EEB 2100 UCONN FINAL EXAM
Questions and Answers Latest
Update 2025 RATED A+
1. Fishing down the food web: Fishing for large, apex predators first (e.g Tuna).
Then fishing smaller and smaller as the apex predators get over fished
2. Overhunting: megafaunal extinctions(Bison): 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
3. Overhunting: Government Sponsorship: Bounties placed on gray wolfs in
North America as late as 1965, $20-50 per wolf
Last wolf of Connecticut killed in Pomfret
,4. Tragedy of the Commons: 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
5. Tragedy of the Commons: Origin: 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
6. Maximum Sustainable Yield: Harvesting only up to the rate of replacement.
7. Limited Entry(fishing): Only a set number of commercial fishing permits are
provided at a time to maintain populations
8. Sustainable Harvesting: Maine lobster: 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
9. Consumer knowledge: *Potential exam bonus question*: In New England
you should avoid Cod and Bluefin Tuna because they are endangered species
10. Introduced, alien, or non-native species: Species established far from their
natural range
Usually from a different continent or biogeographical range(really different place)
11. Invasive species: Species established far from their natural range WITH ad-
verse effects on the invaded habitat
12. IUCN 100 worst invasive species: Kudzu: 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
13. IUCN 100 worst invasive species: Norway Rat: 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
14. IUCN 100 worst invasive species: Asian Longhorn beetle: Originated in
China and Korea
Introduced into eastern US via wood packing material from china. Threatens 30%
of trees: $700 billion in damage
15. Ecological opportunity: Open niche not filled by native species that allows
invasive species to fill in
16. Competitor or enemy release: 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.
17. Traits of invasive species: Good dispersers/persisters (rats can live on ships
for generations)
Associated with humans(live well with us)
Questions and Answers Latest
Update 2025 RATED A+
1. Fishing down the food web: Fishing for large, apex predators first (e.g Tuna).
Then fishing smaller and smaller as the apex predators get over fished
2. Overhunting: megafaunal extinctions(Bison): 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
3. Overhunting: Government Sponsorship: Bounties placed on gray wolfs in
North America as late as 1965, $20-50 per wolf
Last wolf of Connecticut killed in Pomfret
,4. Tragedy of the Commons: 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
5. Tragedy of the Commons: Origin: 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
6. Maximum Sustainable Yield: Harvesting only up to the rate of replacement.
7. Limited Entry(fishing): Only a set number of commercial fishing permits are
provided at a time to maintain populations
8. Sustainable Harvesting: Maine lobster: 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
9. Consumer knowledge: *Potential exam bonus question*: In New England
you should avoid Cod and Bluefin Tuna because they are endangered species
10. Introduced, alien, or non-native species: Species established far from their
natural range
Usually from a different continent or biogeographical range(really different place)
11. Invasive species: Species established far from their natural range WITH ad-
verse effects on the invaded habitat
12. IUCN 100 worst invasive species: Kudzu: 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
13. IUCN 100 worst invasive species: Norway Rat: 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
14. IUCN 100 worst invasive species: Asian Longhorn beetle: Originated in
China and Korea
Introduced into eastern US via wood packing material from china. Threatens 30%
of trees: $700 billion in damage
15. Ecological opportunity: Open niche not filled by native species that allows
invasive species to fill in
16. Competitor or enemy release: 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.
17. Traits of invasive species: Good dispersers/persisters (rats can live on ships
for generations)
Associated with humans(live well with us)
