7.4.8 Conservation & Human Need

Key Aims of Conservation

1. Preserving Habitats:

• Ensures species survival by maintaining or restoring their natural habitats.
• Examples include creating nature reserves and maintaining wetlands.

2. Preventing Extinction:

• Conserving endangered species through captive breeding programmes, seed banks, and habitat restoration.

3. Maintaining Ecosystem Services:

• Services such as pollination, climate regulation, and nutrient cycling are vital for human survival and agriculture.

4. Managing Succession:

• Human activities such as controlled burning or grazing are used to halt succession, maintaining specific habitats like heathlands or grasslands. This prevents the development of a climax community, which might reduce habitat diversity.

Balancing Conservation and Human Need

1. Agriculture:

• Conservation strategies include rotational grazing, hedgerow planting, and agroforestry to increase biodiversity while ensuring productivity.

2. Forestry:

• Practices such as selective logging, replanting, and protected forest reserves help sustain timber production and biodiversity.

3. Fishing:

• Quotas, marine reserves, and sustainable fishing methods (e.g., larger mesh nets) prevent overfishing and allow fish populations to recover.

4. Ecotourism:

• Provides financial incentives for conservation by promoting tourism that is environmentally friendly and supports local communities.

Methods of Conservation

• In situ conservation: Protecting species in their natural habitat, such as creating national parks and marine protected areas.
• Ex situ conservation: Removing species from their habitat for protection, such as in zoos, botanic gardens, or seed banks.

Conflict Between Conservation and Human Need

• Human activities such as farming, deforestation, and urbanisation often conflict with conservation efforts.
• Sustainable practices aim to strike a balance between resource use and biodiversity preservation.