EEB 2100 UCONN FINAL EXAM
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS GRADED
A+.
Overexplotation - correct answer. overharvesting natural resources faster than their
replacement
is a main cause of biodiversity loss
Overexploitation-Cod Fishing - correct answer. Atlantic Cod fishery is depleted by
1920's technological advances such as diesel engines that allow for larger boats
Georges Bank - correct answer. Inundated, highly productive island where the Gulf
Stream causes upwellings of nutrients as they are removed from the bottom of water
bodies
Largest source of fish for Europe, and then the America's from 1500-1900's
Fish landings(Ships) in tons - correct answer. Increase during times of more effort to
get fish;the great acceleration.
Ultimately crashes in 1992 because Atlantic Cod population becomes so depleted.
Cod population has never rebounded, this is due to either changes in ecology(food web)
or evolution
Fishing down the food web - correct answer. Fishing for large, apex predators first
(e.g Tuna). Then fishing smaller and smaller as the apex predators get over fished
Overhunting: megafaunal extinctions(Bison) - correct answer. Large scale extinctions
of large mammal species
,Population reduced from 50 million to 500 due to ecological trap that makes them easy
to kill with guns
Now subject to genetic bottleneck because so low populations have reduced genetic
variation and adaptability
Overhunting: Government Sponsorship - correct answer. Bounties placed on gray
wolfs in North America as late as 1965, $20-50 per wolf
Last wolf of Connecticut killed in Pomfret
Tragedy of the Commons - correct answer. Hardin's Tragedy of the Commons- When
consumers maximize their gain on shared resources they destroy those resources
Self interested customers deplete a shared resource
Tragedy of the Commons: Origin - correct answer. Towns have common greens
which were originally a place townspeople could keep their cattle
Each townsperson then adds more cattle until the green is overgrazed
Each consumer acts rationally in their own self interest but irrationally for global
interests
Maximum Sustainable Yield - correct answer. Harvesting only up to the rate of
replacement.
Limited Entry(fishing) - correct answer. Only a set number of commercial fishing
permits are provided at a time to maintain populations
Sustainable Harvesting: Maine lobster - correct answer. Sustainable practices used
for over 100 years.
Limited entry utilized
Trap limit-800 traps per person
Slot limit- let the largest and smallest lobsters go
Consumer knowledge: *Potential exam bonus question* - correct answer. In New
England you should avoid Cod and Bluefin Tuna because they are endangered species
Introduced, alien, or non-native species - correct answer. Species established far from
their natural range
Usually from a different continent or biogeographical range(really different place)
,Invasive species - correct answer. Species established far from their natural range
WITH adverse effects on the invaded habitat
IUCN 100 worst invasive species: Kudzu - correct answer. Mile a minute vine that
originated in Japan and is now in Southern US.
Introduced purposefully to inhibit soil erosion, but is now out of control because it
outcompetes native plants
IUCN 100 worst invasive species: Norway Rat - correct answer. Originated in tropical
Asia and is now worldwide
introduced via ships and outcompete native mammals and preys on bird eggs, also
carrier of the plague
IUCN 100 worst invasive species: Asian Longhorn beetle - correct answer. Originated
in China and Korea
Introduced into eastern US via wood packing material from china. Threatens 30% of
trees: $700 billion in damage
Ecological opportunity - correct answer. Open niche not filled by native species that
allows invasive species to fill in
Competitor or enemy release - correct answer. A non-native species may be leaving
behind a biotic limitation or abundant predators for a safer place that allows it to thrive
Toads are heavily parasitized by ticks in south america so if the toads move away from
the enemy tick population they do much better.
Traits of invasive species - correct answer. Good dispersers/persisters (rats can live
on ships for generations)
Associated with humans(live well with us)
Generalist diets(Can eat whatever)
Deal with human disturbances(can withstand degradation of habitats)
Invasive genotypes - correct answer. Marsh grass(phragmites)
native to America but European genotypes used in packing material were transported to
America and outcompete American genotype.
Effects of Invasive Species to Native Species - correct answer. 70% of native aquatic
species extinctions in the US, and 30% in the world, are caused by invasive species.
, 42% of endangered species in the US are there because of invasive species
50% of vegetation is non-native
Biotic Homogenization - correct answer. Biological communities become more similar
to each other through extinctions, invasions, and changes in abundances
Invasive species replace local ones
generalist species replace specialists
fewer local species, less even abundances
Invasive species numbers - correct answer. 17k established globally
>500 more being established every year
SIR models - correct answer. susceptible-infected-resistant model of disease
transmission
susceptible contract from infected, resistant do not contract, and dead or recovered no
longer transmit
Vectors(epidemiology) - correct answer. species that carries the disease but is not
infected, such as mosquitos that carry malaria
Reservoir host - correct answer. The organism that becomes infected by a pathogen
and serves as a source of transfer of the pathogen to others
Lyme in ticks and mice
Resting spores - correct answer. disease that hides dormant in spores, in the soil, and
then come back when the conditions are right
Anthrax
R(nought) of diseases - correct answer. reproductive rate of a disease and is equal to
how many people a single infected is to infect on average. One or above indicates a
self-maintaining disease
Emerging infectious diseases (EIDs) - correct answer. 335 new EIDs from 1940-2004
new diseases- SARS
new strains- Drug resistant TB
Increasing prevalence- Lyme
60% originate in animals
23% are vector-borne(transmitted by an intermediate animal)
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS GRADED
A+.
