In-Situ Conservation

• It is defined as the conservation of plants and animals in

their native ecosystem (natural habitats) or even man
made ecosystem, where they naturally occur.
• Flora and Fauna conservation is achieved through
protection of populations in their natural resources.
• The concept of protected areas falls under this category
e.g. National Parks, Sanctuaries and Biosphere reserves
etc.
 In-Situ Conservation
• Species cannot be protected individually as they are all
inter dependent on each other.
• Thus the whole ecosystem must be protected.
• There are 589 protected areas in India of which 89 are
National parks and 500 are wildlife sanctuaries.
• There are 3 types of protected areas of India for
“In-situ” conservation of Biodiversity.
• They are (i) Wildlife Sanctuaries (ii) National Park (iii)
Biosphere reserves
• There are about 515 Wildlife Sanctuaries, 103 National
Park, 18 Biosphere Reserves in India covering about 5% of
total geographical area.
 In-Situ conservation – Biosphere reserve
• They are notified areas which cover larger area of land
which may cover multiple national parks, sanctuaries and
reserves as well.
• For ex, The Nilgiri Biosphere covers: Bandipur national
park, Mudumalai Tiger reserve, Silent valley national park,
Wayanad wildlife sanctuary, Mukurthi national park,
sathyamangalam wildlife sanctuary
 Special Projects - Project Tiger
• Project Tiger was launched by the government of India
with the support of WWF- international in 1973.
• Aimed at protecting tiger species and all its habitats.
• It was initiated in 9 Tiger Reserves in different ecosystems
of the country covering an area of 16339 sq.km.
 Special Projects - Project Tiger
• By 2001 the number of Tiger reserves increased to 27,
covering an area of 37761 sq.km.
• The tiger count climbed from 268 in 1972 in the 9 Tiger
reserves, to around 1500 in 1997 in the 23 Tiger reserves.
 Special Projects - Gir Lion Project
• The Asiatic lion is now confined to the Gir Forest of
Gujarat.
• The Asiatic lion was in danger of being wiped out either
due to starvation, epidemics or human interference.
• In 1972 the state government prepared a scheme for the
management of the Gir Lion Sanctuary with proper
guidelines for conservation.
 Special Projects – Project Elephant
• Project Elephant was launched in 1992 to ensure the long-
term survival of a viable population of elephants in their
natural habitats in north and north-eastern India and
South India.
• It is being implemented in 12 states.
• In spite of this, our elephants herds are at threat as their
habitat is shrinking and their migration routes are
disrupted by human activities.
 Special Projects – Himalayan Musk Deer project
• The musk deer which was

once found throughout the

Himalayan tract has suffered
Due to its musk been used in
the Preparation of perfumes
and medicines
• Conservation project launched at Kedarnath sanctuary in U.P
 Special Projects – Orissa Olive Ridley turtles
• Every year at Gahirmatha

