Intraspecific Versus Interspecific Scaling of Metabolic Rate: Tests of the Metabolic Theory of Ecology Across Biological Hierarchies.

ABSTRACT: The Metabolic Theory of Ecology (MTE) proposes universal constants for the scaling of metabolic rate (BMR) with body mass and temperature. However, the validity of these constants across different biological hierarchies, specifically within versus between species, remains debated. Using a comprehensive dataset of 3767 metabolic measurements across 174 species, we tested for systematic differences in scaling relationships. We employed a unified linear mixed-effects model to estimate intraspecific parameters and phylogenetic generalized least squares (PGLS) regression for interspecific comparisons. Our results reveal a decoupling of scaling parameters across hierarchical levels. The overall intraspecific mass-scaling exponent (b = 0.760 ± 0.012, fixed effect ± SE) was not signi

SUBMITTER: Wang J 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12785121 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature