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Energetics of Growth in a Temperate Zone Toad, Bufo bufo : Effects of Growth Hormone
Author(s) -
Jørgensen C. Barker,
WindLarsen H.
Publication year - 1987
Publication title -
acta zoologica
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.414
H-Index - 37
eISSN - 1463-6395
pISSN - 0001-7272
DOI - 10.1111/j.1463-6395.1987.tb00881.x
Subject(s) - biology , energetics , toad , growth hormone , medicine , endocrinology , bufo , growth rate , temperate climate , dry matter , hormone , organic matter , glycogen , zoology , ecology , mathematics , geometry
Abstract Young toads were kept on a diet of meal‐worms and their growth was followed in terms of gains in organic matter and its constituents, protein, fat and glycogen. Growth hormone increased the yield and the retention of protein. Presumably, growth hormone stimulated growth indirectly through increased food intake and growth rate and not by affecting metabolic efficiency. The increases in body matter, expressed as mass, protein and nonprotein matter, were linearly correlated with food intake. In energetic terms about 60% of caloric equivalents ingested in excess of maintenance requirements were retained as body mass. At an absorption efficiency of 90% this amounted to an energetic cost of growth corresponding to one third of the absorbed food above the maintenance requirements.