Choosing the best strategy (and why)
Practice Flashcards
Flip to reveal answersName one factor that pushes you toward ex situ conservation.
Track your progress — Sign up free to save your progress and get smart review reminders based on spaced repetition.
All 22 Flashcards — Choosing the best strategy (and why)
Sign up free to track progress and get spaced-repetition review schedules.
Question
Name one factor that pushes you toward ex situ conservation.
Answer
Very high urgency of extinction risk (population too small to survive in the wild).
💡 Hint
Urgency.
Question
In one line, what is in situ best for?
Answer
Long-term protection of ecosystems and natural processes.
💡 Hint
Long-term.
Question
What is Step 1 in the “combined strategy” model answer?
Answer
Reduce threats in the wild (laws, enforcement, control of invasives/poaching).
💡 Hint
Threats first.
Question
What is the main difference between in situ and ex situ conservation?
Answer
In situ protects species in their natural habitat; ex situ protects them outside the habitat.
💡 Hint
In habitat vs outside.
Question
What is the main difference between in situ and ex situ conservation?
Answer
In situ protects species in their natural habitat; ex situ protects them outside the habitat as an emergency backup.
💡 Hint
In habitat vs outside.
Question
In one line, what is ex situ best for?
Answer
Preventing extinction in the short term when wild survival is unlikely.
💡 Hint
Short-term backup.
Question
Why is a combined strategy often best?
Answer
It reduces immediate extinction risk while restoring habitat for long-term survival.
💡 Hint
Now + long-term.
Question
Name one factor that pushes you toward in situ conservation.
Answer
Habitat is still intact and threats can be reduced/managed effectively.
💡 Hint
Habitat OK.
Question
What is Step 2 in the combined approach?
Answer
Protect and restore habitat in situ (protected areas, restoration, corridors).
💡 Hint
Habitat repair.
Question
Which strategy is generally best long-term and why?
Answer
In situ, because it protects ecosystems, interactions, and natural processes that support viable populations.
💡 Hint
Whole ecosystem.
Question
Why does “threat controllability” matter when choosing a strategy?
Answer
If threats like poaching/invasives cannot be controlled, in situ may fail and ex situ backup becomes important.
💡 Hint
Can you control threats?
Question
Which strategy is often used when extinction risk is immediate?
Answer
Ex situ (captive breeding/seed banks) to prevent extinction while threats are addressed.
💡 Hint
Emergency.
Question
What is the key reason “combined strategy” is often best?
Answer
It addresses both immediate extinction risk and long-term habitat/ecosystem recovery.
💡 Hint
Now + later.
Question
What is Step 3 in the combined approach?
Answer
Create an ex situ safety net (captive breeding/seed bank/gene bank) to prevent extinction.
💡 Hint
Backup.
Question
Which checklist factor links directly to adaptability?
Answer
Genetic diversity potential (larger, connected populations maintain variation for adaptation).
💡 Hint
Variation matters.
Question
Give one limitation of ex situ compared to in situ.
Answer
Ex situ does not conserve ecosystems and may reduce genetic diversity due to small captive populations.
💡 Hint
No ecosystem + genetics.
Question
What should you always justify with in evaluation answers?
Answer
Your chosen strategy using threats, habitat condition, genetic diversity, and feasibility.
💡 Hint
Justify choice.
Question
What is Step 4 in the combined approach?
Answer
Reintroduce and monitor populations once habitat and threats are suitable.
💡 Hint
Release + monitor.
Question
What is the exam-friendly final judgement sentence?
Answer
Therefore, in situ is preferred long-term, but ex situ is vital as a safety net when extinction risk is high.
💡 Hint
Judgement line.
Question
What do many real conservation programmes use for best results?
Answer
A combined approach: protect/restore habitat in situ and use ex situ as a safety net.
💡 Hint
Mix both.
Question
Why should feasibility/cost be mentioned in evaluation answers?
Answer
Because long-term conservation only works if funding, capacity, and local support can be maintained.
💡 Hint
Can it be sustained?
Question
Why is ex situ alone usually not a “best answer”?
Answer
It can save species short-term but cannot replace habitat protection and ecosystem function.
💡 Hint
No habitat = not enough.
Read the notes
Full study notes for Choosing the best strategy (and why)
Topic 3.6 hub
In situ vs ex situ conservation
More from Topic 3.6
All flashcards in this topic
ESS exam skills
Paper structures & tips
Track your progress with spaced repetition
Sign up free — Aimnova tells you exactly which cards to review and when, so you remember everything before your IB exam.
Start Free