Strategies for Conserving Biodiversity (Cambridge (CIE) IGCSE Environmental Management): Revision Note

Strategies for conserving biodiversity & genetic resources

• 'Biodiversity' means the variety of life on Earth

• Every species adds something important, from keeping soils healthy to pollinating crops

• When species disappear, ecosystems can struggle to support life

• This is why humans use a range of conservation strategies to protect species, habitats and the genetic information they carry

  • Genetic resources refer to the variety of genes within and between species, important for adaptation, food security and disease resistance

• Each strategy helps nature differently, and together they create a stronger safety net for the planet

Sustainable harvesting of wild plant and animal species

• Taking only a small amount of a species

  • This allows populations to reproduce fast enough to replace what is removed

  • This helps stop long-term decline

• Allowing harvesting seasons

  • Species can then breed at the right time of year without being disturbed

  • This supports healthier population growth

• Using quotas or size limits

  • Young individuals can stay in the ecosystem and continue the life cycle

  • This keeps food chains and food webs balanced

• Training local communities in safe harvesting methods so they can earn income without harming ecosystem health

Sustainable forestry

• Selective logging removes only certain trees

  • This minimises canopy loss and reduces disturbance to forest structure

• Leaving seed trees standing

  • This allows for natural reseeding of the forest

  • Which helps new generations of trees grow and maintain genetic diversity

• Planning logging tracks carefully

  • This reduces soil disturbance

  • Which protects the forest floor from erosion and nutrient loss

• Replanting trees after harvesting

  • The forest continues to supply timber, supports wildlife and stores carbon

National parks and reserves

• Setting aside protected land

  • The whole ecosystem can then function without activities like farming or mining

  • This allows species to live with minimal human pressure

• Offering safe habitats where threatened species can feed, breed and migrate freely

  • This improves their chances of survival

• Helping control visitor access so sensitive areas are shielded from damage

  • This protects ecosystems that cannot cope with heavy disturbance

• Providing centres for research and education allows people to learn how ecosystems work and why conservation matters

Wildlife corridors

• Connecting separate habitats allows animals to move between areas

  • This helps them find food, mates and new territories when conditions change

• Let species escape natural hazards like wildfires or droughts

  • This makes them more resilient to climate change

• Keeping populations genetically healthy

  • Allowing individuals from different groups to mix reduces the risk of inbreeding

• Allowing safe movement across roads or railways through bridges and tunnels lowers the danger of collisions with vehicles

Seed banks

• Storing seeds in cold, dry conditions allows them to stay viable for many years

  • This creates a long-term backup for rare plants

• Protecting wild plant genes from threats like pests, diseases or climate change

  • Future farming options are kept open

• Allowing scientists to test how seeds germinate under different conditions

  • This helps to identify which plants might cope best with a warmer world

• Reintroduce plant species into the wild if local extinction happens

  • Letting conservationists help ecosystems recover

Zoos and captive breeding

• Providing controlled environments where endangered animals can breed safely without predators, poachers or habitat loss

• Help increase population sizes

  • This is particularly useful when numbers are too low to be self-sustaining in the wild

• Using studbooks to match breeding pairs carefully

  • This protects genetic diversity and avoids inbreeding problems

• Animal release preparation through training that builds natural behaviours that make it easier for them to live in the wild

Ecotourism

• Encouraging responsible travel

  • Visitors protect and respect the environment

  • Thereby, reducing harm to fragile ecosystems

• Bring money directly to local communities so they benefit from protecting wildlife rather than destroying habitats

• Funding conservation projects such as ranger patrols, habitat restoration and scientific research

• Raising awareness among tourists

  • This helps people understand why biodiversity matters and how they can help protect it

International cooperation against animal trade

• Countries are working together to track and stop illegal wildlife trafficking, making it harder for criminal networks to operate

• International cooperation includes treaties such as CITES (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species)

• Sharing scientific information so nations can identify species under pressure and respond quickly

• Creating agreements that support the sustainable use of wildlife, helping reduce overexploitation

• Training customs officers and improving border checks to detect illegal products more effectively

Regulation of trade in vulnerable and endangered species

• Using international rules like CITES to control or ban trade in certain species

  • These rules help to reduce the number of animals or plants removed from the wild

• Requiring permits for legal trade

  • This allows authorities to monitor species numbers

  • Which ensures harvesting stays sustainable

• Helping consumer countries avoid buying products linked to wildlife decline

  • This reduces demand for illegal items

• Giving endangered species time to recover because fewer individuals are taken from natural habitats

Classifying organisms by threat level

• Sorting species into categories like 'threatened', 'endangered' or 'extinct' based on scientific data

  • This helps focus conservation work

• Showing which species need urgent action and which are stable

  • This guides how money and resources are used

• Updating lists regularly so changes in population size are tracked

  • This reveals whether conservation strategies are effective

• Raising public awareness about species at risk, encouraging support for protection efforts

Benefits & limitations of strategies for conserving biodiversity

Benefits

• Protecting species helps ecosystems stay stable because each species contributes to food webs, nutrient cycles and habitat structure

• Conserving genetic resources allows scientists to develop new crops that can resist drought, pests or diseases, improving future food security

• Sustainable harvesting lets communities earn income without destroying habitats, supporting long-term livelihoods

• Protected areas and wildlife corridors give species safe spaces to move, adapt and recover from shocks such as storms or fires

• Seed banks and captive breeding create safety nets for species that are close to extinction, offering second chances for recovery

• International trade laws reduce the pressure on heavily exploited species, helping populations grow again

• Ecotourism funds conservation and encourages people to value nature, increasing support for protection projects

Limitations

• Protected areas can be costly to manage, and without enough staff or money, illegal activities like poaching may still happen

• Captive breeding does not always prepare animals fully for life in the wild, and some may struggle to hunt, hide or find territory

• Wildlife corridors can be hard to build in crowded landscapes where roads, farms or towns block natural pathways

• Seed banks cannot store all plant types, especially those with delicate seeds that do not survive freezing or drying

• Sustainable harvesting requires strong monitoring and cooperation, which can be difficult in remote or low-income areas

• International agreements depend on countries enforcing the rules, and weak enforcement can reduce their impact

• Ecotourism can cause damage if too many visitors arrive or if rules are not followed, putting stress on sensitive habitats

  • Revenue is seasonal and can collapse during political instability or global crises (e.g., pandemics)