Why Do Predator-Prey Populations Oscillate?

Why do predator and prey numbers never settle into a steady balance? This guided activity pairs a Lotka-Volterra simulator with structured questions so upper secondary and introductory undergraduate students can investigate the delayed feedback behind population cycles. Working in pairs, students test different starting populations, track the resulting boom-and-bust curves, and build an evidence-based explanation for predator-prey oscillation in one 30 to 45 minute session.

Related resources

• Can Predator-Prey Populations Remain Constant?
• Extended Volterra Lotka

Topics

• population dynamics
• population cycles
• predator-prey relationships
• ecological oscillations
• delayed feedback
• boom and bust cycle
• population ecology
• ecosystem simulation
• controlled variables
• guided simulation activity
• HS-LS2-2