LIFE SCIENCE

Detailed explanation-1: -Boom-and-Bust cycles occur when the population growth of one species is closely tied to a limiting factor that may be expended. The predator populations increase and decrease as the prey numbers change. Predation may be an important cause of density-dependent mortality for some prey.

Detailed explanation-2: -Fishes that form large aggregations are particularly susceptible to over-harvesting, and many deep-water fisheries go through a “boom and bust” cycle in which landings from newly-discovered fisheries are initially high, then rapidly decline to very low levels.

Detailed explanation-3: -Some populations have “boom-and-bust” growth cycles: They increase rapidly for a period of time (the “boom"), but then rapidly decline in numbers (the “bust"). Populations of various rodents exhibit boom-and-bust cycles. A striking example is lemming populations, which can cycle dramatically every three to five years.

Detailed explanation-4: -Why does it make sense that predator-prey species relationships follow boom and bust cycles? Because prey gets eaten the predator population increase and while the prey population decreases.