BSC 3052 FINAL QUESTIONS WITH VERIFIED
ANSWERS
What is an invasive species? - Answers - A non-native species that spreads rapidly and
causes ecological or economic harm.
What does the '10s rule' suggest? - Answers - Only ~10% of introduced species
establish, and ~10% of those become invasive.
European starlings failed to establish in the U.S. until which attempt? - Answers - The
8+ introduction attempt.
What is Minimum Viable Population (MVP)? - Answers - The smallest population size
needed to survive long-term.
Why do some invasive species thrive once they arrive? - Answers - They escape
predators, exploit empty niches, or possess novel traits.
What does the empty niche hypothesis state? - Answers - Invasives succeed when they
utilize resources native species are not using.
Environments with low native diversity are typically... - Answers - More vulnerable to
invasion.
What does the biotic resistance hypothesis say? - Answers - High native biodiversity
reduces invasion success.
What is an example of biotic resistance? - Answers - Native pathogens preventing new
plants from establishing.
What is the novel weapons hypothesis? - Answers - An invasive species uses chemical
or biological traits that natives can't tolerate.
Why do Burmese pythons thrive in Florida? - Answers - There are no native large
constrictor snakes (predator release).
A species becomes invasive partly because in its new range it lacks... - Answers -
Predators, herbivores, or diseases that controlled it at home.
What is biological control (biocontrol)? - Answers - Using predators or pathogens to
control an invasive species.
, Why did the cane toad fail as biocontrol in Australia? - Answers - It didn't eat the pests;
it harmed native species and poisoned predators.
What was the air potato beetle introduced to Florida to control? - Answers - Air potato
vine.
What is the main danger of biocontrol? - Answers - The control agent may become
invasive itself.
Why are honeybees introduced but not invasive? - Answers - They do not cause
ecosystem harm.
Why is Nile perch in Lake Victoria controversial? - Answers - It devastated native fish
but created a major fishery.
What is an Emerging Infectious Disease (EID)? - Answers - A disease whose incidence
is increasing or likely to increase.
What percentage of EIDs are zoonotic? - Answers - About 61%, and most originate in
wildlife.
What is zoonosis? - Answers - A disease transmitted naturally from animals to humans.
What is a major driver of human EIDs? - Answers - Increased contact between humans
and wildlife.
What are examples of human-wildlife interfaces increasing EIDs? - Answers -
Deforestation, agriculture, wildlife trade.
Why do conservation biologists study disease? - Answers - Diseases affect wildlife,
humans, and ecosystems.
What is the definition of infectious disease? - Answers - A condition impairing normal
function caused by a transmissible biological agent.
What human actions increase EID risk? - Answers - Habitat destruction, globalization,
farming intensification.
How can wildlife transmit diseases to humans? - Answers - They can also acquire
diseases from humans/domesticated animals.
What is climate change primarily caused by? - Answers - Anthropogenic greenhouse
gas emissions.
What are the two main greenhouse gases emphasized in lecture? - Answers - CO₂ and
methane (CH₄).
ANSWERS
What is an invasive species? - Answers - A non-native species that spreads rapidly and
causes ecological or economic harm.
What does the '10s rule' suggest? - Answers - Only ~10% of introduced species
establish, and ~10% of those become invasive.
European starlings failed to establish in the U.S. until which attempt? - Answers - The
8+ introduction attempt.
What is Minimum Viable Population (MVP)? - Answers - The smallest population size
needed to survive long-term.
Why do some invasive species thrive once they arrive? - Answers - They escape
predators, exploit empty niches, or possess novel traits.
What does the empty niche hypothesis state? - Answers - Invasives succeed when they
utilize resources native species are not using.
Environments with low native diversity are typically... - Answers - More vulnerable to
invasion.
What does the biotic resistance hypothesis say? - Answers - High native biodiversity
reduces invasion success.
What is an example of biotic resistance? - Answers - Native pathogens preventing new
plants from establishing.
What is the novel weapons hypothesis? - Answers - An invasive species uses chemical
or biological traits that natives can't tolerate.
Why do Burmese pythons thrive in Florida? - Answers - There are no native large
constrictor snakes (predator release).
A species becomes invasive partly because in its new range it lacks... - Answers -
Predators, herbivores, or diseases that controlled it at home.
What is biological control (biocontrol)? - Answers - Using predators or pathogens to
control an invasive species.
, Why did the cane toad fail as biocontrol in Australia? - Answers - It didn't eat the pests;
it harmed native species and poisoned predators.
What was the air potato beetle introduced to Florida to control? - Answers - Air potato
vine.
What is the main danger of biocontrol? - Answers - The control agent may become
invasive itself.
Why are honeybees introduced but not invasive? - Answers - They do not cause
ecosystem harm.
Why is Nile perch in Lake Victoria controversial? - Answers - It devastated native fish
but created a major fishery.
What is an Emerging Infectious Disease (EID)? - Answers - A disease whose incidence
is increasing or likely to increase.
What percentage of EIDs are zoonotic? - Answers - About 61%, and most originate in
wildlife.
What is zoonosis? - Answers - A disease transmitted naturally from animals to humans.
What is a major driver of human EIDs? - Answers - Increased contact between humans
and wildlife.
What are examples of human-wildlife interfaces increasing EIDs? - Answers -
Deforestation, agriculture, wildlife trade.
Why do conservation biologists study disease? - Answers - Diseases affect wildlife,
humans, and ecosystems.
What is the definition of infectious disease? - Answers - A condition impairing normal
function caused by a transmissible biological agent.
What human actions increase EID risk? - Answers - Habitat destruction, globalization,
farming intensification.
How can wildlife transmit diseases to humans? - Answers - They can also acquire
diseases from humans/domesticated animals.
What is climate change primarily caused by? - Answers - Anthropogenic greenhouse
gas emissions.
What are the two main greenhouse gases emphasized in lecture? - Answers - CO₂ and
methane (CH₄).
