Of lemmings and snowshoe hares: the ecology of northern Canada

• Published in: Proceedings of the Royal Society. B, Biological sciences Vol. 278; no. 1705; pp. 481 - 489
• Main Author: Krebs, Charles J.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England The Royal Society 22.02.2011
• Subjects: Animals; Arvicolinae - physiology; Boreal forests; Canada; Ecosystem; Female; Food Chain; Food Shortage; Food webs; Hares; Hares - physiology; Lemmings; Lepus americanus; Lynx; Maternal Effects; Population Density; Population Dynamics; Population ecology; Predation; Predators; Predatory Behavior - physiology; Reproduction - physiology; Review; Review Articles; Snowshoe Hares; Social Mortality; Stress, Physiological - physiology; Trees; Tundras; Winter; Canada
• ISSN: 0962-8452; 1471-2954; 1471-2945; 1471-2954
• DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2010.1992

Two population oscillations dominate terrestrial community dynamics in northern Canada. In the boreal forest, the snowshoe hare (Lepus americanus) fluctuates in cycles with an 8–10 year periodicity and in tundra regions lemmings typically fluctuate in cycles with a 3–4 year periodicity. I review 60...