%0 Journal Article %1 Dodds.Rothman.ea2001Re-examinationof34-law %A Dodds, P. S. %A Rothman, D. H. %A Weitz, J. S. %D 2001 %J Journal of Theoretical Biology %K %N 1 %P 9--27 %R 10.1006/jtbi.2000.2238 %T Re-examination of the ``3/4-law'' of Metabolism %U http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/B6WMD-457VDWN-6T/2/9d80e46f8f527fc4aec4f076fb783ed8 %V 209 %X We examine the scaling law Bis proportional toMalphawhich connects organismal resting metabolic rate B with organismal mass M, where alpha is commonly held to be 3/4. Since simple dimensional analysis suggests alpha=2/3, we consider this to be a null hypothesis testable by empirical studies. We re-analyse data sets for mammals and birds compiled by Heusner, Bennett and Harvey, Bartels, Hemmingsen, Brody, and Kleiber, and find little evidence for rejecting alpha=2/3 in favor ofalpha =3/4. For mammals, we find a possible breakdown in scaling for larger masses reflected in a systematic increase in alpha. We also review theoretical justifications of alpha=3/4 based on dimensional analysis, nutrient-supply networks, and four-dimensional biology. We find that present theories for alpha=3/4 require assumptions that render them unconvincing for rejecting the null hypothesis that alpha=2/3.

@article{Dodds.Rothman.ea2001Re-examinationof34-law, abstract = {We examine the scaling law B[is proportional {to]M[alpha]which} connects organismal resting metabolic rate B with organismal mass M, where [alpha] is commonly held to be 3/4. Since simple dimensional analysis suggests [alpha]=2/3, we consider this to be a null hypothesis testable by empirical studies. We re-analyse data sets for mammals and birds compiled by Heusner, Bennett and Harvey, Bartels, Hemmingsen, Brody, and Kleiber, and find little evidence for rejecting [alpha]=2/3 in favor of[alpha] =3/4. For mammals, we find a possible breakdown in scaling for larger masses reflected in a systematic increase in [alpha]. We also review theoretical justifications of [alpha]=3/4 based on dimensional analysis, nutrient-supply networks, and four-dimensional biology. We find that present theories for [alpha]=3/4 require assumptions that render them unconvincing for rejecting the null hypothesis that [alpha]=2/3.}, added-at = {2009-09-18T15:57:20.000+0200}, author = {Dodds, P. S. and Rothman, D. H. and Weitz, J. S.}, biburl = {https://www.bibsonomy.org/bibtex/2305b5baa32afafcf781e88edee068da2/janlo}, doi = {10.1006/jtbi.2000.2238}, interhash = {8b2f95f970a00d7aec850f8f81bd5198}, intrahash = {305b5baa32afafcf781e88edee068da2}, issn = {0022-5193}, jlprojects = {size_scaling}, journal = {Journal of Theoretical Biology}, keywords = {}, month = {#mar#}, number = 1, pages = {9--27}, timestamp = {2009-09-18T15:57:20.000+0200}, title = {Re-examination of the ``3/4-law'' of Metabolism}, url = {http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/B6WMD-457VDWN-6T/2/9d80e46f8f527fc4aec4f076fb783ed8}, volume = 209, year = 2001 }