Final answer:
The long-term trapping records of various animals have shown cyclical population dynamics between snowshoe hares and lynx. These cycles are influenced by factors beyond predation, such as density-dependent effects and maternal stress. Ecologists have developed more accurate models of population dynamics through the study of communities.
Step-by-step explanation:
The long-term records of trapping various animals from gyrfalcons to snowshoe hares have revealed population cycles involving snowshoe hares and their predator, lynx. These cycles are an example of predator-prey dynamics, where the populations fluctuate in a cyclic pattern.
More recent studies have suggested that the cycling is not solely controlled by predation, but also by density-dependent factors such as lower fecundity caused by crowding when the hare population gets too dense. This leads to the cycling of both hare and lynx populations. The study of communities has allowed ecologists to develop more accurate models of population dynamics.