The Tragedy of the Commons and Clearcutting: Practice Questions

• a.Oceanic ecosystems have lower primary productivity, making them more susceptible to collapse.
• b.Private ponds are exempt from the laws of thermodynamics, allowing for infinite harvesting.
• c.Fish populations in the open ocean have a higher biotic potential than those in ponds.
• d.The lack of private ownership and enforcement of harvest limits leads individuals to maximize their own profit at the expense of the resource's sustainability.

• a.

  The cyanide causes immediate eutrophication by providing a nitrogen source for massive algal blooms.

• b.

  The cyanide undergoes biomagnification in the fatty tissues of fish, leading to reproductive failure in the next generation.

• c.

  Cyanide ions bind to cytochrome c oxidase in the mitochondria, inhibiting cellular respiration and causing rapid mortality via hypoxia.

• d.

  Cyanide increases the pH of the water to above 11.0, causing the dissolution of the fishes' protective mucus layers.

• a.Decreased peak streamflow and increased evapotranspiration.
• b.Increased peak streamflow and decreased groundwater recharge.
• c.Increased groundwater recharge and decreased sediment runoff.
• d.Decreased nutrient loading in nearby aquatic ecosystems due to soil compaction.

• a.Formation of an artesian well and decreased soil permeability
• b.Increased aquifer recharge rates and soil alkalization
• c.Land subsidence and increased concentration of dissolved salts in remaining groundwater
• d.Eutrophication of the aquifer and increased cation exchange capacity

• a.Introduce a biological control agent, such as a natural predator of the pest.
• b.Increase the frequency of irrigation to drown the soil-dwelling larvae.
• c.Switch the entire farm to a monoculture of a different, non-host crop immediately.
• d.Apply a broad-spectrum synthetic pesticide to ensure total eradication.

Write your answer out first, then check it against the worked solution.