Abstract
By comparing the Bertalanffy descriptive growth equation (BG) with a reproductive-allocation growth (RAG) equation, I show that the BG k parameter is approximately equal to about 0.55 times the proportion of an adult body mass given to reproduction per unit of time, the reproductive effort; thus, k may be useful in predicting average fecundity. This also means that the Beverton–Holt k/M dimensionless number is really a lifetime reproductive allocation since the average adult life span is about 1/M years.
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Acknowledgments
I thank Don Gunderson and David Sampson for useful discussion, and UNM for summer salary.
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Charnov, E.L. Fish growth: Bertalanffy k is proportional to reproductive effort. Environ Biol Fish 83, 185–187 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10641-007-9315-5
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10641-007-9315-5