Class 12 · Biodiversity and Conservation

In Situ vs Ex Situ Conservation — NEET Biology

✅ Asked in NEET 2022
📖 NCERT Source

When we conserve and protect the whole ecosystem, its biodiversity at all levels is protected - we save the entire forest to save the tiger. This approach is called in situ (on site) conservation. However, when there are situations where an animal or plant is endangered or threatened (organisms facing a very high risk of extinction in the wild in the near future) and needs urgent measures to save it from extinction, ex situ (off site) conservation is the desirable approach.

NCERT Biology · Class 12 · Chapter 13 · Paragraph 37
How NTA Uses This Concept

NTA tests your understanding of when to use in situ (protecting entire ecosystems like forests to save tigers) versus ex situ (removing endangered species to artificial settings) conservation. Students often confuse these terms or think one is always better than the other. The key trap: in situ is preferred for ecosystem-level protection, but ex situ becomes necessary when species face immediate extinction risk and wild habitats cannot save them. Remember: in situ = ecosystem intact, ex situ = species rescued. NEET may ask which approach applies to a specific endangered species scenario or why protecting one species requires protecting its entire habitat.

Solve This NEET Question

This paragraph was tested 2 times in NEET.

Q1 of 2NEET 2022

In-situ conservation refers to: (NEET 2022 Phase 1)

Q2 of 2NEET 2015

In which of the following both pairs have correct combination: (AIPMT 2015)

Through deep analysis of NEET and NTA, 88 of 90 questions from the NEET 2026 paper were matched straight from the MedicNEET Biology question bank.

88/90
of the NEET 2026 Biology paper matched from the MedicNEET question bank

MedicNEET's Biology question bank is built from the same NCERT lines NTA picks repeatedly. Not random MCQs — questions crafted exactly like NTA crafts them.

88 of 90 NEET 2026 Biology questions traced to MedicNEET10,000+ Biology questionsHindi + English
Free to start · Hindi + English · 10,000+ questions · NEET 2026 pattern
Related Concepts from Biodiversity and Conservation
📘Practice all 39 NEET PYQs from Biodiversity and Conservation🔍See full Biodiversity and Conservation PYQ Analysis