Flow similarity, stochastic branching, and quarter-power scaling in plants.

ABSTRACT: The origin of allometric scaling patterns that are multiples of one-fourth has long fascinated biologists. While not universal, quarter-power scaling relationships are common and have been described in all major clades. Several models have been advanced to explain the origin of such patterns, but questions regarding the discordance between model predictions and empirical data have limited their widespread acceptance. Notable among these is a fractal branching model that predicts power-law scaling of both metabolism and physical dimensions. While a power law is a useful first approximation to some data sets, nonlinear data compilations suggest the possibility of alternative mechanisms. Here, we show that quarter-power scaling can be derived using only the preservation of volume flow rate an

SUBMITTER: Price CA 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9614476 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature