Fluctuations in the population abundances of interacting species are widespread. Such fluctuations could be a response to abiotic factors, biotic interactions, or a combination of the two. Correctly identifying the drivers are critical for effective population management. However, such effects are not always static in nature. Nonlinear relationships between abiotic factors and biotic interactions make it difficult to parse true effects. We used a type of nonlinear forecasting, empirical dynamic modeling, to investigate the context-dependent...