Why does the lynx population go up as the hare population goes up?

Answer 1

Hares are a food source for lynxes. Lynxes are a predator of hares.

Hares rely on plants for food and lynxes rely on hares (inter alia) for food.

If the hare population increases due, perhaps, to lots of good plant food, then the lynxes (and maybe the foxes) have more food and can support more babies which survive to maturaty.

Too many lynxes and too few hares means not enough food for the lynxes. Baby lynxes starve and the balance is adjusted.

JCF

Answer 2

The snowshoe hare is a primary prey item of the Canada lynx. When hare numbers decline, lynx mothers appear to have smaller litters. When the snowshoe hares rebound, lynx numbers also increase.

Answer 3

Because there is more prey, and female lynxes have larger litters when prey species are abundant.