Ex-situ Conservation and International Conventions

Attempt the quiz above first, then review every question with its correct answer and a short explanation below.

1. Q1.Conserving an endangered animal or plant species by removing it from its threatened natural habitat and placing it under human care is known as:

   • A.In-situ conservation
   • B.Ex-situ (Off-site) conservation✓ Correct Answer
   • C.On-site preservation
   • D.Ecological restoration

   Explanation: NCERT Class 12 Biology Chapter 15 states: 'Ex-situ (off-site) conservation – In this approach, threatened animals and plants are taken out from their natural habitat and placed in special setting where they can be protected and given special care.' Examples include zoological parks, botanical gardens and safari parks.

2. Q2.Which of the following is an example of an ex-situ conservation method for plants?

   • A.National Park
   • B.Botanical Garden✓ Correct Answer
   • C.Biosphere Reserve
   • D.Sacred Grove

   Explanation: As per NCERT, while Biosphere Reserves, National Parks, and Sacred Groves are in-situ strategies, Botanical Gardens are ex-situ facilities designed to grow and conserve rare or threatened plant species outside their natural habitats.

3. Q3.Modern ex-situ conservation includes preserving gametes of threatened species in viable and fertile conditions for long periods using liquid nitrogen at -196°C. This technique is called:

   • A.In vitro fertilization
   • B.Cryopreservation✓ Correct Answer
   • C.Tissue culture
   • D.Stratification

   Explanation: NCERT Class 12 Biology states: 'Now gametes of threatened species can be preserved in viable and fertile conditions for long periods using cryopreservation techniques.' This is typically done at -196°C in liquid nitrogen.

4. Q4.Which historic international convention on Biological Diversity (The Earth Summit) was held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil in 1992?

   • A.Montreux Convention
   • B.Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD)✓ Correct Answer
   • C.Nagoya Protocol
   • D.Kyoto Protocol

   Explanation: NCERT Class 12 Biology Chapter 15 states: 'The historic Convention on Biological Diversity ("The Earth Summit") held in Rio de Janeiro in 1992, called upon all nations to take appropriate measures for conservation of biodiversity and sustainable utilisation of its benefits.'

5. Q5.The World Summit on Sustainable Development, where 190 countries pledged to achieve a significant reduction in the rate of biodiversity loss by 2010, was held in 2002 in:

   • A.Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
   • B.Johannesburg, South Africa✓ Correct Answer
   • C.Nagoya, Japan
   • D.Stockholm, Sweden

   Explanation: NCERT Chapter 15 documents: 'In a follow-up, the World Summit on Sustainable Development held in 2002 in Johannesburg, South Africa, 190 countries pledged their commitment to achieve by 2010, a significant reduction in the current rate of biodiversity loss...'

6. Q6.Which international agreement regulates the international trade of specimens of wild animals and plants to ensure it does not threaten their survival in the wild?

   • A.Ramsar Convention
   • B.CITES (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species)✓ Correct Answer
   • C.Basel Convention
   • D.Cartagena Protocol

   Explanation: CITES is an international agreement between governments drafted in 1963 and entered into force in 1975. Its goal is to ensure that international trade in specimens of wild animals and plants does not threaten their survival, protecting thousands of species from over-exploitation.

7. Q7.The Nagoya Protocol (2010) is a supplementary agreement to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) that primarily deals with:

   • A.Biosafety of living modified organisms
   • B.Access to genetic resources and the fair and equitable sharing of benefits arising from their utilization (ABS)✓ Correct Answer
   • C.Phasing out ozone-depleting substances
   • D.Reducing carbon emissions globally

   Explanation: The Nagoya Protocol on Access and Benefit Sharing (ABS) was adopted in 2010 in Nagoya, Japan. It establishes a clear legal framework for how researchers and companies can access genetic resources and share the benefits arising from their use with the provider countries.

8. Q8.Which of the following protocols under the CBD regulates the biosafety of transboundary movements of living modified organisms (LMOs) resulting from biotechnology?

   • A.Nagoya Protocol
   • B.Cartagena Protocol✓ Correct Answer
   • C.Kyoto Protocol
   • D.Montreal Protocol

   Explanation: The Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety was adopted in 2000 and entered into force in 2003. It is an international agreement which aims to ensure the safe handling, transport, and use of living modified organisms (LMOs) resulting from modern biotechnology that may have adverse effects on biological diversity.

9. Q9.Plant tissues and cells can be grown in sterile nutrient media under controlled conditions to regenerate whole plants. This ex-situ method is called:

   • A.Cryopreservation
   • B.Micropropagation (Tissue culture)✓ Correct Answer
   • C.Seed banking
   • D.In vitro fertilization

   Explanation: NCERT Class 12 Biology states that tissue culture and micropropagation techniques are used for ex-situ conservation. Plant tissues/cells are cultured in vitro, allowing the rapid propagation of rare or endangered plants from small explants.

10. Q10.The 'Aichi Biodiversity Targets', a set of 20 ambitious targets to safeguard global biodiversity, were adopted under which international treaty?

    • A.UNFCCC
    • B.Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD)✓ Correct Answer
    • C.Ramsar Convention
    • D.Stockholm Convention

    Explanation: The Aichi Biodiversity Targets were adopted at the tenth conference of the parties (COP 10) to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) held in Aichi Prefecture, Nagoya, Japan, in 2010. They served as the global framework for biodiversity conservation from 2011 to 2020.

