The synchrony between winter moth egg hatching and the emergence of new oak buds is an example of a phenological match.
The match/mismatch hypothesis (MMH) was first described by David Cushing.[1][2] The MMH "seeks to explain recruitment variation in a population by means of the relation between its phenology—the timing of seasonal activities such as flowering or breeding—and that of species at the immediate lower level".[3] In essence, it is a measure of reproductive success due to how well the phenology of the prey overlaps with key periods of predator demand. In ecological studies, a few examples include timing and extent of overlap of avian reproduction with the annual phenology of their primary prey items,[4][5] the interactions between herring fish reproduction and copepod spawning,[2] the relationship between winter moth egg hatching and the timing of oak bud bursting,[6] and the relationship between herbivore reproductive phenology with pulses in nutrients in vegetation.[7][8]
^ abCushing DH (1990). "Plankton Production and Year-class Strength in Fish Populations: an Update of the Match/Mismatch Hypothesis". Advances in Marine Biology. 26. Elsevier: 249–293. doi:10.1016/s0065-2881(08)60202-3. ISBN978-0-12-026126-0.