ones include: Nilgiri (first BR, 1986), Sundarbans, Gulf of Mannar, Nanda Devi, Pachmarhi, Simlipal, Nokrek, Great Nicobar.
Sacred Groves
Sacred groves (known as Dev vans, Dev vatis, or Orans) are patches of forest or natural vegetation that are protected by local communities based on religious and cultural beliefs.
- Found across India โ estimated 100,000โ150,000 sacred groves in India
- Known by different names: Dev vans (Himachal Pradesh), Orans (Rajasthan), Kavu (Kerala), Jahera (Odisha), Devarakadu (Karnataka)
- Often harbour rare and endemic species not found elsewhere in the region
- Represent one of the oldest forms of community-based conservation in the world
- Provide ecosystem services: water recharge, microclimate regulation, medicinal plants
Ex-situ Conservation
Ex-situ conservation means conserving species outside their natural habitat. It is used as a complementary strategy, especially for critically endangered species where in-situ conservation alone is insufficient.
- Zoological Parks (Zoos): Captive breeding, public education; Central Zoo Authority (CZA) regulates in India
- Botanical Gardens: Living collections of plants; National Botanical Research Institute (NBRI), Lucknow; Acharya Jagadish Chandra Bose Indian Botanic Garden, Kolkata
- Seed Banks: Long-term storage of seeds at low temperature and humidity; preserves genetic diversity of crop plants
- Gene Banks: Store genetic material (seeds, pollen, tissue cultures, DNA) for future use
- Cryopreservation: Storage of biological material at ultra-low temperatures (liquid nitrogen, โ196ยฐC); used for sperm, embryos, and plant tissue
- In-vitro fertilisation & embryo transfer: Used for endangered mammals
Key Ex-situ Facilities in India
| Facility | Location | Significance |
|---|---|---|
| National Bureau of Plant Genetic Resources (NBPGR) | New Delhi | India’s premier gene bank; stores 4+ lakh accessions of crop genetic resources |
| National Gene Bank | New Delhi (NBPGR) | Long-term storage of seeds at โ18ยฐC; established 1996 |
| Aravalli Biodiversity Park | Gurugram, Haryana | Urban biodiversity conservation; restoration of Aravalli ecosystem |
| National Zoological Park | New Delhi | Captive breeding of endangered species; snow leopard, gharial |
| Padmaja Naidu Himalayan Zoological Park | Darjeeling, WB | Captive breeding of snow leopard, red panda, Himalayan wolf |
| Indira Gandhi Zoological Park | Visakhapatnam, AP | Captive breeding of Indian gaur, sloth bear |
In-situ vs Ex-situ โ Comparison
| Parameter | In-situ Conservation | Ex-situ Conservation |
|---|---|---|
| Location | Natural habitat | Outside natural habitat |
| Approach | Protect habitat + species together | Protect species in controlled environment |
| Evolution | Species continue to evolve naturally | Evolutionary processes halted/limited |
| Cost | Lower per species (large area) | Higher per species (intensive management) |
| Examples | National parks, biosphere reserves, sacred groves | Zoos, botanical gardens, seed banks, gene banks |
| Best for | Ecosystems, wide-ranging species | Critically endangered species, crop varieties |
| Limitation | Habitat threats still present | Cannot maintain all ecological interactions |
Revision Checklist
โ National Parks: ~106; no human activity; highest protection
โ Wildlife Sanctuaries: ~567; some human activities permitted
โ Biosphere Reserves: 18 in India; 12 in UNESCO network; core + buffer + transition
โ Nilgiri = first Biosphere Reserve of India (1986)
โ Ramsar Sites: 75+ in India (2023); wetlands of international importance
โ Sacred Groves: Dev vans; 100,000โ150,000 in India; community conservation
โ Ex-situ = outside natural habitat; zoos, botanical gardens, seed banks
โ NBPGR, New Delhi = National Gene Bank; 4+ lakh accessions
โ Cryopreservation = โ196ยฐC (liquid nitrogen); sperm, embryos, plant tissue
โ Svalbard Global Seed Vault = Norway; world’s largest seed bank