11. Q11.Which of the following is a key advantage of ex-situ conservation over in-situ conservation?

    • A.It allows natural ecological succession and evolution to continue.
    • B.It provides total protection from predators, diseases, and environmental catastrophes in a controlled setting.✓ Correct Answer
    • C.It is much cheaper to implement.
    • D.It covers millions of species at the same time.

    Explanation: Ex-situ conservation allows direct human control. In facilities like gene banks or zoos, endangered species are isolated from immediate threats like poachers, predators, food scarcity, and natural epidemics, ensuring their survival and propagation.

12. Q12.In which of the following facilities are the seeds of different genetic strains of commercially important or threatened crops stored in viable states for long periods?

    • A.Wildlife Safari Parks
    • B.Seed Banks / Gene Banks✓ Correct Answer
    • C.Zoological Gardens
    • D.Sacred Groves

    Explanation: NCERT Class 12 Biology states that seeds of different genetic strains of commercially important crops can be kept for long periods in seed banks. These are kept at low temperatures and low humidity to maintain viability.

13. Q13.Which global agreement, adopted in 2022 to replace the Aichi Targets, sets the goal to protect 30 percent of the Earth's land and oceans by 2030 ('30x30' goal)?

    • A.Nagoya Accord
    • B.Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF)✓ Correct Answer
    • C.Paris Agreement
    • D.Stockholm Declaration

    Explanation: The Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF) was adopted during COP15 of the CBD in December 2022. It contains 4 global goals and 23 targets for 2030, including the historic Target 3 to protect 30% of degraded terrestrial, inland water, and coastal/marine ecosystems.

14. Q14.Which of the following in-situ and ex-situ pairings is correct?

    • A.In-situ: Zoological Park; Ex-situ: National Park
    • B.In-situ: Biosphere Reserve; Ex-situ: Seed Bank✓ Correct Answer
    • C.In-situ: Botanical Garden; Ex-situ: Sacred Grove
    • D.In-situ: Cryopreservation; Ex-situ: Wildlife Sanctuary

    Explanation: Biosphere reserve is an in-situ strategy (conserves species within their natural environment). Seed bank is an ex-situ strategy (conserves seeds outside their natural environment).

15. Q15.What is the primary role of CITES Appendices (Appendix I, II, and III)?

    • A.To list plants that can be grown in botanical gardens.
    • B.To categorize species according to the level of threat they face from international trade, regulating trade permits accordingly.✓ Correct Answer
    • C.To list countries that do not protect forests.
    • D.To categorize different types of soils.

    Explanation: CITES lists species in three Appendices. Appendix I includes species threatened with extinction; commercial trade in them is prohibited. Appendix II includes species not threatened with extinction but in which trade must be controlled. Appendix III contains species protected in at least one country that has asked CITES for assistance.

16. Q16.The Botanical Survey of India (BSI) and Zoological Survey of India (ZSI) assist in ex-situ conservation primarily by:

    • A.Running commercial agricultural farms.
    • B.Surveying, documenting, and maintaining taxonomic records and botanical/zoological collections of Indian flora and fauna.✓ Correct Answer
    • C.Enforcing police laws in forests.
    • D.Constructing dams in rivers.

    Explanation: BSI (established in 1890) and ZSI (established in 1916) are the premier government organizations under the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change. They survey, document, and research the floristic and faunal resources of India, identifying species needing urgent in-situ or ex-situ intervention.

17. Q17.Which of the following statement is true regarding the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD)?

    • A.It was signed in 1971 in Ramsar.
    • B.It has three main goals: conservation of biodiversity, sustainable use of its components, and fair sharing of benefits from genetic resources.✓ Correct Answer
    • C.It deals only with carbon emissions.
    • D.India is not a party to the CBD.

    Explanation: The CBD (opened for signature at the 1992 Earth Summit) is a legally binding treaty. Its three main goals are: (1) Conservation of biological diversity, (2) Sustainable use of its components, and (3) Fair and equitable sharing of benefits arising from the utilization of genetic resources.

18. Q18.Wildlife Safari Parks are considered ex-situ conservation because:

    • A.Animals are completely free and hunt in their native ecosystems.
    • B.They are human-created enclosed areas where threatened animals are kept outside their natural range under veterinary care and public education.✓ Correct Answer
    • C.They do not contain any trees.
    • D.They are run without government permissions.

    Explanation: NCERT Chapter 15 groups Wildlife Safari Parks under ex-situ conservation. Even though animals roam in larger enclosures than traditional cage zoos, they are still kept in artificial settings outside their native wild habitats, under human management.

19. Q19.The Bonn Convention (1979) is an international treaty that primarily aims to conserve:

    • A.Ozone layer
    • B.Migratory species of wild animals across their entire range (CMS)✓ Correct Answer
    • C.Hazardous wastes transboundary movements
    • D.Global forest biomass

    Explanation: The Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals (also known as the Bonn Convention or CMS) aims to conserve terrestrial, marine, and avian migratory species throughout their range. It was signed in Bonn, Germany in 1979.

20. Q20.Which of the following is a limitation of cryopreservation as a conservation strategy?

    • A.It cannot store animal gametes.
    • B.It requires continuous technical maintenance, specialized equipment, and does not allow species to evolve in response to changing natural habitats.✓ Correct Answer
    • C.Seeds stored will rot within days.
    • D.It can only be performed in tropical rainforests.

    Explanation: While cryopreservation is excellent for preventing immediate extinction of genes, it is highly resource-intensive and technically challenging. Furthermore, because organisms are kept frozen, they are removed from natural natural selection pressures and cannot evolve to adapt to environmental changes like global warming.