Predator-Prey Relationships

Lynx (Predator) and Snowshoe Hare (Prey)

Stage 1: The prey population is increasing. This provides more food for predators. This allows more to survive and reproduce. In turn, this results in an increase in the predator population. Stage 2: The increased predator population eats more prey organisms, causing a decline in the prey population. The death rate of the prey population is greater than its birth rate.  Stage 3: The reduced prey population can no longer support the larger predator population. Intraspecific competition for food increases, resulting in the size of the predator population.  Stage 4: The reduced predator population results in less of the prey being killed. More prey survive and reproduce increasing the prey population.  The cycle begins again.