Final answer:
Most large herbivorous prey in Canada, like snowshoe hares and muskrat, have population cycles with periods of 5-10 years, influenced by various factors including predation and density-dependent effects.
Step-by-step explanation:
In Canada, most large herbivorous preys such as snowshoe hares, muskrat, ruffed grouse, and ptarmigan have population cycles with periods of 5-10 years. This is option b, according to the given choices in the question. The study of these predator-prey dynamics in Northern Ontario highlights the complex interactions between species such as the lynx and the snowshoe hare, which can be influenced by various factors including predation, ecological relationships, and other density-dependent factors such as competition for resources, fecundity, and stress due to overcrowding.
When the lynx population is low, the hare population size begins to increase due to low predation pressure, which starts the cycle anew. Over time, this relationship results in cyclical patterns within the populations. As research progresses, more complexities are acknowledged in ecological communities, helping ecologists to develop more accurate and nuanced models of population dynamics.