and two other sites on the

Orissa coast, thousands of
Olive Ridley turtles
congregate on the beach
between December and April
for mass nesting.
 Special Projects – Orissa Olive Ridley turtles
• This is the largest nesting site for the Olive Ridleys in the
world.
• In 1999 by the end of March it was estimated that around
200,000 turtles had nested at the Gahirmatha beach.
• Marine biologists believe that only one out of every 1000
eggs actually matures into an adult.
• There are severe threats to thee nesting sites.
 Special Projects – Orissa Olive Ridley turtles
• Shrinking nesting sites, Trawler fishing are large threat to
the turtles.
• In 1974, the beach was notified as sanctuary .
• Recognising the threats to
turtles from fishing by large
trawlers, the Orissa Marine
Fisheries Regulation Act was
passed in 1982
 Special Projects – Orissa Olive Ridley turtles
• This act prohibits trawling within 10 km of the coastline
throughout the state and makes it mandatory for all
trawlers to use Turtle Excluder Devices (TEDs).
• In 2001, the state government of Orissa declared that a five
month period between January to May should constitute a
no-fishing season for a distance of 20 km from the
coastline.
 Ex-Situ Conservation
• It is defined as the conservation of plants and animals
away from their natural habitats, in a carefully controlled
situation such as a botanical garden for plants or a
zoological park for animals.
• There is expertise to multiply the species under artificially
managed conditions
 Ex-Situ Conservation
• Ex-situ includes collection of samples of genetic diversity
and their treatment in the laboratory, where they are
cultured.
• The concept of ‘gene banks’ has primarily become the talk
for ex-situ conservation as it is important for conservation
of agricultural crops and forestry based Afforestation
programmes. Ex., botanical gardens, zoo’s etc.
 Ex-Situ Conservation
• Most Zoos acres are meant to provide visitors with a visual
experience of seeing a wild animal close up, a modern zoo
has to go beyond these functions that include breeding of
endangered species as a conservation measure.
 Ex-Situ Conservation
• Breeding of rare pygmy hog in Gauhati zoo.
• Delhi zoo successfully bred the rare Manipur brow
antlered deer
 Ex-Situ Conservation
• White Tigers bred at Anna Zoological park, Chennai
 National Bureau of plant genetic resources (NBPGR)
• It was established in 1976 by the Indian Council of
Agricultural Research (ICAR), New Delhi for “Ex-Situ”
conservation of plant genetic resources for
agri-horticultural activities.
• NBPGR holds about 48.5 thousand accessories of diverse
species of economically important plants.
 National Bureau of animal genetic resources (NBAGR)
• It was established in 1980’s in Punjab for preservation of
improved varieties of cattle’s cows, buffaloes, goats, sheep,
camels and oxen and their various breeds found in
different parts of India.
 Crocodile Conservation
• Crocodiles have been threatened as their skin is used for
making leather articles.
• This led to the near extinction of crocodiles in the wild in
the 1960s in India.
• A crocodile breeding and conservation program was
initiated in 1975 to protect the remaining population of
crocodiles in their natural habitat by creating breeding
centers.
 Crocodile Conservation
• It is perhaps one of the most successful ex situ
conservation breeding projects in the country.
• Crocodiles have been extensively bred in over 30 captive
breeding centers, zoos and other sites where successful
breeding takes place.
• Thousands of crocodiles of all three species have been
bred and restocked in 20 natural water bodies
Crocodile Bank - Chennai
 Forest Resources
• Scientists estimate that India should ideally have 33% of
its land under forests.
• Today we have only about 12 %
• We need not only to protect existing forests but also to
increase our forest cover.
• Deforestation became a major concern in British times
when a large amount of timber was extracted for building
their ships
 Forest Resources
• Another period of overutilisation and forest degradation
occurred in the early period following independence as
people felt that now that the British had gone they had a
right to using our forests in any way we pleased.
• The following years saw India’s forest wealth declining
sharply.
• Timber extraction continued to remain the forest
department’s main concern up to the 1970s.
 Forest Resources
• One of India’s serious environmental problems is forest
degradation due to timber extraction and our dependence
on fuelwood.
• Joint forest management (JFM): The need to include
local communities in forest management has become a
growing concern.
• Local people will only support greening an area if they can
see some economic benefits from conservation.
 Forest Resources
• An informal arrangement between local communities and
the forest department began in 1972, in Midnapore district
in West Bengal.
• Under JFM schemes, Forest protection committees from
local community members are formed.
• They participate in restoring green cover and protect the
area from being over exploited
 Forest Resources
• The National forest policy of 1988 gives an added
importance to JFM.
• New JFM guidelines states that at least 25% of the income
from the area must go to the community.
• 63,618 JFM committees managing over 140,953 sq.km of
forest in 29 states in India.
• In many states 25% of the revenue is used for village
development.
 Water Resources
• All aquatic ecosystems are used by a large number of
people for their daily needs such as drinking water,
washing, cooking, watering animals and irrigating fields.
• At a global level 70% of water is used for agriculture about
25% for industry and only 5% for domestic use.
• This varies in different countries and industrialized
countries use a greater percentage for industry.
 Water Resources
• India uses 90% for agriculture, 7% for industry and 3% for
domestic use.
• India is expected to face critical levels of water stress by
2025.
• At the global level 31 countries are already short of water
and by 2025 there will be 48 countries facing serious water
shortages.
 Water Resources
• The UN has estimated that by the year 2050, 4 billion
people will be seriously affected by water shortages.
• This will lead to multiple conflicts between countries over
the sharing of water.
• India and Bangladesh already have a negotiated agreement
on the water use of the Ganges.
• River Nile’s resources are shared by 11 countries.
 Water Resources – Overutilization and pollution of
surface and groundwater
• Overutilization of water occurs at various levels.
• most people use more water than they really need.
