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A universal model of ontogenetic growth

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Abstract

The assumption that a single growth equation can be used to describe all biological objects on different organizational levels and a dimensional analysis are applied in order to substantiate universal model of ontogenetic growth. This model (the mass of a growing organism is a power function of time) is valid only in the initial period of growth. For the whole period of growth, a generalization of the model is advanced; it provides the same accuracy as previously known models of quantitative description of kinetic curves. Within the scope of the developed model, a number of interesting results related to allometry and biological time are obtained.

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Acknowledgments

We would like to thank Prof. Vladimir D. Seleznev and Nikita Rukosuev for a thorough discussion of this research. We also express our thanks to anonymous reviewers for their numerous comments and questions that improved our paper.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Ural Federal University, 19 Mira Str., Ekaterinburg, 620002, Russia

    Leonid M. Martyushev & Pavel S. Terentiev

  2. Institute of Industrial Ecology, 20 S. Kovalevskoy Str., Ekaterinburg, 620219, Russia

    Leonid M. Martyushev

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  1. Leonid M. Martyushev
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  2. Pavel S. Terentiev
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Correspondence to Leonid M. Martyushev.

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Communicated by: Sven Thatje

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Martyushev, L.M., Terentiev, P.S. A universal model of ontogenetic growth. Sci Nat 102, 29 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00114-015-1278-3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00114-015-1278-3

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