EEB 2100 UConn Final Exam REVISION
GUIDING QUESTIONS
Overexplotation - ANS overharvesting natural resources faster than their replacement
is a main cause of biodiversity loss
Overexploitation-Cod Fishing - ANS Atlantic Cod fishery is depleted by 1920's technological
advances such as diesel engines that allow for larger boats
Georges Bank - ANS 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 - ANS 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 - ANS 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) - ANS 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 - ANS 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 - ANS 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 - ANS 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 - ANS Harvesting only up to the rate of replacement.
Limited Entry(fishing) - ANS Only a set number of commercial fishing permits are provided at
a time to maintain populations
Sustainable Harvesting: Maine lobster - ANS 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* - ANS In New England you should
avoid Cod and Bluefin Tuna because they are endangered species
Introduced, alien, or non-native species - ANS Species established far from their natural
range
Usually from a different continent or biogeographical range(really different place)
Invasive species - ANS Species established far from their natural range WITH adverse
effects on the invaded habitat
IUCN 100 worst invasive species: Kudzu - ANS 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 - ANS 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 - ANS 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 - ANS Open niche not filled by native species that allows invasive
species to fill in
Competitor or enemy release - ANS 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 - ANS 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 - ANS 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 - ANS 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 - ANS 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 - ANS 17k established globally
>500 more being established every year
SIR models - ANS susceptible-infected-resistant model of disease transmission
susceptible contract from infected, resistant do not contract, and dead or recovered no longer
transmit
Vectors(epidemiology) - ANS species that carries the disease but is not infected, such as
mosquitos that carry malaria
Reservoir host - ANS 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 - ANS disease that hides dormant in spores, in the soil, and then come back
when the conditions are right
Anthrax
R(nought) of diseases - ANS 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) - ANS 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)
Biodiversity increase vs. disease prevelance - ANS Biodiversity increases the chances of a
new disease because there are more opportunities for the disease to make the jump
Factors that increase wild hosts and disease reservoirs - ANS Human population growth
Activities that increase human contact with wildlife
Intrusions into wilderness
Contact X Biodiversity X previously low contact = chance of new disease
Ebola - ANS Mostly sub-saharan Africa
GUIDING QUESTIONS
Overexplotation - ANS overharvesting natural resources faster than their replacement
is a main cause of biodiversity loss
Overexploitation-Cod Fishing - ANS Atlantic Cod fishery is depleted by 1920's technological
advances such as diesel engines that allow for larger boats
Georges Bank - ANS 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 - ANS 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 - ANS 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) - ANS 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 - ANS 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 - ANS 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 - ANS 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 - ANS Harvesting only up to the rate of replacement.
Limited Entry(fishing) - ANS Only a set number of commercial fishing permits are provided at
a time to maintain populations
Sustainable Harvesting: Maine lobster - ANS 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* - ANS In New England you should
avoid Cod and Bluefin Tuna because they are endangered species
Introduced, alien, or non-native species - ANS Species established far from their natural
range
Usually from a different continent or biogeographical range(really different place)
Invasive species - ANS Species established far from their natural range WITH adverse
effects on the invaded habitat
IUCN 100 worst invasive species: Kudzu - ANS 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 - ANS 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 - ANS 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 - ANS Open niche not filled by native species that allows invasive
species to fill in
Competitor or enemy release - ANS 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 - ANS 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 - ANS 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 - ANS 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 - ANS 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 - ANS 17k established globally
>500 more being established every year
SIR models - ANS susceptible-infected-resistant model of disease transmission
susceptible contract from infected, resistant do not contract, and dead or recovered no longer
transmit
Vectors(epidemiology) - ANS species that carries the disease but is not infected, such as
mosquitos that carry malaria
Reservoir host - ANS 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 - ANS disease that hides dormant in spores, in the soil, and then come back
when the conditions are right
Anthrax
R(nought) of diseases - ANS 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) - ANS 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)
Biodiversity increase vs. disease prevelance - ANS Biodiversity increases the chances of a
new disease because there are more opportunities for the disease to make the jump
Factors that increase wild hosts and disease reservoirs - ANS Human population growth
Activities that increase human contact with wildlife
Intrusions into wilderness
Contact X Biodiversity X previously low contact = chance of new disease
Ebola - ANS Mostly sub-saharan Africa