• Most of us waste water during a bath by using a shower or
during washing of clothes.
• There are many ways in which farmers can use less water
without reducing yields such as the use of drip irrigation
systems.
 Water Resources – Overutilization and pollution of
surface and groundwater
• Israel began using drip irrigation systems as it is short of
water.
• With this technique, farmers have been able to improve
the efficiency of irrigation by 95% .
• Over a 20 year period, Israel’s food production doubled
without an increase in the use of water for agriculture.
 Water Resources – Overutilization and pollution of
surface and groundwater
• Use of biomass as fertilizer and non toxic pesticides such
as neem products reduces the agricultural pollution of
surface and ground water.
• Industry tends to maximise short-term economic gains by
not bothering about its liquid waste and releasing it into
streams, rivers and the sea.
 Water Resources – Overutilization and pollution of
surface and groundwater
• As people become more conscious of using ‘green
products’ made by ecosensitive industries, the polluter’s
products may not be used.
• The polluting industry that does not care for the
environment and pays off bribes to get away from the cost
needed to use effluent treatment plants may eventually be
caught, punished and even closed down.
 Water Resources - Hidden water in everyday products
• For the production of one piece of A4-paper 10 litres of
water is used.
• During the growing of a 1kg of potatoes 500 litres of water
is used.
• For production of 1 Kg rice 1900 litres of water is used.
• Production of 1kg chicken meat needs 3500 litres water
and for production of an egg 500 litres water is used.
 Water Resources - Hidden water in everyday products
• A dairy cow must drink 15 litres of water to produce 1
gallon (3.78 litres) of milk.
• It takes around 6800 litres of water to grow enough cotton
to produce just one pair of regular jeans.
• About 95 litres of water is used to manufacture a plastic
bottle
• It takes an estimated 148000 litres of water to make a car.
 Water Resources - Floods
• The havoc raised by rivers overflowing their banks has
become progressively more damaging, as people have
deforested catchments and intensified use of river flood
plains that once acted as safety valves.
• Deforestation in the Himalayas causes floods that year.
• Rivers change their course during floods and tons of
valuable soil is lost to the sea.
 Water Resources - Drought
• Drought prone areas are thus faced with irregular periods
of famine.
• Farmers have no income in these bad years and they have
no steady income.
• Drought has been a major problem in our country
especially in arid regions.
• It occurs due to the failure of one or more monsoons.
 Water Resources - Drought
• Good environmental management can reduce its ill effects.
• Several measures can be taken to minimise the serious
impacts of a drought.
 Water Resources - Water for Agriculture and power
generation
• India’s increasing demand for water for intensive irrigated
agriculture, for generating electricity, and for consumption
in urban and industrial centers, has been met by creating
large dams.
• Although dams ensure a year round supply of water for
domestic use, provide extra water for agriculture,
industry, hydropower generation, they have several
environmental problems
 Water Resources - Water for Agriculture and power
generation
• India’s increasing demand for water for intensive irrigated
agriculture, for generating electricity, and for consumption
in urban and industrial centers, has been met by creating
large dams.
• Although dams ensure a year round supply of water for
domestic use, provide extra water for agriculture,
industry, hydropower generation, they have several
environmental problems
 Water Resources - Water for Agriculture and power
generation
• Dams alter river flows and destroy the lives of local people
and the habitats of wild plant and animal species.
• Irrigation to support cash crops like sugarcane produces an
unequal distribution of water.
• Large land holders on the canals get the lion’s share of
water, while poor, small farmers get less and are seriously
affected.
 Water Resources - Water for Agriculture and power
generation
• A national assessment of dam projects cleared in the 1980s
and 90s shows that in 90% of cases the project authorities
have not fulfilled the environmental conditions under
which environmental clearance was given by Government
of India
 Water Resources - Sustainable water management
• Building several small reservoirs instead of few mega
projects.
• Treating and recycling municipal waste water for
agricultural use.
• Preventing leakages from dams and canals.
• Effective rain water harvesting. In urban environments.
• Drip irrigation in agriculture.
• soil management at deforested areas
 Mineral resources
• A mineral is a naturally occurring substance of definite
chemical composition and identifiable physical properties.
• An ore is a mineral or combination of minerals from
which a useful substance, such as a metal can be extracted
and used to manufacture a useful product.
• Iron, aluminium, zinc, manganese and copper are
important raw materials for industrial use.
• Non-metal resources include coal, salt, clay, silica etc
 Mineral resources
• Stones used for building material viz., granite, marble,
limestone constitute another category of minerals.
• Minerals in the form of oil, gas are formed when ancient
plants and animals were converted into underground fossil
fuels.
• Minerals with special properties such as gems, diamonds,
emeralds, ruby have ornamental values
 Mineral resources
• Minerals are extracted by mining.
• Mining progress through 4 stages:
1) Prospecting: Searching for minerals
2) Exploration: Assessing the size, shape, location and
economic value of the deposit.
3) Development: Work of preparing access to the deposit so
that the minerals can be extracted from it.
4) Exploitation: Extracting the minerals from the mines.
 Mineral resources
• Mines are of two types – Open cut and Deep mines.
• The method chosen will depend on how maximum yield
may be obtained at a minimum cost.
• Mining operations are considered one of the main sources of
environmental degradation.
• The extraction of all these products from the lithosphere
has a variety of side effects like depletion of available land
due to mining, waste from industries and pollution of
land.
Open Cut Mine

Deep mines
Assignment questions
1. Phosphorous cycle.
2. Narayani river pollution, Nepal – A Case Study
3. Sardar Sarovar dam – case study. Pros and cons of the
project
4. Oil related disaster’s – gulf war- A case study