Final answer:
The notion that sunspot cycles lead to the 11-year cycles in snowshoe hare populations is b. false; population cycles are an example of predator-prey dynamics influenced by factors such as predation and density-dependent effects.
Step-by-step explanation:
The statement that research has shown that 11-year cycles in abundance of snowshoe hare population are caused by sunspot cycles is false. The cycling of snowshoe hare and lynx populations in Northern Ontario, as shown in various figures, is an excellent example of predator-prey dynamics. While some researchers have questioned the idea that predation models entirely control the population cycling of these two species, more recent studies point to undefined density-dependent factors being important in the cycling, in addition to predation.
For instance, it is theorized that the cycling could be inherent in the hare population due to density-dependent effects such as lower fecundity caused by crowding. This, in turn, would induce the cycling of the lynx population, as it relies heavily on the hare for food. As communities are studied more extensively, the complexities uncovered allow ecologists to develop more accurate and sophisticated models of population dynamics.