Which one of the following is not a site for the in-situ method of conservation of flora?
Answer & explanation
Answer: (b) Botanical Garden
The answer is Botanical Garden (b). In-situ conservation protects species in their natural habitat. Biosphere reserves, national parks and wildlife sanctuaries are all natural-habitat protected areas. A botanical garden keeps plants outside their natural habitat in a special setting, so it is an ex-situ site.
- ✗ (a) Biosphere reserves are legally protected natural regions. NCERT counts them among India's in-situ conservation efforts.
- ✓ (b) Botanical gardens are ex-situ (off-site) sites. Plants are kept there outside their natural habitat and given special care.
- ✗ (c) National parks protect flora and fauna in their natural habitat, so they are in-situ sites.
- ✗ (d) Wildlife sanctuaries are protected natural habitats, so they are in-situ sites. The word 'wildlife' does not make them ex-situ for plants.
Remember · In-situ means on-site: biosphere reserves, national parks, sanctuaries and sacred groves. Ex-situ means off-site: botanical gardens, zoos, gene banks, seed banks and tissue culture.
📘 Read it in NCERT: Class 12 Biology, Ch 13 (practise this chapter) · Class 12 Biology, Ch 13 (practise this chapter)
Sources
- NCERT Class 12 · Biology, Chapter 13 “Zoological parks, botanical gardens and wildlife safari parks serve this purpose.”
- NCERT Class 12 · Biology, Chapter 13 “Our country's in situ conservation efforts are reflected in its 14 biosphere reserves, 90 national parks, > 450 wildlife sanctuaries and many sacred groves.”
Question: UPSC Civil Services (Preliminary) 2011, General Studies Paper I. Explanation: Minimalist IAS, checked 25 Oct 2026 (how we verify). ·
