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Allometric scaling in animals and plants

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Abstract.

In this paper we give a derivation for the allometric scaling relation between the metabolic rate and the mass of animals and plants. We show that the characteristic scaling exponent of 3/4 occurring in this relation is a result of the distribution of sources and sinks within the living organism. We further introduce a principle of least mass and discuss the kind of flows that arise from it.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Center for Gravitational Physics and Geometry, The Pennsylvania State University, 104 Davey Laboratory, University Park, PA 16802–6300, USA. e-mail: dreyer@phys.psu.edu, , , , , , US

    Olaf Dreyer

  2. Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Mississippi, 108 Lewis Hall, University, MS 38677, USA. e-mail: puzio@phy.olemiss.edu, , , , , , US

    Raymond Puzio

Authors
  1. Olaf Dreyer
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  2. Raymond Puzio
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Received: 13 August 1999 / Revised version: 21 November 2000 /¶Published online: 17 July 2001

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Dreyer, O., Puzio, R. Allometric scaling in animals and plants. J Math Biol 43, 144–156 (2001). https://doi.org/10.1007/s002850170001

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s002850170001

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