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Is West, Brown and Enquist's model of allometric scaling mathematically correct and biologically relevant?
Author(s) -
Kozłowski J.,
Konarzewski M.
Publication year - 2004
Publication title -
functional ecology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.272
H-Index - 154
eISSN - 1365-2435
pISSN - 0269-8463
DOI - 10.1111/j.0269-8463.2004.00830.x
Subject(s) - biology , allometry , scaling , ecology , mathematics , geometry
exponent for metabolic rate) orone of the basic model assumptions, that is, the size-invariance of terminal supplying vessels, must be vio-lated. Then we show that animals built according toWBE’s model cannot represent a broad range of sizes,because for large animals the volume of blood vesselswould exceed body volume. Later we demonstrate thatmany features of the plant vascular system, insecttracheal system, vertebrate lung or vertebrate cardiovascu-lar system do not conform to WBE’s model assumptions.Finally, we argue that