The 10-year population cycles of snowshoe hares and Canada lynx are the classic example of race between prey and predator in the ecological textbooks. By the use of historic fur harvest data, we find predation is necessary but not sufficient in causing the observed 10-yr cycles; while extrinsic climate factors are important in producing and modifying the sustained cycles. We find recent climate warming likely contributes to the recent decline of lynx population and disappearance of cycles by increasing rainfall but reducing snow in Canada. 

Details: Yan C, Stenseth N.C, Krebs C.J, and Zhang Z*. Linking climate change to population cycles of hares and lynx.Global Change Biology (2013), doi: 10.1111/gcb.12321.