An evaluation of common methods for comparing the scaling of vertical force production in flying insects.

ABSTRACT: Maximum vertical force production (F_vert) is an integral measure of flight performance that generally scales with size. Numerous methods of measuring F_vert and body size are accessible to entomologists, but we do not know whether method selection affects inter- and intraspecific comparisons of F_vert-size scaling. We compared two common techniques for measuring F_vert in bumblebees (Bombus impatiens) and mason bees (Osmia lignaria), and examined F_vert scaling using five size metrics. F_vert results were similar with incremental or asymptotic load-lifting, but scaling analyses were sensitive to the size metric used. Analyses based on some size metrics indicated similar scaling exponents and coefficients between spe

SUBMITTER: Burnett NP 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9387496 | biostudies-literature | 2022

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature