EEB 2100 UCONN FINAL EXAM
QUESTIONS + 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
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
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
QUESTIONS + 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
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
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