Overexplotation - correct answer. overharvesting natural resources faster than their
replacement
is a main cause of biodiversity loss
Overexploitation-Cod Fishing - correct answer. Atlantic Cod fishery is depleted by
1920's technological advances such as diesel engines that allow for larger boats
Georges Bank - correct answer. Inundated, highly productive island where the Gulf
Stream causes upwellings of nutrients as they are removed from the bottom of water
bodies
Largest source of fish for Europe, and then the America's from 1500-1900's
Fish landings(Ships) in tons - correct answer. Increase during times of more effort to
get fish;the great acceleration.
Ultimately crashes in 1992 because Atlantic Cod population becomes so depleted.
Cod population has never rebounded, this is due to either changes in ecology(food web)
or evolution
Fishing down the food web - correct answer. Fishing for large, apex predators first
(e.g Tuna). Then fishing smaller and smaller as the apex predators get over fished
Overhunting: megafaunal extinctions(Bison) - correct answer. Large scale extinctions
of large mammal species
,Population reduced from 50 million to 500 due to ecological trap that makes them easy
to kill with guns
Now subject to genetic bottleneck because so low populations have reduced genetic
variation and adaptability
Overhunting: Government Sponsorship - correct answer. Bounties placed on gray
wolfs in North America as late as 1965, $20-50 per wolf
Last wolf of Connecticut killed in Pomfret
Tragedy of the Commons - correct answer. Hardin's Tragedy of the Commons- When
consumers maximize their gain on shared resources they destroy those resources
Self interested customers deplete a shared resource
Tragedy of the Commons: Origin - correct answer. Towns have common greens
which were originally a place townspeople could keep their cattle
Each townsperson then adds more cattle until the green is overgrazed
Each consumer acts rationally in their own self interest but irrationally for global
interests
Maximum Sustainable Yield - correct answer. Harvesting only up to the rate of
replacement.
Limited Entry(fishing) - correct answer. Only a set number of commercial fishing
permits are provided at a time to maintain populations
Sustainable Harvesting: Maine lobster - correct answer. Sustainable practices used
for over 100 years.
Limited entry utilized
Trap limit-800 traps per person
Slot limit- let the largest and smallest lobsters go
Consumer knowledge: *Potential exam bonus question* - correct answer. In New
England you should avoid Cod and Bluefin Tuna because they are endangered species
Introduced, alien, or non-native species - correct answer. Species established far from
their natural range
Usually from a different continent or biogeographical range(really different place)
,Invasive species - correct answer. Species established far from their natural range
WITH adverse effects on the invaded habitat
IUCN 100 worst invasive species: Kudzu - correct answer. Mile a minute vine that
originated in Japan and is now in Southern US.
Introduced purposefully to inhibit soil erosion, but is now out of control because it
outcompetes native plants
IUCN 100 worst invasive species: Norway Rat - correct answer. Originated in tropical
Asia and is now worldwide
introduced via ships and outcompete native mammals and preys on bird eggs, also
carrier of the plague
IUCN 100 worst invasive species: Asian Longhorn beetle - correct answer. Originated
in China and Korea
Introduced into eastern US via wood packing material from china. Threatens 30% of
trees: $700 billion in damage
Ecological opportunity - correct answer. Open niche not filled by native species that
allows invasive species to fill in
Competitor or enemy release - correct answer. A non-native species may be leaving
behind a biotic limitation or abundant predators for a safer place that allows it to thrive
Toads are heavily parasitized by ticks in south america so if the toads move away from
the enemy tick population they do much better.
Traits of invasive species - correct answer. Good dispersers/persisters (rats can live
on ships for generations)
Associated with humans(live well with us)
Generalist diets(Can eat whatever)
Deal with human disturbances(can withstand degradation of habitats)
Invasive genotypes - correct answer. Marsh grass(phragmites)
native to America but European genotypes used in packing material were transported to
America and outcompete American genotype.
Effects of Invasive Species to Native Species - correct answer. 70% of native aquatic
species extinctions in the US, and 30% in the world, are caused by invasive species.
, 42% of endangered species in the US are there because of invasive species
50% of vegetation is non-native
Biotic Homogenization - correct answer. Biological communities become more similar
to each other through extinctions, invasions, and changes in abundances
Invasive species replace local ones
generalist species replace specialists
fewer local species, less even abundances
Invasive species numbers - correct answer. 17k established globally
>500 more being established every year
SIR models - correct answer. susceptible-infected-resistant model of disease
transmission
susceptible contract from infected, resistant do not contract, and dead or recovered no
longer transmit
Vectors(epidemiology) - correct answer. species that carries the disease but is not
infected, such as mosquitos that carry malaria
Reservoir host - correct answer. The organism that becomes infected by a pathogen
and serves as a source of transfer of the pathogen to others
Lyme in ticks and mice
Resting spores - correct answer. disease that hides dormant in spores, in the soil, and
then come back when the conditions are right
Anthrax
R(nought) of diseases - correct answer. reproductive rate of a disease and is equal to
how many people a single infected is to infect on average. One or above indicates a
self-maintaining disease
Emerging infectious diseases (EIDs) - correct answer. 335 new EIDs from 1940-2004
new diseases- SARS
new strains- Drug resistant TB
Increasing prevalence- Lyme
60% originate in animals
23% are vector-borne(transmitted by an intermediate animal)
