Potential Quasi-energy and Energetically Optimal Size in Living Organisms

Abstract

BIOENERGETICS is concerned with the relationship between the rate of energy exchange by an organism and the other parameters of its body. Perhaps the best known findings are, first, that the total heat production Q(m) increases with increasing body mass according to equation (1) (refs. 1 and 2). where m is the body mass, a is the so-called energy level of the organism^2,3 and b never exceeds 1.00. Second, the specific heat production decreases with increasing body weight according to equation (2) (Fig. 1). Several authors have emphasized that in order really to understand evolution it is necessary to know the relationship between the functions²Q(m) and q(m). An attempt at such an analysis is outlined here.